World War I Veteran Dies

A veteran of World War I has died in France at the age of 108, leaving only two French survivors of the war, the Veterans Ministry said Monday.

Jean Grelaud died Feb. 25 in Paris and was buried in private, according to the wishes of his family, the ministry said.

He had been living in a nursing home in Tosny in the Eure region of Normandy, in western France, and was hospitalized several weeks ago, National Veterans Office official Eva Bernard said.

Born Oct. 26, 1898, Grelaud was mobilized in 1917, serving in the 31st and the 131st infantry regiment. He fought in the Aisne region during the second Battle of the Marne, and was captured and interned in Belgium before being freed Nov. 21, 1918. He had received the Legion of Honor, France's highest award.

Another World War I veteran from France, Rene Riffaud, died Jan. 16. Like Grelaud, he was 108.

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