Memorial Military School Autun

At the entrance to the Military School hangs a commemorative plaque, inaugurated on 15 June 1985:
"Quartier Bernard Gangloff
Troop child
of the preparatory military school of Autun
Hero of the Ain maquis battles,
died for France on 14 July 1944 at the age of 18.
His memory will remain an example and a guide for
all who have chosen to be trained at this school".

Bernard Gangloff entered the preparatory military school of Épinal in 1939,
In 1942 he left this school and went to the preparatory military school of Autun, which at that time had withdrawn to the Thol camp in Neuville-sur-Ain,.
Bernard Gangloff, known as "Popeye", left the school in May 1944 and joined the resistance group of Ain. As a member of the Maquis of the "troop children's camp", he participated in numerous intimidation and sabotage operations as a bazooka gun commander.

On June 6, 1944, he was involved in the attack on the Ambérieu SNCF depot, during which 52 locomotives, ten machine tools and a turntable were destroyed.
On July 11, 1944, during a large-scale operation by the Germans, his team was ordered to delay the passage of the Neuville bridge by destroying the first armored car. When they reached their position, the three men were spotted.Thomas, the outfitter, was slightly wounded, René Baril, the gunner, was killed instantly, Bernard Gangloff was seriously wounded by four bullets. His comrades evacuated him to a barn with the intention of getting help. However, this was not possible due to the presence of the Germans. Three days later, he was found and arrested by two militiamen. When he saw them, he tried in vain to commit suicide. He was transferred to the hospital in Bourg-en-Bresse via the village doctor in Neuville.
Once in the hospital, he whispered to the nun who was caring for him and asked his name: "I am Sergeant Popeye!". The chaplain who came to visit him gave him the last rites.
The next day, July 14, 1944, he died of his wounds without having said his name.
Only a few days later, he could be identified on a photo at the police station.

Bernard Gangloff was buried in the cemetery in Bourg-en-Bresse, on the small white cross are these two words: "Sergeant Popeye".

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Wim Wouters