#albert mayer

[ultramegatroutman]

jackpot

[misswilma]

internet questions. | 006

author’s note: the tale of the two soldier albert mayer and jules-andré peugeot may not be as old as time, but it certainly is one to tell.

— who was the first soldier to be killed in world war one?

Albert Mayer (soldier) Albert Mayer, (April 24, 1892 – August 2, 1914) was the first soldier and the first Imperial German soldier to die in World War I. He died one day before Germany formally declared war on France. [Wikipedia]

     WHEN THINKING OF THE FIRST soldier to be killed in the First World War one might think of John Henry Parr, a British soldier who died on 21 August 1914. Sure, he was the first soldier to die – of the British Commonwealth and the British Army.i (Wikipedia).

The prize of dying first goes to an Imperial German soldier named Albert Mayer. He died on 2 August 1914, nineteen days before the Briton. Mayer was born in Saxony-Anhalt on 24 April 1892 during when the German Empire still existed. 1912, age twenty, he enlisted into the Imperial German Army and before his death in 1914 he was made Leutnant in his unit (Wikipedia).

How Mayer met his end was at the Skirmishii at Joncherey. On the 2 August around 6:00 a.m., Mayer, along with his cavalry, crossed the border between France and Germany – this was illegal by the way. Strangely, they were met with no resistance, and there was a reason. The French tried as long as they could to avoid war, and by staying away from the border they would not provoke the Germans (Wikipedia).

The German cavalry advanced more and more into France, and by around 9:30 and 9:50 a.m., they entered the small village of Joncherey. The Germans managed to keep their existence a secret, until Mayer slashed his sober at a French sentry, alerting French soldiers. The four soldiers were eating breakfast at their billet when the owner's daughter said "The Prussians! The Prussians are coming!" The soldiers went to arrest the intruders. This is where Albert Mayer met Jules-André Peugeot (Wikipedia).

related.

who was the last soldier to be killed in world war one?

Although not much is known Peugeot's early life, it is known his birthdate is 11 June 1893, birthplace was Etupes, and that he was a teacher. He was called up for compulsory military service in 1913 and became the title of Corporal (Wikipedia).

Peugeot yelled at Mayer, saying that they were under arrest. In response Mayer pulled out his pistol and fired at Peugeot, hitting him in the shoulder. The force made the Frenchman fall back. Before he hit the ground he fired back at Mayer, however, he missed. The mishap was however returned by Peugeot's comrades. Their bullets did not miss him. First in the stomach, then in the head. Albert Mayer was dead.

The shot to Peugeot's shoulder did not kill him immediately. He did manage to get back to the billet house. He died on the steps. It was 10:37 a.m.

R E F E R E N C E S.

"who was the first soldier to be killed in world war one - Google Search", Google Search.

WEBSITES

"Albert Mayer (soldier) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", Wikipedia. (english) (retrieved: 26-07-2018)

"Jules-André Peugeot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", Wikipedia. (english) (retrieved: 26-07-2018)

"Skirmish at Joncherey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", Wikipedia. (english)(retrieved: 26-07-2018)

NOTES.

i. Even that title might be taken from Parr, as the first person to be killed was Henry Hadley, an English language teacher from Cheltenham, England. He died on 5 August 1914. The difference is that Parr was a soldier and Hadley was a civilian. So in the context of the first British soldier, the former is, in fact, the first one. [reference is taken from Wikipedia.] 

ii. skirmish (noun); an episode of irregular or unpremeditated fighting, especially between small or outlying parts of armies or fleets. [definition is taken from Google Dictionary.]