Marcel George Bihet

Marcel George Bihet

Marcel George & Marie Josephine (née Allain)

Son of Pierre François Desiré Bihet (3.11.1857 - 3.1.1937) & Marie Ann Desiré Picot

Marcel George Bihet was born in Saint Martin, Jersey on 9 May 1891 and died 14 April 1949 in Guernsey (aged 59).

Aged 9 at time of 1901 census, living with all his family in Crabby, St Annes, Alderney. He moved to Guernsey (from Jersey, via Alderney) with his parents.

The Great War 1914 - 1918

Marcel joined the Royal Field Artillery as a driver (71086, 1008623) in November 1912 (119 battery from 28 January 1913).

He travelled on the H.T. Rohilla on 26 December 1913. The Rohilla was a troop ship (normal route London - Calcutta) which took Marcel to India where he was based in Nowshera and Peshawar (now part of Pakistan) in the North-West Frontier, near the border with Afghanistan, from December 1913 to August 1917 (90th battery from 12 January 1914) .

Marcel was then sent to Mesopotamia, now Iraq, in August 1917 (with 60 force?) until 25 December 1918. (His record mentions 336 brigade from 14 May 1918).

Group photo of the Royal Field Artillery - Marcel is in the top row, 2nd from right.

Marcel described "marching" back to the UK via the Dardanelles, and eventually returned home to Guernsey in April 1919. He was a member of the RFA Reserves until November 1932.

Marcel was awarded the British and Victory Medals & the 14-15 star.

Service Record

Three brothers also served with the RFA, one of whom died at the Somme (Jean). Another brother served with the Royal Navy.

Marcel married Marie-Josephine "Jo" Allain on 28 March 1921

Marriage Certificate

Photo of Marcel George & Marie-Josephine

Marie-Josephine already had 4 children from 2 earlier husbands who had died. Those children were

Charles Perrot m. Gabrielle who died whilst giving birth to Joan (m. Les Williams, 4 children: Julie, David, Cheryl & Neil), he later married Ruth

Yvonne Perrot m. Ernest Rault - one daughter Patricia (m. Roly Kite) Yvonne died 5.11.1990 aged 84

Florence Michoux m. Jules Duceillier - one daughter Marguerite (m. Mike Tostevin 4 children: Denise, Steven, Adrian & Andrew)

Louise Michoux m. Arthur Totty - children - Michael, Yvonne, Patricia

Marcel George and Marie-Josephine had 3 more children together

John Bihet (22.1.1922 - 24.12.1989) maried Win Setters - 1 child: Marilyn (b.1952), 1 child: Sharon

Thérèse Bihet (24.3.1926 - 18.12.1974) maried Les Salter (Wolverhampton) - 4 children: John (1945-1985), Richard (b. Guernsey), Marcel, and Leslie (b. 1962)

André Pierre Joseph Bihet b. 1928 married Molly Joan Finigan (b. 1931) in 1954. 2 children:

Sally 1955 married Michael Howlett, 2 children Ryan 1982 and Carly 1985

Carol 1959 married Geoff Cottam 1987 (divorced 1996): 2 children: Joshua 1988 and Naomi 1990. Married Malcolm Vivyan 2004: 1 child: Ashe 2005.

The Bihet family lived in Woodlands Cottage (on the site where B&Q are now), the Bouet, Guernsey, before moving to the flat above 5 Contrée Mansell, in St Peter Port.

The family had to leave Guernsey before the German Occupation of Guernsey, as only those who were born on the island were allowed to stay. All others were advised to leave prior to the Germans arriving. The older children were already serving in the Armed Forces. André (at the age of 12) was evacuated with his school (St Joseph's) to Glasgow (see this page). His parents followed, but it was some months before the family were reunited - Marcel went to Glasgow and found André, and the family settled for the duration of the war in Wolverhampton, at 3 Melbourne Street. Marcel worked at a local Blacksmith's.

Whilst in Wolverhampton, Thérèse Bihet married Les Salter, and she was the only one not to return to Guernsey after the war ended.

The family returned to their old home at 5 Contrée Mansell, to find the furniture had gone - but it was soon returned by the neighbours who had 'borrowed' it. Marcel also returned to his job as a stoker at the Guernsey Gas Company.

Marcel Bihet died on died 14 April 1949 (aged 59), and his wife, Marie-Josephine (aged 76) on 31 August 1964.

Copy of Burial Plot purchase 1946 Marcel, Marie-Josephine (and her mother) are buried together at le Foulon Cemetery in Guernsey.

The Allain Family Finigan/Collins family

Other Guernsey Bihets

There are other Bihets in Guernsey - Monica (Angèle), a daughter of Ernest, and 4 children of another Marcel - known as Michael (a son of Ernest) - Peter, John, David and Wendy.

Picture from 'A Fighting Family'

Ernest Marcel George Ada Marie Louise Justine Jean Constant Arthur