Cross Bricart

Translation of the text on the memorial:

"To Commander Bricart
To our brave soldiers
Who died with him on May 10, 1940"

Bricart's original command post was situated in a mill to the southwest of Bodange. From there, Bricart couldn't follow the battle and for that reason he decided to move his command post to an open-air location south of the road to Fauvillers. At this location, during an observation, Bricart was hit by a piece of shrapnel that rips open his uniform. Bricart then decided to withdraw his command post further to the hamlet of Traquebois, where he moved into the house of the Kütten family with about 20 troops.

When the Ardennes Hunters had to stop their fight in the village of Bodange itself, Bricart also knew that he had no choice but to withdraw with his men. He didn't want to surrender, he had already done so during the First World War. During this retreat, Bricart was hit in the head above his left eye. He died on the spot. Soldiers Meeus and Weis were also fatally wounded. The remaining men, including four seriously injured men, hid in the bushes where they were captured later that day.

Bricart, Meeus and Weis were buried on May 12, 1940 by Mr Kütten with the help of male residents of Fauvillers at the location where the Cross Bricart now stands, approximately 60 meters from the place where they died.

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