On 11.11.1939, the formation of the 2nd Infantry Rifle Division began in the area of Parthenay, Thouars and Bressuire in the Deux-Sèvres department. In May 1940, the division left the area for the Nancy area and then for the front near Belfort. From April 1940, the formation of the Polish 4th Infantry Division began. At Camp Veluché near Airvault, its first combat units appeared on 20 May 1940. During its formation at Veluché, the 4th Division reached a strength of 11,000 soldiers, but it was not able to be fully equipped with combat equipment. Faced with the start of Franco-German armistice negotiations, on 16 June 1940 the division's commander, Brigadier General Rudolf Dreszer, disobeyed French commanders and evacuated towards the port of La Rochelle to transport troops to the UK. The greater part of the division managed to evacuate.About 1,000 soldiers who had set off from the Thouars and Airvault camps on 18 June by rail transport did not reach La Rochelle in time, reaching England by other sea transport units. However, not everyone managed to leave Airvault. Eight soldiers were killed in the bombing of the stations at Thouars and Airvault. They rest in a common grave in the local cemetery.