“Saint-Jean-sur-Tourbe” National Cemetery

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The Saint-Jean-sur-Tourbe National Cemetery is home to soldiers who died for France in battle in Champagne in 1914-1918 and in the September 1915 offensive. It holds over 2200 bodies.

Among the French soldiers, you will find Reverend Pierre Compagnon (Grave 328), a former missionary in Japan and the head of the Foreign Missions Society. He was exempt from military duty, yet enlisted in the 8th Field Artillery Regiment for the duration of the war. As a volunteer chaplain, he devoted himself to the wounded and to all the men in his unit. He was commended in the Army Corps on 31 May 1915 and was awarded the Military Medal (May 1915). After being seriously wounded in Mesnil-les-Hurlus, he died on 21 September 1915 at the age of 56.