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Camp Raffalli, Calvi

mark wake

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Correct, pictures taken by an Ancien of 4e Cie. The training on the T10 chutes was done all at once, and at that time, the decision to delay the drop of 4e Cie hadn't yet been taken, so the picture was taken before the drop, not when the first wave had already hit the ground.

Drop Zone A is where the first wave was dropped on May 19 (1re, 2e and 3e Cies). Drop zone B is where the second wave (4e Cie, Recce platoon, and 81 mm mortars) was dropped on May 20.
Don’t lecture me on where and when we did the drop Rapace! at 15:00hrs the green light went on and I was going out the door! What the rest of the regiment was doing is irrelevant! Any other fecking questions? Maybe you want to see a photo of the mutilated body of my mate Cpl Arnold! Or check the number of the front release clasp of the T10 parachute which I still have! Just to make sure I was there! Any other critique!?
 

Rapace

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What are Alpha, Bravo, Romeo, Tango etc? Teams or capture points or something else?
Code names for points to be secured and controlled.

Don’t lecture me on where and when we did the drop Rapace! At 15:00hrs the green light went on and I was going out the door! What the rest of the regiment was doing is irrelevant! Any other fecking questions? (...)
Easy old boy, easy... Not lecturing anybody. You were there, never questioned that, so no need to get on your high horses. The Ancien of 4e Cie who posted those pictures of the T10 training session on FB confirmed they were taken before the drop, even if the engagement of 4e Cie was eventually delayed.
 

mark wake

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Easy old boy, easy... Not lecturing anybody. You were there, never questioned that, so no need to get on your high horses. The Ancien of 4e Cie who posted those pictures of the T10 training session on FB confirmed they were taken before the drop, even if the engagement of 4e Cie was eventually delayed.
Well... That was 4e Cie. Not us! High horses? We shall leave that to the Garde Républicaine! They seem to like to mince around a lot! Just as a matter of interest Rapace what is your para brevet #? And what service did you do for la France? After all we are all part of the old boy network!
 

mark wake

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R.I.P. On the wall of the salle d’honneur (museum) at Calvi. The grave of SCH Daniel in the Legion cemetery Calvi.
Nice one mate. I heard the remains of Cpl Arnold were removed from the cemetery. Were they sent back to the UK? If anybody has any information I’d be grateful.
 

mark wake

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What was deal with Belgians in Kolwezi ? Did they had some part? Was any forces there before 2em REP?
I would answer that one Dusa. But I have a feeling i would corrected or critiqued! I think you know what i mean🤓 take care lad.
 

mark wake

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What years did you do your service?
Not a hard question Rapace. I’m also awaiting answers to your comments regarding officers of the REP and Catholicism. Plus the question sextpert asked. Which was conveniently erased!
 

Rapace

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Not a hard question Rapace. I’m also awaiting answers to your comments regarding officers of the REP and Catholicism. Plus the question sextpert asked. Which was conveniently erased!
I'm going to tell you a secret my friend, but don't repeat it, please, or I'll have to kill you... :). I'm not spending my time checking the Cervens board, ready to immediately fire back a reply to any inquiry made by Mr X, Y or Z...
So... My time :
• Aug 84 - Dec 84 Reserve Officer training at Coëtquidan, after some time spent in the French equivalent of what is called ROTC in the US. I was with someone that Le Petit Caporal may have known at 2e REI, who ended as 2IC, Lt-Col Xavier Ca...
• Dec 84 arrived at 1er RCP and got my wings at ETAP (École des Troupes Aéroportées) at Pau.
• Dec 84-Dec 87 : served at 1er RCP first as an Aspirant, then a 2Lt on a short-term (ORSA, if you know what that means) contract. Decided that a long-term military career wasn't for me and didn't solicit a contract renewal.
Hope this has duly satisfied your curiosity.

Which kind of answers are you expecting re REP officers and Catholicism? I said what I had to say and what is the truth. By the way, in my reserve officer class at Coëtquidan was also a brother of Cne Me... that Pink Floyd has known in the REP. The guy was a student at Mgr Lefèbvre “traditionalist” Catholic seminary and the whole family belonged to the same religious group. That's one example among others. Lt Dary and Puga, that were with you at Kolwezi, and ended up generals, are also “traditionalist” Catholics. And I could go on like that for quite some time. It's a fact. Period. Now, which conclusions can one draw from that fact is up to everybody, I don't really give a sh*t.

Which question of Sexpert that was “conveniently erased” are you referring to? I lost track here.
 

dusaboss

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Code names for points to be secured and controlled.
Actually now I see on FFL info web site that was names for drop zones of second wave. With Alpha also being from first wave (And it says "drop zones" on Pink Floyd's post. :) )
But it really looks more like capture points than drop zones, now I'm confused. :unsure:

Mark ... help?
 
