Tragedy struck here. The Espace Jean Roques Plaque stands as a memorial to a dark event. It honors the memory of Jean Roques and other young victims. They were massacred on the night of April 1-2, 1944.
Jean Roques was only 15 years old. He lived with his family at 37 rue de la Gare in Ascq. Jean was a student at the Lycée Faidherbe in Lille. His life was full of promise.
On April 1, 1944, a train from Brussels was sabotaged. The train carried young soldiers of the XIIe SS Panzerdivision “Hitlerjugend”. The resistance group “La Voie du Nord” claimed responsibility. Three wagons derailed. Material damage was slight.
The battalion commander, Obersturmfuhrer Walter Hauck, ordered reprisals. All men in Ascq were rounded up. Jean Roques and his father, Maurice, were arrested at their home. They were forced to the railway line where the sabotage occurred.
The executions began soon after. Hostages were killed one by one. The massacre stopped at 1:15 AM on April 2, 1944. The Espace Jean Roques Plaque is a reminder of this brutality. Jean Roques was one of the eighty-six civilian victims.
Jean Roques’s body was recovered. He is buried in the communal cemetery of Ascq. His grave is in the section for returned bodies, alley A, tomb 26. He was posthumously awarded the “Mort pour la France” recognition.
His name appears on several memorials. These include the 1939-1945 monument in Ascq. Also, his name is on the Lycée Faidherbe monument in Lille.
The Espace Jean Roques Plaque serves as a place for reflection. It allows us to remember the victims of the Ascq massacre. Jean Roques’s story is a testament to the tragedy of war. It reminds us of the importance of peace and justice. Let us honor his memory by working towards a better future.