French Paratrooper Mort pour la France at Souk Ahras, 1958.

[Rich]

Thought I'd share this interesting lot. A "Mort Pour La France" casualty award of the Medaille Militaire and Cross of Military Valour awarded to a paratrooper of 3rd Company 9th Chasseurs Parachutistes who was killed in action on 29 April 1958 at Souk Ahras, on the Djebel El Mouadjene massif. It seems the 3rd Company, under a Captain Beaumont, were landed by helicopter and were surrounded and had to fight a very intense action during the afternoon and early evening against overwhelming numbers of Algerian rebels/freedom fighters crossing into Algeria from Tunisia. The Company lost 27 killed and 28 wounded during the course of approximately 3-hour long engagement; the battalion itself lost a total of 33 dead and 68 wounded during the engagement.  Seems to have been quite a famous action. It is told here, in French: https://www.algerie360.com/bataille-de-souk-ahras-il-y-a-58-ans-tombaient-au-champ-dhonneur-639-martyrs/

 

 

Richard

Some research.

Edited February 24 by Rich

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

1956 : Regiment was created on June 1 as the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment from the 18th Choc Parachute Chasseur Regiment (18e RIPC) in Algeria.

1999: June 26, dissolution and integration into the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1st RCP).

 

The Archangel Michael featured in Mont Saint-Michel (a) and the insignia of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (b) pictures sources wikipedia.

 

- a :

 

 

- b:

 

 

A map of Souk Ahras［"market of lions"  /  Barbary lion - Wikipedia ］

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

Edited February 25 by No one