Par
Augustin Bouquet des Chaux
Published on Nov 14, 2024 at 5:57 p.m.
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“This type of operation is very interesting. When I see the people going to the grave of the curmudgeon from Varengeville-sur-Mer, I tell myself that there is an audience that is interested. And then it’s part of our job to repair forgotten graves. »
Gérard Martine has a firm tone and his passion for History shines through in every word he speaks.
The president of the Dieppe committee did not hesitate for a second to explain why it was important to renovate the tomb of Florent Rebsomen.
The latter is not a singing star or a cultural celebrity, but a soldier, colonel of the imperial guard of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte who became mayor of Arques-la-Bataille near Dieppe (Seine-Maritime).
A huge project
His grave was recently “found” in the Janval cemetery, located at the top of the Montigny hill in Dieppe. Found thanks to the meticulous work of Souvenir français, one of whose missions is the restoration of the tombs of soldiers who died for France.
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The story of François Rebsomen’s final burial begins on October 25, 2016. At that time, the Dieppe committee of French Remembrance was carrying out a huge project: the creation of a military square in the Hautot-sur-Mer cemetery. On this occasion, Gérard Martine exchanges with a resident of Poitiers, member of the Poitevin committee of French Remembrance.
“Among the multiple pieces of information he gave me, he told me about a Rebsomen buried in the Janval cemetery,” recalls the president of the Dieppe committee. This Florent Rebsomen is not just anyone, since he is an officer of the Legion of Honor. “That’s what made me react immediately. »
Meticulous work
Gérard Martine then approaches General Julien, head of the Dieppe committee of the Society of Members of the Legion of Honor: “We quickly realize that this Rebsomen is a soldier of Napoleon who entered the imperial guard in 1805.” But he was monopolized then by the military square of Hautot-sur-Mer, the investigations therefore end there.
The figure of Florent Rebsomen resurfaces on October 11, 2024 on the occasion of the presentation of the badge of officer of the Order of Merit to Bernard Bon, active member of French Souvenir in Dieppe. “General Julien asked me where it was,” recalls Gérard Martine. We must then follow the trail of this soldier of Napoleon from Dieppe.
Bad information
Gilbert David, the association’s historian, is responsible for reconstructing the journey and biography of Florent Rebsomen. We also have to… find the grave. “We knew she was in the Janval cemetery, but we didn’t know where,” notes Gérard Martine.
It is he who will lead the investigation, notably requesting access to the cemetery archives. “We had bad information and we were able to correct it,” recalls the president of the Dieppe committee of French Remembrance, who eventually found the grave.
“It took a little scratching and it brought the name Rebsomen up to date. »
We must now proceed with its renovation. Several operations are planned. “We still want to maintain a certain authentic side and we don’t want it to be cleaned with a karcher,” notes Gérard Martine.
A first cleaning operation
The first cleaning operation is planned for this week. It will then be necessary to redo the epitaph and, in particular, to redecorate the letters of the tomb. “There is not only the name of Florent Rebsomen on the grave, there are also the campaigns in which he participated,” affirms Gilbert David.
The various associations in charge of the operation finally want an official ceremony to be organized, certainly in February 2025. A ceremony in which the descendants of François Rebsomen could participate. “But it’s hard to get your hands on them. We know that he had eight children, but their trace has been lost over time,” concludes Gilbert David.
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