The Luxemburgers of the Piron Brigade

The first Luxemburgers arrive individually in Great-Britain especially after 1942. At this time, the Nazi government proclamed the military service in the Wehrmacht...

Thus many Luxembourgers preferred to join Britain and join the Allied Forces to fight Nazism.

The Luxembourg Government in London would therefore find the most appropriate solution to these volunteers to defend their ideals. Create a "Luxembourg Army" was not an option. This left several possibilities: The Belgian Brigade, Brigade Dutch "Princess Irene", and the 2nd Armored Division of the Free French Forces (Lecler Division). The decision to integrate the Luxembourgers in the Belgian Brigade was selected for several obvious reasons.

It was more, consider the political situation refractory or escaped Wehrmacht conscripts who risked large in case of capture.

In late 1942, after the invasion of North Africa, France allow Luxembourgers committed to the Foreign Legion to join the Grand-Ducal government in London to be incorporated within the Brigade Belgo-Luxembourg. 50% of Luxembourgers soldiers come from the Foreign Legion.

In March 1944, to facilitate the integration, it was decided that Luxembourgers serve in the Artillery Battery to form a national "Troop".

	Composition of the Luxemburger Troop within the Field Artillery Battery (August, 8, 1944) :

Equipe d'Observation :

	Lt RAQUET Pierre (Offr Belge) Commandant de la Batterie		L/B BOURG Jean Radio-opérateur		Asp JUTTEL Jean, dit Butz Assistant d'observation
	Mdl HERRMANN Edmond Radio		Pvt LUDWIG Camille Chauffeur Bren Carrier

Equipe du Gun Position Officer (GPO) :

	Lt DANKAERT Jean (Offr Belge) GPO		Pvt JEMMING Pierre Assistant / GPO		Brig STERNBERG Rudy Chauffeur-opérateur-radio
	Pvt NICOLAS Léon Assistant / GPO		Pvt WEIS Paul Assistant / GPO		L/B KIRPACH Théo Radio

Equipe Transmissions :

	Mdl CLAUS Jean Chef Eq Transm		Pvt MEDERNACH Joseph Ligne		Pvt GROEFF Mathias Ligne
	L/B SCHWALL René Radio		Pvt MINDEN Willy Ligne		Pvt GOERGEN Jacques Ligne
	Pvt NILLES Joseph Radio		Pvt LEVY Sylvain Ligne		Pvt PETESCH Arthur Chauffeur
	Pvt FRANCKE Paul Ligne		Pvt FLAMMANG Pierre Ligne		Pvt JENTGEN Pierre Chauffeur
	Pvt KAYSER Robert Ligne

Quatre Pièces :

	Asp JACOBY Louis Troop Leader		Pvt KIRSCH Joseph Chauffeur-opérateur-Radio		Pvt WEISGERBER Alfred Chauffeur
	1SM KRIER Mathias Battery Sgt Maj

Pièce n° 1 : 25 Pounders "Princesse Elisabeth"

	1Mdl DOERFEL Guillaume Chef de pièce		Pvt WAHL Emile		Pvt BOUSCHET Edouard Chauffeur
	L/B BARTHEL Albert		Pvt NOTHUMB Eugène		Pvt PETRE Pierre Chauffeur
	Pvt KARIER Joseph		Pvt BARTHEN Rodolphe

Pièce n° 2 : 25 Pounders "Princesse Marie-Adélaïde"

	1Mdl PUTZ Jean-Pierre Chef de pièce		Pvt FRISCH Joseph		Pvt HARY Emile Chauffeur (+ le 6/5/1945)
	Mdl STEFFEN Nicolas		Pvt KLEMMER Edouard		Pvt LEYSEN Clément Chauffeur
	L/B DIEDERICH Henri		Mdl MEIER Hugues

Pièce n° 3 : 25 Pounders "Princesse Marie-Gabrielle"

	Mdl WAGNER Emile Chef de pièce		Pvt MICHAUX Benny		Pvt SCHMIT Michel Chauffeur
	Pvt MEYER Marcel		Pvt SCHMITZ Jean		Pvt DUPONT Jean Chauffeur
	Pvt CHAMPAGNE Pierre		Pvt HOPP Albert

Pièce n° 4 : 25 Pounders "Princesse Alix"

