In its latest album, the metal group Sabaton sings the exploits of Albert Sévérin Roche, a Drômois who had been one of the heroes of the war of 14-18. The most decorated soldier in France at the end of the conflict, he had disappeared from collective memory.
Geography is funny sometimes. The village of Réauville bears a name with the sounds of eastern France, where the trenches of the First World War were dug. Where hundreds of thousands of soldiers lost their lives. However, this small town is nestled in the Drôme. Far, very far from the front of 14-18.
However, Albert Séverin Roche, a child of Réauville, multiplied the exploits on the battlefield more than a century ago. If his memory is still maintained in his native region, his name had not (or little) crossed the borders of the Drôme. Surprisingly, it was Sabaton, a Swedish metal band, who helped to explode his notoriety by dedicating a track to him on their latest album.
The clip of the song in his tribute, shot in animated cinema, exceeded in just two weeks the million views on social networks.
The most decorated soldier of 14-18
“I remember the first time I heard about it. I stumbled across him while looking for WWI stories and my first reaction was ‘Wow, that guy is tougher than Rambo “We would like to shed light on these characters who are sometimes forgotten by history”testifies Joakim Brodén, the singer of Sabaton.
The heroic deeds carried out by Albert Roche during the First World War are hard to believe. According to historians, his actions contributed to the capture of more than 1,000 German soldiers during the conflict. At the end of the 14-18 war, he had become the most decorated soldier in France. Marshal Foch had notably made him an officer of the Legion of Honor.
“There was a German outpost which was impregnable. Albert Roche said to his captain: ‘I’m going to leave with two night buddies'”
Christian Bernardauthor of the book “Réauville in Drôme provençale”
Christian Bernard, author of the book Réauville in Drôme Provençale: Big and small stories of yesterday and today, tells a stroke of brilliance from Albert Roche. “There was a German outpost which was impregnable. Albert Roche said to his captain: “I’m going to leave with two night buddies, we’re going to crawl and as I noticed that the Germans were warming up drinking coffee in their casemate, we’ll throw grenades inside the pipes “. And so it exploded and he had taken a dozen prisoners.”
For his exploits, Albert Roche had been made First soldier of France by Marshal Foch. But it took Sabaton’s riffs to re-imprint his name in the collective memory.
For Tommy Falchero, great-grandson of Albert Séverin Roche, this song is experienced as recognition. “We were surprised at first, we didn’t expect this story to take on so much importance and go international. And of course, we are proud that the story of Albert Roche is finally arousing interest“. The mayor of Réauville would even like to welcome Sabaton in concert.