Ordre du Jour No 7

Hello from a newcomer . . .

My uncle was in the 40th Combat Engineers (Amphibians) [ 7th Army, 9th Corps, 40th ECR, 3rd Bn. (later 497th ECBn)]

The 40th ECR supporting role seems a little convoluted:
- Supported the 45th Div. Thunderbirds and other divisions of the 7th Army (General Patton)
- Supported AAF units operating from Sicilian air fields.
- Convoyed from Palermo to Naples Italy to support 45th Div. and the 5th Army (General Mark Clark)
- Became a part of the Peninsula Base Section until February 1944.
- Invaded S. France with 45th Div. 6th Army Group (General Devers).
- After landing, became unit of 7th Army, (General Patch)
- supported/attached to 42nd, 44th, 45th, 3rd*, 36th, divisions, 1st French Army*, and armored div's.
* winter 1944-45, Colmar Pocket, Alsace, the 3rd Inf. Div. was a part of the French 1st Army.
- prepared for 45th Division Rhine River Crossing with Storm and Assault craft.
[ I hope I pieced all that correctly from 40th & 45th Info. ]

My uncle made one trip across the Rhine but was hit by 88mm shell fragments while preparing to 'drive' a second boatload of wounded across H+1.5 Hour, and remained hospitalized until well after VE Day.

The 40th ECR's 3 battalions earned 7 WWII Battle Stars: North Africa, Sicily with invasion arrowhead, Naples-Fogia, Italy, Rome-Arno, Italy, South France with invasion arrow head, Central Europe, Rhineland (Rhine Valley), and received the Croix de Guerre for action from the Southern France landing through to Germany.

As part of the the 3rd Bn, (497th) he has the Presidential Unit Citation, awarded to the 3rd Inf. Div., Colmar Pocket Campaign.

I'm comfortable with the unit citations through Africa, Sicily, Italy, and into France/Central Europe. I understand the French "Croix de Guerre with Palms" as well.

But I'm a confused about something the French awarded called "Ordre du Jour No 7" ("Order of the Day #7"). A google search for this during the '43 to '45 era was unrewarding (Though I did find #9 which is attached) Does anyone know the text of "Ordre du Jour No 7"?

 

Hi and welcome to the forum

The ordre du jour if described as an award would probably have been the equivalent of a 'mention in despatches'

These are not a rare thing - without the date it would be hard to find the original text, although you might be able to find a complete list in a 1st armee official history (sorry not been able to find one online)

you could try and contact (i believe they deal with foreign soldiers serving in french units as well);


Ministère de la Défense
Secrétariat d'Etat aux Anciens Combattants
37 rue Bellechasse
75007 PARIS
(Phone) +33144421000

Hope it helps

 

Thank you Spartanroller

 

Ordre du jour is not an award.

it's just the 'summary' of the day or what will happen during a meeting. in short just some blablah

Première Armée Française - Ordres Du Jour Et Messages 3 Septembre 1944 - 9 Mai 1945


will more than likely contain the #7
you can find it here for example :
De Lattre De Tassigny, Jean : Première Armée Française - Ordres Du Jour Et Messages 3 Septembre 1944 - 9 Mai 1945 - Livre ancien - Achat et vente de Livre ancien d'occasion sur PriceMinister

 

I have no doubt you are both right on. The two that I've translated via Babylon 8 read like "attaboys" and pats-on-the-back.

- - - No. 8 - - -
First French army
Order of the Day No. 8
Officers, sub-officers, corporals and soldiers ...
You come to include on your flags and on your flags two names charges of history and glory francaise: Rhine and Danube ... P.C., The 24 April 1945.
The general armee de Lattre de Tassigny,
commander in chief of the first French army.
J. de Lattre.

- - - and, a partial translation - - -

- - - No. 9 - - -

First French army
Rhine and Danube ...
Order of the Day No. 9
Officers, sub-officers, corporals and soldiers ...
The day of victory is arrives.
In Berlin, I have the pride in one to sign . . .
The solemn act of capitulation of Germany . . .
...
...
...
BERLIN The 9 May 1945.
Le general d'armee de Lattre de Tassigny
commander in chief of the first French army.
J. de Lattre.

Thanks again - I'll track it down eventually, I know #8 was dated 24 April 1945 and I wouldn't doubt #7 was very similar and just addressed to the American troops.

YOU HAVE AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING SITE.

Best wishes

 

In fact what you are talking about is

l'ordre de la liberation which is a high ranking decoration in France.
It had been established by the edict #7

Order of the Liberation

 

there is an other edict :
Edict of 7 January 1944 relative to awarding the Cross of the Liberation, Official Bulletin of 22 January 1944.

You can find the texts in french : here in pdf

 

Thanks again Spartanroller and Trud3r. The more I hang around this site, the more I'll learn. I'm sure it will be of great help when I research other relatives' records. They were not all that talkative so I have to reconstruct what I can. Trud3r; the PDF and links are most helpful. Thankfully the Babylon 8 translation software is out there. I worked for a French firm in the U.S. and was under contract to French and Belgian firms but since all conversations and communications were in English I didn't learn the languages.

 

Dear Mr. Janke,
May I respectfully suggest that you obtain a copy of:

History of the 40th Engineer Combat Regiment in WW 2
by Alexander French

This unit history should provide you with the facts for all your questions, present & future, about the 40th Engineer Combat Regiment. I own a copy, one of the best WW 2 Unit History ever published.

Richard V. Horrell