Abel GUIDET - English ver.
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Abel Guidet, a veteran of the First World War, was decorated with the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille Militaire. He became mayor of Bapaume in 1929, a general councilor in 1934, and a Radical-Socialist deputy in 1936.
During the Second World War, he used his position as mayor to aid escaped prisoners by providing them with forged identity cards and, in 1943, to help young people avoid conscription into the Compulsory Labor Service (STO).
He played an active role in the escape network for Allied airmen and participated in arms drops in cooperation with the British WO network. Arrested on November 27, 1943, he was imprisoned and deported to Germany, where he died in a concentration camp on November 27, 1944. His role in the Resistance and his sacrifice make him a heroic figure in the fight against the Nazi occupation.
This former horse market square has undergone significant transformations in recent years to become the central hub for cultural, commercial, and leisure activities.
Abel Guidet: A War Hero and Resistor
Born and Raised in Bapaume
Born: November 6, 1890, in Bapaume
Died: November 27, 1944, at the Gross-Rosen camp, Poland
Military Status: World War I veteran, wounded three times
Distinctions: Croix de Guerre, Médaille Militaire
A Distinguished Political Career
- Municipal councilor since 1921
- Mayor of Bapaume (1929)
- General Councilor of Pas-de-Calais (1934)
- Radical-Socialist Deputy (1936-1942)
- Vice-President of the Arras Republican Radical and Radical-Socialist Committee
- Member of the Public Works and Communication Commission in the National Assembly
- Notable Decision: On June 10, 1940, voted in Vichy to grant full powers to Marshal Pétain
Military Honors
World War I:
- Médaille Militaire
- Croix de Guerre with 3 stars and 2 palms
- British Medal of Freedom
- Verdun Medal of Gratitude
World War II:
- French Resistance Medal
- Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm
- Belgian Resistance Medal
Other Distinctions:
- Knight of the Legion of Honor
- Officer of the Palmes Académiques
The Gross-Rosen Camp
Established in 1940, Gross-Rosen became infamous for inhumane conditions and mass fatalities. 40,000 people lost their lives, including numerous deportees from northern France.
A Grateful City
"Grateful tribute to Abel Guidet – Deputy, mayor of Bapaume – Died in deportation on November 27, 1944, and to the heroic victims of the 1939-1945 war."
