French legion graves

**Evgeni M** · 03-10-2013, 09:53 AM

Dear All,

Recently I discovered this very interesting grave picture of french volunteers buried among the German soldiers. I am trying to figure out the location as well as the date of the photo. Moreover any useful info on the French volunteers in Russia is welcome, as i cannot find much info about it.

Here is what I was able to gather so far. As it is clear from the picture they are buried along the soldiers of the 488 infantry regiment Lexikon der Wehrmacht - IR488 that fought in the 268 infantry division around Tula being part of the XXIV Corps 268th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The photo must be taken before October 1942, as the regiment was renamed thereafter.

The french volunteers fought around Moscow during the operation "Typhoon" (according to wiki starting in December). Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lexikon der Wehrmacht - IR638

My take is that the picture is taken somewhere around Moscow (direction west-south west) in October (you see some of the first snow). So the LVF must have fought directly at the arrival ans suffered losses.

Alternatively, the picture can be taken in spring 1942 after the Moscow counteroffensive. However, it is not likely as Germans lost territory where LVF was fighting, but it could be also a hospital graveyard in the rear.

I also checked the names on the graves on grabensuchen.de and was not able to find:

-Johann Schnegg
-Mathias Wolf
-Michael Stoger
-Fernand Combalugier
-Jean Touret

All the other names I was not able to read (any help on reading the names, dates, regiments will be much appreciated!!!!).

Thanks a lot in advance!

Regards,

Evgeni

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-10-2013 09:53 AM

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**Paul D** · 03-10-2013, 11:47 AM

An interesting photo Evgeni with the Tricolour painted on the grave markers, i must admit i don't know much about the History of the early French volunteers and it's a shame that the dates just can't be made out.

**JPhilip** · 03-10-2013, 11:54 AM

Hello,
The third french name visible on the photo is "Louis Pradère".
Thanks

**Evgeni M** · 03-10-2013, 12:00 PM

Thanks! Is there any database on the French soldiers fallen in WO2?

by JPhilip

Hello,
The third french name visible on the photo is "Louis Pradère".
Thanks

**lebus12** · 03-10-2013, 12:05 PM

Perhaps you can search with the German names...

**Evgeni M** · 03-10-2013, 12:09 PM

Tried that already, no result, so looking for other sources or more names atm.

**Paul D** · 03-10-2013, 12:12 PM

Unusual that none of the names can be found in the database , a few Johann Schnegg but none that fit the time scale !!

**Evgeni M** · 03-10-2013, 12:51 PM

Exactly! Maybe it can be found in WAST, as I only checked the grabenshuchen.de, though I doubt it.

by Paul E

Unusual that none of the names can be found in the database , a few Johann Schnegg but none that fit the time scale !!

**big ned** · 03-10-2013, 03:01 PM

Due to circumstances would not a lot of these men served under a 'Nomme de Guerre' and therefore might be harder or maybe impossible to trace effectively?

Just a thought.

Regards, Ned. (My Nomme de Guerre...

)

**Evgeni M** · 03-10-2013, 03:04 PM

Also possible!

by big ned

Due to circumstances would not a lot of these men served under a 'Nomme de Guerre' and therefore might be harder or maybe impossible to trace effectively?

Just a thought.

Regards, Ned. (My Nomme de Guerre...

)