France, Nov. 16 -- The row is the latest controversy over the legacy of Petain, a World War I hero disgraced for his collaboration with the Nazis.

Xavier Delarue, the government prefect of Meuse department in eastern France, said he would take action over comments made following a mass for Petain organised by an association dedicated to restoring his reputation.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez also condemned the comments.

The Association to Defend the Memory of Marshal Petain (ADMP) organised a mass Saturday at the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Verdun, where Petain won a famous WWI battle in 1916.

Around 20 association members attended, while outside about 100 people, watched by police, gathered to protest the ceremony.

After the ...