“Debunking veterans we have never seen that”: the change of name of a place creates a stir in a village in Tarn-et-Garonne

“Septfonds is going to be the first commune in France to denounce veterans. It’s not glorious,” Bernard Bosc is offended. This Algerian veteran, reserve officer and knight of the Legion of Honor, will not attend the ceremony this Wednesday, May 8, commemorating the Allied Victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. However, the war memorial is a stone’s throw from his home… on the Place des Veterans which is about to change its name, like other streets in this village in Tarn-et-Garonne.

The matter is linked to the implementation of addressing. “It’s a legal obligation,” recalls Nadine Sinopoli, the mayor of Septfonds. “There is a rue de la République and a boulevard de la République, a rue Notre-Dame and a boulevard Notre-Dame. All of this was a Source of confusion and led to incorrect addressing of packages,” explains the elected official.

But for Veterans Affairs? “We realized that this name had no legal existence. We found no deliberations mentioning this plaque. It must have been installed by an association I think. Moreover, this plaque is light beige , while the color of the official plates is dark blue I had never noticed it myself,” explains Nadine Sinopoli.

I was born in 1954 and I have always heard about the veterans’ place. It is a place known to all Septfontains for generations.

Born in Sept-Font, Bernard Bosc and his cousin Christine Barbe, herself the daughter and great-granddaughter of veterans, are not of this opinion. “My grandfather, born in 1902, told me that the drummer, Mr. Mur, made public announcements on this square. I was born in 1954 and I always heard about the veterans’ square. is a place known to all Septfontains for generations. The war memorial was erected there in 1923”, says this former history teacher, also decorated with the Legion of Honor for her career in National Education. ended up as principal of the largest high school in Caen.

Bernard Bosc and Christine Bosc co-signed a letter, sent this April 28, 2024 to the Secretary of State for Veterans and Memory Patricia Miralles, who visited Septfonds in October 2022, and to the prefect of Tarn-et- Garonne to express their emotion. “The decision is extremely shocking to us given the memory of our ancestors and the meaning that a community has of the respect due to those who sacrificed their youth, sometimes their lives, without forgetting the destruction of families.”

Even though this plate has no legal value, I’m not going to remove it. I am respectful of the fighting world, so we will move it a few meters to reinstall it in front of the war memorial and we will affix the official plaque.

The mayor of Septfonds defends herself vigorously. “Even if this plaque has no legal value, I am not going to remove it. I am respectful of the people, and in particular of the fighting world, so we will move it a few meters to reinstall it in front of the war memorial and we will affix the official plaque. The square will bear the name of Joachim Prades, last survivor of the Judes camp.” And Nadine Sinopoli, a good student of the duty of memory, to announce that the Boulevard de la République will be renamed Cesario Bustos, another former Spanish Republican, deported to Mathausen, known for having bought the land to make it the cemetery of the Spaniards.

“He deserves respect,” agrees Bernard Bosc, also angry to have learned from La Poste, and not from the town hall, that he now lived at 6, rue Huguette et André Bras and no longer 6, rue Notre- Lady. “It’s a hiccup,” admits the mayor of Septfonds. “The Post Office communicated too quickly before we received the plates. Besides, we have not yet installed them.” The day they are affixed, it will be known in the village!