Where were the French?

In an exhaustive search, Fung-yin has found a report dated September 16, 1895, from the Chief of Taipei County 田中綱常 (1842-1903) to the first Governor General of Taiwan 樺山資紀 (1837-1922). It indicated that while French graves were found in Keelung, there was no trace of them in Danshui. This was apparently in response to an inquiry from the French Government, 11 years after the Sino-French War.

The burial did take place on Oct 8th (or 9th), 1884 and again on Oct 11th, somewhere in Danshui, but not in the Foreigners' Cemetery. John Dodd reported in his book (1888) that on Feb 24, 1885: "It is reported that the Chinese have found the head of the French officer who fell on the Downs in the engagement of the 8^th October last. The head was buried at Banca; the body on the Downs, it is supposed." If true, this would have been Lt Fontaine. The "Downs" was near Danshui Golf Course and Banca is now Wan-hua.

So the exact whereabouts of the 17 French marines who died in the Battle of Fisherman's Wharf remain unknown.

We will continue searching.