	Mdl GOEREND Aloyse Chef de pièce		Pvt DOCKENDORF Paul		Pvt NEUMANN Nicolas Chauffeur
	Pvt JACOBY Siggy		Pvt RISCHETTE Jean-Pierre		Pvt COLLES Marcel Chauffeur
	Pvt JACOBY Aloyse		Pvt WANDERSCHEID Michel

Divers

	Pvt GEORGES Roger Maintenance		Pvt TERRES Félix Mitrailleur AA		Pvt KREMER Jacques Cuisinier
	Pvt RIES Paul Maintenance		Pvt WALTY Jean Ordonnance		Pvt PESCH Marcel Cuisinier
	Asp WINTER Robert Bureau Tir Gp Aie		Pvt THEISEN Jean-Pierre Ordonnance		Pvt ADAMY Joseph Chauffeur Munitions
	Pvt DUMONT Roger Assistant Bureau Tir		Pvt SCHNEIDER Charles Ordonnance		Pvt SCHROEDER Jean-Pierre Chauffeur Munitions
	Pvt KEIFFER Pierre Assistant Bureau Tir		Pvt PLETSCHETTE Nicolas Ordonnance		Pvt SCHAFFNER François Transport munitions
	Pvt BERMANN René Chauffeur Lt Col DERIDDER		Pvt MULLER Jean Armurier		Pvt PETESCH Edouard Détaché momentanément
	Pvt LEMMER Henri Chauffeur		Pvt BACKES Mathias Cuisinier		Pvt SCHROEDER Batty Détaché momentanément
	Pvt DEBOUCHE Robert Mitrailleur AA

Volontaires Luxembourgeois qui ont rejoint la Brigade en septembre 1944

- Au sein de la Troop Luxembourgeoise de la Batterie d'Artillerie :

	ALTMANN Pierre		GUILLAUME Jean-Pierre		SCHAULS René
	ALTZINGER René		JUNGBLUT Guillaume		SCHILTZ Emile
	BASSANI Joseph		KAAS Léon		SCHLEICH Jean-Robert
	BASTIAN Paul		KRIER Joseph		SCHORTGEN Jean-Pierre
	BEMTGEN Roger		MANGEN Joseph		SIMON Roger
	BERNS Alphonse		NITTLER Joseph		STEFFEN René
	BRACHMOND Camille		PAQUET Léon		STORTI Louis
	DALEIDEN Robert		PEPIN Edmond		THEIS Roger
	DIENHARDT Ferdinand		PERL Pierre		WASSENICH Victor
	FRISCH Roger		POOS Albert		WEBER Jean
	FUSSHOELLER Victor		ROSENFELD Paul		WILTZ Guillaume
	GIRSCH Joseph		SADLER Albert

- En service au sein de la 3ème Unité Motorisée (Scout Section):

	BESCH Marcel		SCHAMMEL Jean		THOSS Léon
	EVELING Jim		SCHENTEN Charles		WEISS Camille
	GEORGES Charles		SCHWEBACH Jean-Pierre		WEYRICH Charles
	MOSTERT Nicolas		STEFFEN Edgard

April 1944. Lydd	Soccer team "1st Luxembourg Team"
May 1944 - Fritton Camp	May 1944. Manoeuvres near Cambridge.
May 1944. Manoeuvres near Cambridge.	Normandy - August 1944
1st of september 1944, crossing the Seine	September, 4, 1944 - Libération of Brussels
September, 4, 1944 - Libération of Brussels	September, 4, 1944 - Libération of Brussels (Pvt NICOLAS)
September, 4, 1944 - Libération of Brussels (Pvt Jean DUPONT)
Sep, 20, 1944. NEERITER - Col Piron, Prins Félix of Luxembourg, Maj Van Oost and Major Poncelet	October 1944. 1st Campaign of Holland
October 1944. 1st Campaign of Holland	April 1945. 2nd Campaign of Holland

June, 28, 1945 . On the "Glacis" at Luxembourg, Luxemburgers of the First Belgian Brigade receive honnors from the Nation.

Jean BOURG is decorated of the War Cross by Great Duchess Charlotte

I thank especially Romain DUPONT, son of Jean DUPONT, enlisted in the Piron Brigade under the Number GB-3721, for sending me parts of the photographies.