Fr Laurent: The Man from Arras (Founder of Montfort School/ Holy Innocents' English School)

 The Founder of Montfort School/ Holy Innocents' English School

Alcide, Émile LAURENT  (21 May 1884-1 Aug 1916)

Chinese Name: 老 / Lao (Mémorial (Miss. en Asie))

Fr. Laurent was born on 21 May 1884 in Bléquin, in the Diocese of Arras, Department of Pas-de-Calais. He was the only boy in a family with seven or eight daughters. After completing his primary education, he went through the course of secondary studies at the minor seminary and then proceeded to the diocesan major seminary, where he received minor orders on 9 July 1905. His mother and his doctor opposed his departure ad exteros because of his frail health. He therefore obtained a position as a supervisor in an orphanage located in the countryside; his health improved, and he then set out for Paris.

On 15 September 1906, Mr Alcide Laurent entered the Seminary of the Paris Foreign Missions. He was ordained subdeacon on 21 December 1907, deacon on 14 March 1908, and priest on 27 September 1908. He received his assignment to the Diocese of Malacca and departed to join it on 2 December 1908.

Serving in Serangoon

Upon arriving in Singapore, he remained for several months at the bishop’s residence in order to familiarise himself with the English language. In 1909, he was sent to Serangoon, seven miles from the city of Singapore, to study Chinese and to receive his missionary formation under the direction of Mr Casimir Saleilles.

 In 1911, when illness forced Casimir Saleilles to return to France, Alcide Laurent succeeded him as the priest in charge of the Christian communities of Serangoon and of Ponggol, an outstation located three miles away on the Johore Strait. 

In 1913, he undertook the construction of a large, solid, and spacious building to serve as a catechetical centre and a boys’ school (The roots of Holy Innocents' English School set/1916), while the former school premises were reserved for girls. (The roots of Holy Innocents' Chinese Girls' School/1932). 

By 1914, the Christian community of Serangoon numbered 1,100 faithful.

Serving the Nation in France

Mobilised during the First World War, Mr Alcide Laurent embarked for France on 25 October 1915. Assigned as a stretcher-bearer in a machine-gun company, he also carried out the duties of a battalion chaplain. After a long period in the trenches with his regiment, he was resting in a village frequently bombarded by the Germans. On the afternoon of 1 August 1916, he was very seriously wounded by an artillery shell: his left leg was crushed, and his right leg shattered in several places.

Transported to a nearby field ambulance and assisted in his final moments by Mr L. Tournier, a missionary from Coimbatore who was also mobilised, he spoke with him about his mission. Then, at 9 p.m. on 1 August 1916, he breathed his last during the recitation of the prayers for the dying.

His funeral took place the following day, 2 August 1916. He lies buried in a village of the Somme, at Harbonnières, among the comrades whom he loved so dearly. - Paris Foreign Mission Archives

Where is Harbonnieres?

• Location: Harbonnières is located in the Santerre Plain, a few kilometers south and west of the main fighting along the Somme River. The French Sixth Army, which was positioned on the right flank of the British Fourth Army, operated in this sector.
• Role in the Offensive: The village was situated about 7 km behind the French front line at the start of the offensive on July 1, 1916. It was used for:
  • Reserve troops: Units, such as the 319th Infantry Regiment, were stationed there in reserve.
  • Logistics: New hospital barracks were built in the village in anticipation of the high casualties from the upcoming offensive. This was where Fr. Larurent was likely at.
  • Casualty and Prisoner Management: Wounded soldiers and German prisoners were brought through Harbonnières from the front. 

What did the French Army do at the Battle of the Somme ?

During the Battle of the Somme in 1916, Fr Laurent served with the  French Sixth Army,  which carried out  successful offensive operations in the sector including the villages of Harbonnieres, Rosières-en-Santerre, and the Flaucourt plateau, especially on the opening day, 1 July 1916. 

French Offensive and Harbonnières 

The French Sixth Army, under the command of General Marie-Émile Fayolle and part of General Ferdinand Foch's Group of Armies of the North, played an important but often overlooked role in the initial stages of the Battle of the Somme.

While the British suffered catastrophic casualties to the north of the Somme River, the French attacks to the south and alongside the river were notably more successful, advancing several kilometers on the first day. 

·         Location and Objectives: The French attacked south of the British sector, on both sides of the Somme River, towards the market town of Péronne. Their objectives included securing the Flaucourt plateau and nearby villages like Harbonnières, Rosières-en-Santerre, and Fay.

·         Tactics and Success: The French military was more experienced with large-scale offensives than the British volunteer army at that point and utilized superior artillery support, including a higher concentration of heavy guns and effective aerial observation. This allowed their infantry to capture their objectives with relatively minimal losses, in some areas exceeding their initial goals and taking thousands of prisoners.

·         Key Action in the Harbonnières Area: Fr Laruent likely worked alongside Colonial troops. The The I Colonial Corps, operating south of the Somme, was in the area. They were particularly successful, breaking through German defenses and driving them back beyond the second position by July 3, 1916. The village of Harbonnières was located within this area of successful French advances on the Santerre plain.

·         Strategic Context: The French involvement was critical in drawing German resources away from the simultaneous Battle of Verdun, relieving pressure on the French forces there, which was a primary strategic goal of the Somme offensive. 

The French continued to fight in attritional battles throughout the Somme offensive until it ended in November 1916, sustaining approximately 200,000 casualties. Fr. Laruent was one of them.

Cenotaph: Memorial

His name is one of the 124 names listed on the Cenotaph, alongside other dead. See the list of names here: link