Gilbert Auguste Bostsarron was born in 1903 in

Saint-Galmier Saint-Galmier () is a city in eastern France. It is a Communes of France, commune in Loire (department), Loire Departments of France, department, and belongs to the arrondissement of Montbrison. Saint-Galmier covers an area of 19.5 square kilomet ...

Loire The Loire ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône. It rises in the so ...

. He was educated as an engineer at the École de la Métallurgie et des Mines in Nancy. In 1927 he joined the engineering company

Société Franco-Belge The Société Franco-Belge was a Franco-Belgian engineering firm that specialised in the construction of railway vehicles and their components and accessories. The company originated in 1859 as the Belgian firm Compagnie Belge pour la Constructio ...

(

Raismes Raismes () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. The flutist Gaston Blanquart (1877–1962) was born in Raismes. Raismes is known for hosting the annual rock music festival Raismes Fest. Population Notable residents * Pie ...

), in 1934 he became a chief officer of the company, and in 1938 its deputy Director. In 1940 he became responsible for the management of the company after its director had fled to Canada. In 1941 he became a member of the

French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

, with

nom-de-guerre A ''nom de guerre'' (, 'war name') is a pseudonym chosen by someone to use when they are involved in a particular activity, especially fighting in a war. In ''ancien régime'' France it would be adopted by each new recruit (or assigned to them by ...

Claude. He contributed to the underground publication ''

La Voix du Nord ''La Voix du Nord'' (; or 'The Voice of Nord') is a regional daily newspaper from the north of France. Its headquarters are in Lille. History ''Voix du Nord'' was one of the underground newspapers of the French Resistance founded in German- ...

'', and joined the

Libération-Nord ("Liberation-North") was one of the principal resistance movements in the northern occupied zone of France during the Second World War. It was one of the eight great networks making up the National Council of the Resistance. History Initial ...

resistance movement, taking advantage as his position as director of the ''Société franco-belge'' to pass information whilst on business trips to

Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...

and

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, and arrange the aerial bombing of the workshops of the ''franco-belge'' when a German locomotive was being serviced there. In 1943 German counter intelligence located a radio transmitter of his resistance network, and twenty members of the network were arrested, including Bostsarron. After a secret trial by the special tribunal of the 65 Corps of German Army he was shot at (

Bondues Bondues (; ) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Since 1997, Bondues has housed a Museum devoted to the Resistance of the Nord-Pas de Calais region. The Fort of Bondues, also known as Fort Lobau, was built near the conflu ...

) on 20 January 1944.

References

1903 births 1944 deaths People from Loire (department) French Resistance members Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany Deaths by firearm in France People executed by Nazi Germany by firearm {{France-engineer-stub