French Military

[chelsen]

I have been told by a family member that my husband's uncle, Marcel Helsen, was in the French military.  He was born in 1891 in Paris but came to England with his parents around 1900. 

He may have served in WW1 and WW2.  His Grandson thinks he might have been in the resistance in WW2 and after his death a box containing some medals similar to the Croix de Guerre was discovered.

Does anyone know how I can trace his military service?

[jorose]

Do your relatives still have the medals? Those might give you a head-start in tracing his service.

If he was Marcel Francois Hubert Helsen, son of Victor and Blanche, he was actually born in 10e Paris, 21 July 1887, birth registered 24 July 1887.

http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/ - I believe this is the main archives for military records, but I don't think they have records online (except for war dead).

[chelsen]

Dear Jorose

Thanks, once again, for responding to another of my French enquiries.  I do not know if my husband's relative has the medals in his possession, but I will certainly ask him.  He has asked me to find out what I can about his Grandfather so I will tell him I need more information in order to do so.

Yes, he was Marcel Francois Hubert Helsen.  I thought he was born in 1891 as his age on 1911 census is given as 20.  It is good to have his exact date of birth.

Thanks for the link to the military records.  I think if my husband's relative found the medals at the end of WW2, they may have been awarded in WW1.  Marcel would certainly have been old enough to see action in that war as he would have been 27.

I will let you know how I get on.
You have helped me in the past - thanks again.

Carole

[suzukibowls]

Hi,

Did Marcel marry Emily Rossiter in London and have two daughters.  Have further info if correct.

Janet

[chelsen]

Yes, Marcel married Emily Rossiter in 1912 and they had two daughters, Emilie Blanche and Marguerite Yvonne.  Marcel was the older brother of my father in law, Lucien Maurice Helsen.  I have been asked to find out about Marcel's war service by his Grandson, Peter. who is the son of Emilie Blanche Harris nee Helsen.   I would be interested to hear from you with any further information.

[suzukibowls]

Hi,

I assume you mean Percival Peter who was born in 1936 and he had a sister Pamela?     Difficult sometimes when they don't use the first name.

It is really the Rossiter line I am following.

Emily was the daughter of Charles Robert Branscombe Rossiter.

Janet

[chelsen]

Yes,  he calls himself Peter.  His father was Percival Harris who married Emilee Blanche Helsen, and she called herself Blanche. 

Do you have any information about Marcel's military career?  Peter has given me some information about his Grandfather and we already knew that Marcel owned a pub in Thames Ditton called The Albany.  In fact my husband spent some time living there in the 50's.

I'm afraid I do not know anything about Emily Rossiter.  Marcel was the oldest of the children of Victor and Blanche Helsen and my father in law, Lucien Maurice was 6 years younger.  He died when my husband, David, was only 9 years old n 1955.  I believe Marcel died before that.  Several of the brothers including Marcel and Lucien were Gilders by trade and had several businesses including one in Oxford Street, London.

I have never met Peter, but he contacted me through a genealogy website and I have offered to help find out about Marcel as I do family history research as a hobby.  He believes his Grandfather was a senior member of the military (presumably the French Military) and he tells me that he once saw a box of medals.  I am not sure if they would have been from WW1 or WW2.  He said his Grandfather was often visited my important military personnel.  I presume these would be French.
 
I hope you can help.

Carole