War Memorial WO2 Ile de Gennes-Sud

Memorial for those who died for our freedom.
Historical context:
A monument erected in 1948 in memory of Lieutenant Jacques Desplats and his comrades. This monument, consisting of a pyramid-shaped pedestal with a white wooden cross, is located on the Île de Gennes, between two branches of the Loire. It originally stood by a willow tree, exactly on the spot where Jacques Desplats was killed in June 1940. Following a decision by the Gennes municipal council, it was moved in September 2006 and is now located to the right of the D 751 bis, which links Gennes to Les Rosiers-sur-Loire, just before the bridge over the river.Facts: On 19 June 1940, the Germans briefly appeared on the right bank of the Loire, in the village of Rosiers, opposite the island. The first bridge was blown up at noon on the orders of Desplats, while the Germans reinforced their troops in the village of Rosiers, which was fully occupied by the evening. The battle to cross the Loire began. A first enemy landing attempt was repulsed around midnight with the help of the train brigade under the command of Roimarmier, which was guarding the hill. During the night of 19-20 June 1940, the second bridge was destroyed, isolating Desplats and his men. In the morning of 20 June, heavy fighting raged and the enemy launched an attack to occupy the island. At dawn, Lieutenant Desplats was hit in the leg by a piece of shrapnel and while he was trying to bandage his wound, a second piece of shrapnel felled him. At the same time, five of his comrades were killed in the defense of the island: Sergeant Jean-Paul Braillard, his deputy, EAR Jean-Louis Dunand, Guy Roland-Gosselin, Corporal Maurice Brasseur and Mohamed Dachir of the Algerian infantry unit.Want to know more? Click through to the source museedelaresistanceenligne.org/media9348-Monument-la-mmoire-du-lieutenant-Jacques-Desplats-et-de-ses-compagnons-darmes-Gennes-Maine-et-Loire