Urbain Pierre Rieucau was born 11 December 1888, Villecomtal, Aveyron
Urbain was a farmer before the war.
Having completed his compulsory military service at Rodez in 1911, Urbain was immediately recalled upon the declaration of war and was in action at the Battle of Morhange in August 1914 - Morhange being an area of France annexed by the Germans in 1871.
The remainder of the year saw Urbain in action on the Oise, Somme and Artois fronts during the ‘race to the sea’, and during the 1st Battle of Ypres.
During 1915, he fought in the 2nd Battle of Ypres and the 2nd Battle of Champagne and remained on the Champagne front until moving to take part in the Battle of Verdun in February 1916.
Seeing much vicious fighting at Verdun between February and May 1916 (Houdremont quarries, Douaumont, Côte 304 and Bois Camard ), Urbain’s unit moved to the Somme in May 1916 and, took part in action near Maurepas following the start of the Battle of the Somme.
Badly wounded on 5th July, Urbain died of wounds in Ambulance 3/20 at Cerisy sur Somme on 6 July 1916.
He is buried in the Nécropole Nationale of Cerisy
223 Sdt.2.Cl. Urbain Pierre Rieucau, 146 e Régiment d’Infanterie
6 July 1916 died of his wounds
Research by David O'Mara.
References:
Livre d’Or de L’Aveyron (2 Vols) Pub. 1922
Historique du 146 e Régiment d’Infnterie pendant la Guerre 1914-19 Anon. Date unknown
Tableau d’Honneur – Morts pour La France Pub. Paris 1921
Sepultures de Guerre (www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr)
Morts Pour La France de la Première Guerre Mondiale (fiches des soldats MPF) ( www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr )
Journaux des marches et opérations des unités engagées dans la Première Guerre mondiale ( www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr )
Aveyron Archives ( http://archives.aveyron.fr )
Les Armées françaises dans la Grande Guerre. Pub. Paris
Additional Sources: Battle of Lorraine