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Béhélo, Valentin Eloi

Date of birth:
July 22nd, 1901 (Le Robert, Martinique)
Date of death:
October 8th, 1987 (Saint Cannat, France)
Nationality:
French (1870-present, Republic)

Biography

1922 : military service in the Bataillon d'infanterie de la Martinique (BIM).
1924 : enlisted in the BIM. et choisit de se rengager en 1924.
1925 to 1929 : appointed to Morocco.
1926 : promoted caporal (corporal).
1927 : promoted sergent (sergeant).
1933-1937 : appointed to Tonkin.
Summer 1937 to September 1939 : appointed to Sénégal.
October 1939 : appointed to Lebanon as sergent-chef (master sergant) serving in the 24th Régiment d'infanterie coloniale (24e RIC).
27 June 1940 : from Tripoli via Beyrouth, joined the British in Palestine with the 3rd company of the 24th RIC led by capitaine Folliot.
July 1940 : gathered in the Moascar camp, the first Free Frenchmen created the 1st Bataillon d'infanterie de marine (1er BIM).
September 1940 to May 1941 : 1st campaign in Libya with 1st COY - BIM.
1st October 1940 : promoted adjudant.
June 1941 : campaign in Syria - promoted adjudant-chef.
1st April 1942 : appointed to the Bataillon de marche n° 11 (BM 11) integrated in the 2nd Free French Brigade led by general Cazaud.
October 1942 : 2nd campaign in Libya and operations in Egypt - Battle of El Alamein.
May 1943 : campaign in Tunesia, the Tripolitania and again Tunesia.
3rd October 1943 : accidentally wounded by a landmine in Cape Bon - Tunesia : suffering from multiple neck and shoulder injuries and perforated eardrums, he had also to undergo amputation of his right forearm.
December 1943 : left the hospital and appointed to the 3rd Régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais (3e RTS).
September 1946 : retired in Aix-en-Provence.
(from) 19 August 1958 : member of the Conseil de l'Ordre de la Libération.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Compagnon - Adjudant
Unit:
1re Compagnie - 1er Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine
Awarded on:
March 7th, 1941
received in Palestina - Qastina camp after being wounded in Tobrouk.
l' Ordre de la Libération
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Sergent-chef
Unit:
1re Compagnie - 1er Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine
Awarded on:
February 1941
received with 1 star / cited as "always showing the example by occupying the most dangerous places".
Croix de Guerre (1939-1945)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Sergent-chef
Unit:
1re Compagnie - 1er Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine
Awarded on:
May 1941
received a bullet in the right leg in Tobruk and suffered several wounds to the side with shrapnel.
Médaille des blessés de guerre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Adjudant-chef
Unit:
1re Compagnie - 1er Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine
Chevalier de l' Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Caporal
Unit:
BIM
Awarded on:
1926
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1941
received with clasp "Libye"
Médaille Coloniale

Sources

Photo