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mark wake

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I'm going to tell you a secret my friend, but don't repeat it, please, or I'll have to kill you... :). I'm not spending my time checking the Cervens board, ready to immediately fire back a reply to any inquiry made by Mr. X or Y or Z...
So... My time :
• Aug 84 - Dec 84 Reserve Officer training at Coëtquidan, after some time spent in the French equivalent of what is called ROTC in the US. I was with someone that Le Petit Caporal may have known at 2e REI, who ended as 2IC, Lt-Col Xavier Ca...
• Dec 84 arrived at 1er RCP and got my wings at ETAP (École des Troupes Aéroportées) at Pau.
• Dec 84-Dec 87 : served at 1er RCP first as an Aspirant, then a 2 Lt on a short-term (ORSA, if you know what that means) contract. Decided that a long-term military career wasn't for me and didn't solicit a contract renewal.
Hope this has duly satisfied your curiosity.

Which kind of answers are you expecting re REP officers and Catholicism? I said what I had to say and what is the truth. By the way, in my reserve officer class at Coëtquidan was also a brother of Cne Me... that Pink Floyd has known in the REP. The guy was a student at Mgr Lefèbvre “traditionalist” Catholic seminary and the whole family belonged to the same religious group. That's one example among others. Lt Dary and Puga, that were with you at Kolwezi, and ended up generals, are also “traditionalist” Catholics. And I could go on like that for quite some time. It's a fact. Period. Now, which conclusions can one draw from that fact is up to everybody, I don't really give a sh*t.

Which question of Sexpert that was “conveniently erased” are you referring to? I lost track here.
First off you are a cheeky little bugger! 2nd. it would be very hard to kill me! Other people have tried 😆 3rd. You are probably right about the officer cliché in 2 REP. Our man Volt can probably say the same thing about the Cavalry! I have known some damn fine officers in the Legion. But then again I’ve known some real pricks! Religion has no place in the army. Bloody cause for too many stupid wars I’ve seen it up front from Northern Ireland to Africa and the Middle East. I think the question posed by Sexpert was something about Muslims. Ah! Enough about religion. You have a bit of Puga in you! A picky little bugger! But for all that he turned out to be a good officer. Perhaps one day we will share a glass of wine. Just beware of the Brit in me! 😊
 

dusaboss

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I would answer that one Dusa. But I have a feeling i would corrected or critiqued! I think you know what i mean🤓 take care lad.
Don't get upset Mark. Was there any Yugos at the time in REP? There gotta be. There is always couple Yugos in REP in any point in history. :) Also I see Yugo sounding names among wounded. Senior Corporal Senekovic , Corporal Ovacic Legionnaire Jakovic . Do some of them ring a bell Mark? Don't know if this are real or legion names.
 

mark wake

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Don't get upset Mark. Was there any Yugos at the time in REP? There gotta be. There is always couple Yugos in REP in any point in history. :) Also I see Yugo sounding names among wounded. Senior Corporal Senekovic , Corporal Ovacic Legionnaire Jakovic . Do some of them ring a bell Mark? Don't know if this are real or legion names.
Water under the bridge Dusa. Yes there was quite a mafia of Yugo’s in the REP. Most them served in the 3rd and 4th companies. Damn fine lads!
I knew most of them Dusa. The foyer was a small place then!🍺 Cheers!
 

Pink Floyd

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Water under the bridge Dusa. Yes there was quite a mafia of Yugo’s in the REP. Most them served in the 3rd and 4th companies. Damn fine lads!
Dusa, here is one legend from Kolwezi... Sabljic (Sgt. at the time of Kolwezi, later Colonel). The first time I met the man he punched me squarely in the chest in the 3Cie club, stared men in the eye and said “you’re in the best company of the REP, now do your best”. He stands well over 6 foot. Sabljic now runs Puyloubier for the Legion.
 

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Rapace

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(...) Perhaps one day we will share a glass of wine. Just beware of the Brit in me! 😊
Maybe. That would be with pleasure... But why just a glass? :)

Actually now I see on FFL info web site that was names for drop zones of second wave. With Alpha also being from first wave (And it says "drop zones" on Pink Floyd's post. :) )
But it really looks more like capture points than drop zones, now I'm confused. :unsure:
Areas labelled A and B are respectively the drop zones used on May 19 by the first wave and on May 20 by the second one. Others (Sierra, Romeo, Tango, etc.) are objectives (often crossroads) that had to be taken and controlled.
 

Pink Floyd

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Dusa, here is one legend from Kolwezi... Sabljic (Sgt. at the time of Kolwezi, later Colonel). The first time I met the man he punched me squarely in the chest in the 3Cie club, stared men in the eye and said “you’re in the best company of the REP, now do your best”. He stands well over 6 foot. Sabljic now runs Puyloubier for the Legion.
I meant to write “stared me in the eye”. If you look carefully on his tenue de sortie you’ll see the 3e Cie REP Nageur de Reconnaissance brevet on his left breast pocket. He wore it for his entire career up to his retirement in 2012 after 38 years service. I did the course in 1990...
 

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Rapace

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(...) He stands well over 6 foot. Sabljic now runs Puyloubier for the Legion.
He's not in charge of the IILE (Institution des Invalides de la Légion Étrangère) at Puyloubier, but another retirement house called La Maison du Légionnaire (the House of the Legionnaire) at Auriol, between Aubagne and Puyloubier. Not sure what's exactly the difference between those two institutions.
Found this link : https://www.maison-legionnaire.com/. Some nice pictures of la vieille Légion, and interesting bios in the “In Memoriam” section (all in French).
 
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