WWI Armistice Railway Carriage
Nov 12, 2010 22:02:17 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Nov 12, 2010 22:02:17 GMT
Split from: Celebrating+today
bixa, as regards the signing of the Armistice, there is extra history involving the railway carriage. Are you curious enough to find out?
I have been searching, but have the feeling I'm overlooking crucial facts to which Mark and Mick alluded.
Here is what I have so far:
In November 1918 the Engineer in charge of the North Region Railways: Arthur-Pierre Toubeau, was instructed to find a suitably discreet place which would accommodate two trains. By coincidence on the outskirts of Compiègne in the forest of Rethondes lay an artillery railway emplacement. Set deep within the wood and out of the view of the masses the location was ideal.
Early in the morning of the 8th November a train carrying Maréchal Ferdinand Foch, his staff and British officers arrived on the siding to the right, nearest the museum. The train formed a mobile headquarters for Foch, complete with a restaurant car and office.
At 0700 hours another train arrived on the left hand track. One of the carriages had been built for Napoleon III and still bore his coat of arms. Inside was a delegation from the German government seeking an armistice.
There were only a hundred metres between the two trains and the entire area was policed by gendarmes placed every 20 metres.
For three days the two parties discussed the terms of an armistice until at 0530 hours on the 11th November 1918, Matthias Erzberger the leader of the German delegation signed the Armistice document.
Within 6 hours the war would be over.
Initially the carriage (Wagon Lits Company car No. 2419D) used by Maréchal Foch was returned to its former duty as a restaurant car but was eventually placed in the courtyard of the Invalides in Paris.
Source: thestarshollowgazette.com/diary/1128/on-this-day-in-history-november-11
The Allied Supreme Commander, Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch, is depicted here (second from right) on the 11th of November, 1918. He is with his entourage and the German delegation.
The parties have just signed the Armistice, ending World War I. The agreement will take effect at 11 a.m. that morning, Paris time.
Click on the photo to be taken to two larger views.
In the last hours, the last lives would be taken. At Vrigne-Meuse, Auguste Treebuchon, a divisional liaison officer, was delivering the ceasefire dispatch when he was struck down by a sniper's bullet.
At 11 a.m., a lone German gunner jumped out of his trench, fired his remaining rounds into the air and then bowed to his former adversaries. In Vosges, a French officer noted: "At 1100hrs sharp the Germans surged out of their trenches, shouting and flourishing a red flag. They began celebrating, singing merry songs and played instruments. They were all eager to engage in conversation with our soldiers."
Last two paragraphs are from this excellent, detailed account.
I did find this nugget on a Wikpedia page:
In order to avoid the prospect of signing a surrender in the train carriage the second time, the original was dynamited by Germany near the end of World War II.
I have been searching, but have the feeling I'm overlooking crucial facts to which Mark and Mick alluded.
Here is what I have so far:
In November 1918 the Engineer in charge of the North Region Railways: Arthur-Pierre Toubeau, was instructed to find a suitably discreet place which would accommodate two trains. By coincidence on the outskirts of Compiègne in the forest of Rethondes lay an artillery railway emplacement. Set deep within the wood and out of the view of the masses the location was ideal.
Early in the morning of the 8th November a train carrying Maréchal Ferdinand Foch, his staff and British officers arrived on the siding to the right, nearest the museum. The train formed a mobile headquarters for Foch, complete with a restaurant car and office.
At 0700 hours another train arrived on the left hand track. One of the carriages had been built for Napoleon III and still bore his coat of arms. Inside was a delegation from the German government seeking an armistice.
There were only a hundred metres between the two trains and the entire area was policed by gendarmes placed every 20 metres.
For three days the two parties discussed the terms of an armistice until at 0530 hours on the 11th November 1918, Matthias Erzberger the leader of the German delegation signed the Armistice document.
Within 6 hours the war would be over.
Initially the carriage (Wagon Lits Company car No. 2419D) used by Maréchal Foch was returned to its former duty as a restaurant car but was eventually placed in the courtyard of the Invalides in Paris.
Source: thestarshollowgazette.com/diary/1128/on-this-day-in-history-november-11
The Allied Supreme Commander, Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch, is depicted here (second from right) on the 11th of November, 1918. He is with his entourage and the German delegation.
The parties have just signed the Armistice, ending World War I. The agreement will take effect at 11 a.m. that morning, Paris time.
Click on the photo to be taken to two larger views.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the last hours, the last lives would be taken. At Vrigne-Meuse, Auguste Treebuchon, a divisional liaison officer, was delivering the ceasefire dispatch when he was struck down by a sniper's bullet.
At 11 a.m., a lone German gunner jumped out of his trench, fired his remaining rounds into the air and then bowed to his former adversaries. In Vosges, a French officer noted: "At 1100hrs sharp the Germans surged out of their trenches, shouting and flourishing a red flag. They began celebrating, singing merry songs and played instruments. They were all eager to engage in conversation with our soldiers."
Last two paragraphs are from this excellent, detailed account.
I did find this nugget on a Wikpedia page:
In order to avoid the prospect of signing a surrender in the train carriage the second time, the original was dynamited by Germany near the end of World War II.
Isn't that pretty much what I found, with more detail? My last link contains a brief reference to the 2nd armistice signed there. Is that the fact that you wanted?
