The 2026 General Meeting of “Les Amis de la Martinerie” took place in the Barbillat-Touraine Hall in Châteauroux, before an audience of some one hundred members, holding 86 proxies.
After thanking the dignitaries, notably Marc Fleuret, President of the Departmental Council, and Gil Avérous, President of Châteauroux Métropole and Mayor of Châteauroux, as well as the partners and members, the President called for a moment of silence in memory of the members who had passed away since the last General Meeting. In a shared tribute, he honored them alongside the military personnel, members of the Gendarmerie and Police forces, and members of the emergency and fire services who lost their lives in the line of duty.
He concluded his opening remarks by personally thanking the representatives of local authorities, the armed forces, and the partners present at the meeting.
The activity report, presented by our Secretary Francine Niémier, once again highlighted the dedication of the association’s volunteers, the intensity of its operations, and the delightful surprises of 2025: the renovation of the recreational structure dating back to the American era; the donation of Mr. Petit’s museum collection to the association by his widow; the work of one of our volunteers, Yves Bardet, which enabled the residents of Brassioux to discover the names of nearly all the former occupants of their homes during the American period; the return of two commemorative plaques, one listing the Commanders of the CISM and ESMAT, and the other listing the Corps Commanders of the CISM and ESMAT; and the departure of the EBR armored vehicle to our partner, the company SOFEMA, for repainting.
Our treasurer presented a balanced budget—well-supported by our partners—which was subsequently validated by Jean-Pierre Dauger and Philippe Coudrin, our auditors.
The President’s Report, the Activity Report, and the Financial Report were submitted jointly for a vote by a show of hands; they were adopted unanimously.
As Gil Avéroux had departed to attend an election meeting, Marc Fleuret took the floor on behalf of the elected officials present to thank the association for the high quality of its work, for its efforts to preserve military heritage within the department, and for its contribution to the cultural life of the greater Châteauroux area. Marc Fleuret also announced the upcoming visit of members of the Youth General Council to La Martinerie.
In his closing remarks, the President outlined the planned activities for 2026, notably including the restoration of a recreational structure dating back to the American era, as well as the return of the EBR armored car.
As is customary, the General Meeting concluded with a friendly reception.
The article from La NR March 18, 2026
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Photo credit: Dominique Roosens and Christian Robuchon
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