The images on this page were provided by French WWII historian Pascal Bulois. In 2024 for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Lèves, France, by 7th Armored Division troops, Pascal Bulois prepared an impressive exhibition that included these items provided to him by Raymond Torcheux's daughter. Raymond Torcheux was a citizen of Lèves.

Raymond Torcheux was a citizen of Lèves, France, which was liberated by elements of the U.S. 7th Armored Division on 16 August 1944. That same day, 19 year old Raymond joined 7AD and was assigned to Company C of the 33rd Armored Engineer Battalion. He fought as a member of 7AD until he was wounded 29 November 1944 at Geilenkirchen, Germany. He was evacuated to a hospital in England where a finger of his left hand was amputated. He was discharged from the hospital 21 January 1945. He returned to France in February 1945 and served with a French unit in southern France. Here is his own summary of his service, written in his copy of volume 1 of the "The Lucky Seventh" 7AD history book along with the image of the Award of Merit presented to him 3 September 1990 by the 7th Armored Division Association and his life membership certificate in the Association.

Click on image for full size.

He was assigned to the Mission Militaire de Liaison Tactique Francaise to 7th Armored Division and served in Company C of the 33rd Armored Engineer Battalion. These are photos from his time in service with 7th Armored Division. After he was wounded at Geilenkirchn 29 November 1944, he was evacuated to a hospital in England.

After he was wounded, one of his fingers was amputatated. He was evacuated to England. He returned to France in February 1945. There is some confusion about which hospital he went to and thus where it was. He sent a 1944 Christmas card from the 297th General Hospital so that it seems certain he was there. However, an October 1946 summary of his hospitalization says he was at the 287th General Hospital near London. In the absence of other evidence, the contemporary Christmas card seems the most credible which placed him at the 297th General Hospital so that is seems the 287 was a later misreading of 297.

Here is a post-war memoir of one of the 297th's nurses which places the 297th at Stourbridge, which is west of Birmingham, England. The best web page I have found for the location is the Geocaching "Burlish Camp WWII Hospital" website which also gives details about the hospital and personnel. And here is a photo of Dr. Hampar Kelikian and 2 nurses at the 297th in England.

The images below are in chronological order by the date they were created. The details of his Nov 1944 wound were documented in a certificate after he was hospitalized. He was discharged from the hospital 21 Jan 1945.