French Merchant Boats Requisitioned by France in WW1 & Crew.

[Sam Swift]

I'm hoping there may be someone who can help.

I'm looking for information about the Ships GLADIATEUR III and IV which were boats requisitionned by the French navy during WW1 1914-1918.

I'm looking specifically for information on a crew member - Pierre Le Bian from Plouha, born in 1880, died aged 38, in Wales on Armistice day in 1918.

Any ideas on where I might find more information ?

I've tried the National Memorial of the Sailors Deaths For France but he isn't listed as a sailor who died for France, so he is likely to have been a merchant sailor.

Thanks
Sam

[Svenja]

Hi Sam

Did you already search for his birth record in Plouha, Côte d'Armor?
Maybe his death was also registered in Plouha even if he didn't die there.

I'm not sure if the sailors are also on the "registres matricule militaire",
and you can't be sure that he was registered in the Côte d'Armor Department.

Archives départementales Côtes d'Armor

Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil (parish registers and civil offices records)
http://archives.cotesdarmor.fr/index.php?page=registres-paroissiaux

Recensement militaire - registres matricule militaire
http://sallevirtuelle.cotesdarmor.fr/RM/rmx/connexion.aspx
http://sallevirtuelle.cotesdarmor.fr/RM/rmx/commune.aspx

Centres Généalogique des Côtes d'Armor
http://www.genealogie22.com/matricule.php

I see there are 3 Pierre Marie Le Bian, marin/sailor in the registres matricules.
As he was born in 1880 I think he is the one: Classe 1900, Matricule 779.

"Noyé accidentellement à Port Talbot le 11 novembre 1918", so this is him.
http://www.genealogie22.com/Afficher_images.php?label=01R1139/RM/&image=FRAD022_01R1139_SB_RM_1900_&numero=0407&vue=1

His father François Marie died before the year 1900 and his mother Marie Yvonne Bernard lived at Plouha.

Regards
Svenja

[DavidJP]

Hi,

There is a British death index record for your man as follows:

From FreeBMD

Le Bian, Pierre M; December Qtr 1918; Age 38; Neath Registration District; Volume 11a page 1500.


Neath is the registration district covering the Port Talbot area.

Hope this helps, apologies if you have this already.

Kind regards

David

[Sam Swift]

Thanks very much Svenja and David

He is indeed the one who died accidentally in Port Talbot. I have his death certificate and sadly he accidentally died after falling into the Docks at Port Talbot. He may have died following armistice day celebrations. Thanks for all the links and for finding his parents, I will have a look at them all in the morning. 
Sam

[joger]

http://sallevirtuelle.cotesdarmor.fr/RM/rmx/consult.aspx?image=140296141649005

His military fiche.
Degré d'instruction générale means : could read, write , count.
see here :
http://combattant.14-18.pagesperso-orange.fr/Pasapas/E306RM.html

Unfortunately , no physical description.
You have all the campaigns he was engaged on.
his death is written, drowned  Port Talbot...

http://sallevirtuelle.cotesdarmor.fr/EC/ecx/consult.aspx?image=090025550794226
Birth certificate

http://sallevirtuelle.cotesdarmor.fr/EC/ecx/consult.aspx?image=090283354562116
Marriage certificate
his wife died in 1913, his own  death certificate is to be found in 1919, but both aren't available on line yet.

[Sam Swift]

Thanks Joger for all the infor and links related to his birth, marriage & service. I'm trying to make sense of the Recensement Militaire form. Was he then a merchant silor or in the army reserve ?

[Svenja]

Hi Sam

In France a young man had to go to the army when he was 20 years of age.
First he was a recrute, then he was with the active army, and some years later he was in the reserve army.
In 1914 when WWI began most of the soldiers in reserve had to go to the active army again.

In the service record is usually mentioned his time as recrute, his time in the active army and his time in the reserve.
Further down in the service record you can see the regiments and campaigns where he was during WWI.

Regards
Svenja

[joger]

All the french young men , had a military "fiche", when they were 20. Pierre marie , born in 1880 , belongs to the 1900 class, this is why you find his fiche in 1900.
It is said ; PM Le Bian , born 21 october 1880, in Plouha , departement  "Cotes du Nord " (nowadays Cotes d'Armor) occupation : sailor.
All the sailors or seamen from 12 to ... were" inscrits maritimes ", could be enrolled in the Navy in case of war.
Pierre Marie was registered in Paimpol, his number was 40434.See here:
He was not a professional soldier before the 1st WW.
http://www.geneacaux.net/spip/IMG/pdf/histoire_inscription_maritime.pdf
https://www.notrefamille.com/chroniques/l-inscription-maritime-qu-est-ce-que-l-inscription-maritime-o99284.html.

[joger]

His "fiche d'inscription maritime" should be found in the "SHD" (service historique de la Défense) in BREST.Nothing in line.