Saving Chartres Cathedral
Introduction
In the free WW2 Novella, The Partisan Fighter (read the first two chapters here), that comes out in January, I let the main character Daphne de Dragoncourt save Chartres Cathedral in France from American bombings. The Allies thought Germans were hiding in the cathedral’s bell tower.
The cathedral miraculously escaped destruction, but not by a fictional character. This is the actual story.
Click on cover to read first 2 chapters
The magnificent 12th-century Catholic cathedral was at risk of destruction by American forces in August 1944. They believed the cathedral was being used as a sniper post by German forces. Until Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr., an American Army officer from Texas, stepped in and saved the century-old marvel. Colonel Griffith’s heroic act took place on 16 August 1944, on the same day he tragically lost his life in France while fighting to liberate the French people from German occupation.
Welborn Barton Griffith Jr. (1901–1944)
Who was Colonel Griffith?
Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. was born on 10 November 1901, in Quanah, Texas. He attended Texas A&M University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. At West Point, he excelled in various sports, including football, and displayed exceptional skills in horsemanship, rifle shooting, and pistol marksmanship. He also took part in activities like boxing, wrestling, and lacrosse before graduating in 1925. In 1929, Griffith married Alice Torrey, the daughter of an army officer, and they had a daughter named Alice in 1931.
During the 1930s, Griffith was stationed in the Philippine Islands and then in Shanghai, China, as an observer with the Chinese Army. His adventures even took him to Japan, where he explored the country and took photographs. His activities raised suspicions, and Japanese authorities briefly detained him. After a divorce from his first marriage, Griffith married Nell Humphrey of Brooklyn, New York, in 1940.
World War 2 Activities
With the United States entering World War II in late 1941, Colonel Griffith dedicated his life to preparing soldiers for combat. He served as an instructor at the Command and General Staff School in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and later as the operations officer (G-3) at the IV Armored Corps Headquarters at the Desert Training Center in California in 1943. Here, he played a crucial role in training troops for desert warfare in North Africa. The Corps later transformed into the XX Corps and shifted its focus to the invasion of Western Europe.
In February 1944, the XX Corps departed for England, where they trained extensively for the D-Day invasion. They landed on the beaches of Utah Beach in Normandy in July 1944, and by August, they were attached to General George S. Patton, Jr.’s Third Army. It was during their advance towards Chartres, France, that Colonel Griffith’s heroic act took place.
12th-century Catholic cathedral Chartres
Saving Chartres Cathedral
On the morning of 16 August 1944, Colonel Griffith, along with General Walton Walker and other officers, learned about German machine gun and mortar positions in Chartres. During this briefing, they were informed orders had been issued to destroy the historic Chartres Cathedral, fearing it was occupied by German forces.
Colonel Griffith, determined to verify if German troops were indeed inside the cathedral, drove to Chartres with his jeep driver. Upon arrival, he witnessed American soldiers firing at the cathedral but observed no return fire. Unconvinced, he entered the cathedral, combed its compartments, and climbed to the top of the bell tower. To signal that the cathedral was free from enemy occupation, he rang the bell and hung an American flag from the belfry. Afterward, he sent an order to the artillery unit to spare the cathedral from destruction.
His Death
Colonel Griffith headed to the village of Lèves, where he encountered a German patrol. A firefight ensued, during which Griffith ordered his driver to return to Chartres, where they met a tank from the Seventh Armored Division. Griffith joined the tank crew, armed with a pistol and rifle. As they traversed the streets of Lèves, they came under heavy fire, and tragically, Colonel Griffith was struck in the back and killed instantly.
Eyewitnesses saw two French boys move Griffith's body to the sidewalk, where villagers placed a blanket, flowers, and an American flag. The villagers held a vigil until American forces arrived the following day and removed his body. Colonel Griffith was buried with full military honors at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial near the village of St. James.
His Legacy
Colonel Griffith’s valor on 16 August 1944 earned him several prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the French Croix de Guerre avec Palm, the Legion of Merit, and the Legion of Honor.
His legacy lives on in France, where a plaque was placed in 1961 to honor his sacrifice. On the 51st anniversary of his heroic act, a new plaque was dedicated in his honor in Lèves. Griffith’s daughter, Alice, and other family members attended the memorial service held at Chartres Cathedral. During the ceremony, the Dean of the Cathedral acknowledged Griffith's actions, stating that the veritable tomb of a hero resides in the hearts of the living. A park was also established in Lèves to commemorate Colonel Griffith’s memory.
Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith Jr. will always remain a remarkable American hero of WW2.
