Discussion:Château de Querrieu

Passage en anglais issu de l'article général Querrieu : retiré et déposé ici :

Story about the castle from the Great War Diaries of www.wardiaries.co.uk - 8/9/916:

Finished work this morning at 1.30 am. Large numbers of troops are continually on the move together with their attendant baggage. A great proportion of the troops which I have noticed lately, and especially this morning have been New Zealanders. Quite a find body of men too I consider them to be. It would perhaps be rather interesting to make a few notes of certain events, which have been able to ascertain took place when the Germans first passed through Pont Noyelle and Querrieu on their mythical triumphal march to Paris. From what I can gather the Germans only stayed about these parts for a day and night. Most of the inhabitants had departed before they arrived, only the old people remaining behind. Still I know personally several of the younger people who did not trouble to quit their homes. The Germans demanded everything while they were here, but paid for nothing. There were two cases of barbarism, so far as I have been able to ascertain. One occurred at a small village near, a French man who hid himself when the Germans approached was however soon discovered and shot "tout de suite". At Querrieu an old man who refused to oblige his countries enemies in any way, was promptly cut open down the middle with a knife. On the other hand am afraid that in many quarters noble France's most viscious enemy was unfortunately only too well received. Another little story concerns the chateau here, which at present is the headquarters of the 4th army (General Rawlinson H.S.). The tale dates back to the war 0f 1870. The gist of the story, which I will endeavour to explain, runs something like as follows. At the time mentioned the Germans were advancing successfully through France and a big battle was fought in this district. In fact there is a large grave and a monument had been erected to commemorate the fallen heroes who fell fighting for their country, just a short distance to the North of Pont-Noyelle. There lived at the chateau of this time, an old man and his daughter, who was about 18 summers of age. I believe the former was the Count. There arrived at this old mansion a young gallant cavalier on his charger, to visit his fiancée "Mademoiselle". Upon leaving the girl instructed Monsieur to take the road leading directly in front of him and in order to see him departing she herself climbed up into one of the four turrets, which it is said existed at that time, but of which the chateau does not possess a single one at the present time. She was however mortified that her "Beau ideal" did not observe her directions to him, but instead turned off to the right, which led to danger. Mademoiselle at once dispatched a servant to overtake the horseman, but it was all in vain for Monsieur had gone too far and ran straight into the arms of the enemy and was killed. This event had a depressing influence upon the chateau maiden who elapsed into a droll sort of person and, to continue the story as it has been told to me. Whenever a thunderstorm came over it was the practice of poor Mademoiselle to go up into the turret and look out for her servant, whom she would on such occasions send repeatedly on a similar errand as she did on the first occasion. The man would invariably return with the tale that he had redirected the gentleman on to the safe and proper route, which she had directed him to follow. There came a time however when the messenger too was killed by lightening and Mademoiselle who had turned her 60th birthday asked God to strike her dead too. Whereupon the room in which she was standing, was immediately shattered and so ended the life of this unfortunate woman.

Totorvdr59 (discuter) 22 février 2018 à 16:52 (CET)