Thouraud Wood Massacre

The Bois du Thouraud massacre took place on the territory of the Maisonnisses commune, close to its border with Sardent.
Seven young maquisards refractory to the STO were killed, seven others were deported to the death camps, along with two Creusois peasants who were helping the camp. Of these nine prisoners, only three survived to return from the camps.

From early summer 1943, a group of maquisards set up camp in the bois du Thouraud. It is made up of sixteen refractory members of the Service du travail obligatoire placed under the authority of Colonel Leduc. These young people have the support of part of the population, notably in providing them with food. They carry out a few guerrilla operations against collaborators. Following the destruction of a threshing machine, a complaint is lodged against them with the German services, who then carry out an investigation. They send two young militiamen to the area, posing as STO resistance fighters, who make contact with the maquis group on August 24, 1943, through two peasants who serve as their supplies. These two young men announced that they would be returning with weapons.

At dawn on September 7, they were indeed back, but with around a hundred members of the Gestapo and soldiers from the Wehrmacht. They arrest in their homes the two peasants accused of providing assistance to the camp: Vincent André, 35, and Julien Henry, 38. They then surround the sape that serves as shelter for the sixteen young people, only thirteen of whom are present. Seeing themselves trapped, some try to escape, but are immediately mowed down by machine-gun fire. Seven of them will fall: Gabriel Brunet, 23, Georges Cavarnier, 23, John Allan Colomb, 21, Robert Janvier, 18,Jean-Pierre Maitre Allain, 21, Jacques Nouhaud, 19 and Bernard Verbeke, 22. Their bodies will be gathered on the roof of the refuge before the Germans blow it up.

Three young people were on leave that day and escape the massacre: François Petit, Jean Saint Marcou and Georges Vergnaud.

The six survivorsare made prisoners: Marcel Dubreuil, Marcel Guisard, Robert Van Den Eden, 21, Henri Pollet, Emile Aureix, 24, and Roger Riche.
They were transferred, along with the two peasants taken prisoner earlier, to the prisonof Limogeson September 7, 1943 and interrogated by the Gestapo. They were then transferred to the prison at Fresnes on November 5, 1943, where they remained until April 9, 1944. On April 15, 1944, they were regrouped at Compiègne. On April 27, 1944, they left for Germany. On April 30, they arrive at Auschwitz.

Only Marcel Guisard, Marcel Dubreuil and Roger Riche will return from the death camps
Source Wikipedia
Photo credit Jamestimecatcher and Mathieu Thibord

The Bois du Thouraud massacre took place on the territory of the Maisonnisses commune, close to its border with Sardent.Seven young maquisards refractory to the STO were killed, seven others were deported to the death camps, along with two Creusois peasants who were helping the camp. Of these nine prisoners, only three survived to return from the camps.From early summer 1943, a group of maquisards set up camp in the bois du Thouraud. It is made up of sixteen refractory members of the Service du travail obligatoire placed under the authority of Colonel Leduc. These young people have the support of part of the population, notably in providing them with food. They carry out a few guerrilla operations against collaborators. Following the destruction of a threshing machine, a complaint is lodged against them with the German services, who then carry out an investigation. They send two young militiamen to the area, posing as STO resistance fighters, who make contact with the maquis group on August 24, 1943, through two peasants who serve as their supplies. These two young men announced that they would be returning with weapons.At dawn on September 7, they were indeed back, but with around a hundred members of the Gestapo and soldiers from the Wehrmacht. They arrest in their homes the two peasants accused of providing assistance to the camp: Vincent André, 35, and Julien Henry, 38. They then surround the sape that serves as shelter for the sixteen young people, only thirteen of whom are present. Seeing themselves trapped, some try to escape, but are immediately mowed down by machine-gun fire. Seven of them will fall: Gabriel Brunet, 23, Georges Cavarnier, 23, John Allan Colomb, 21, Robert Janvier, 18,Jean-Pierre Maitre Allain, 21, Jacques Nouhaud, 19 and Bernard Verbeke, 22. Their bodies will be gathered on the roof of the refuge before the Germans blow it up.Three young people were on leave that day and escape the massacre: François Petit, Jean Saint Marcou and Georges Vergnaud.The six survivorsare made prisoners: Marcel Dubreuil, Marcel Guisard, Robert Van Den Eden, 21, Henri Pollet, Emile Aureix, 24, and Roger Riche.They were transferred, along with the two peasants taken prisoner earlier, to the prisonof Limogeson September 7, 1943 and interrogated by the Gestapo. They were then transferred to the prison at Fresnes on November 5, 1943, where they remained until April 9, 1944. On April 15, 1944, they were regrouped at Compiègne. On April 27, 1944, they left for Germany. On April 30, they arrive at Auschwitz.Only Marcel Guisard, Marcel Dubreuil and Roger Riche will return from the death campsSource WikipediaPhoto credit Jamestimecatcher and Mathieu Thibord