Fall from the Unknown soldier (France)

The tomb of the Unknown soldier was installed under the triumphal arch the November 11th 1920. It is about a soldier not identified (probably French), died at the time of the Bataille of Verdun, and which represents all the soldiers killed during the First World War. In 1923, the flame of the memory is lit. It is revived every evening with 18 h 30.

It is made in Granite Vire

Choice of the Unknown soldier

The second class Auguste Thin of the 132e regiment of infantry of line, then old of twenty and one years, had been charged to indicate, on November 8th, 1920, the unknown soldier who will rest under the Triumphal arch.

Eight body of soldiers having been useful under the French uniform but who could not have been identified was exhumed in the eight areas where had been held the most fatal combat: in Flandres, in Artois, in the Sum, in Ile-de-France, with the Way of the Ladies, out of Champagne, in Verdun and in Lorraine.

November 9th, 1920, the eight coffins of oak were transferred to the citadel from Verdun, in a casemate where they were several times changed place to preserve the anonymity of the source of each one of them.

November 10th, the coffins were placed on two columns of four in a burning chapel whose guard of honor was entrusted to a company of the 132e regiment of infantry. Andre Maginot, Minister for the Pensions, is advanced towards one of the young soldiers who ensured the guard of honor, Auguste Thin, volunteer of the class 1919, wire of a combatant missing during the war, war orphan.

It tightened a bouquet of white and red eyelets to him, and the principle of designation exposed to him: the coffin on which this young soldier was going to deposit this bouquet would be transferred to Paris and is buried under the Triumphal arch. It came me a simple thought. I belong to the 6th body. By adding the figures with my regiment, the 132, it is also the figure 6 which I retain. My decision is made: it will be the 6th coffin which I will meet. Testimony of Auguste THIN

Leaving by the line, Auguste Thin made a turn, then it skirted the four coffins of right-hand side, turned left, passed in front of 5th and stopped in front of the 6th coffin on which it deposited his bouquet and solidified with the attention. From now on the memory of the First World War associating patriotism, heroisation of the military combat, exaltation of the victory and collective mourning will be associated with the tomb of the unknown soldier under the Triumphal arch.

See too

Tomb of the Unknown soldier
History of the unknown soldier

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