Carage, Michel

Date of birth:: March 1st, 1921 (Paris, France)
Date of death:: January 28th, 2008 (Neuilly-sur-Seine, France)
Nationality:: French

Biography

Refusing the armistice announced by Marshal Pétain on the radio, he seeks to embark for England.

On his way to the south, Michel Carage meets Jacques Mouchel-Blaisot. They share the same ideal.

Together, they reach the Gironde, which they cross by boat during a violent bombardment and dock at the Verdon. They manage to embark on the cargo ship Cap El Hank which must set sail for Morocco.

On board, they persuaded the commander to go to England where they landed at Falmouth on June 23, 1940. Michel Carage enlisted in the Free French Forces on July 1 and was assigned to the 1st Battalion of Chasseurs in Camberley (2e Cie, 5e Section) then, in November 1940, to the active cadet platoon of Camberley. He left it as an aspirant in May 1941.

In September 1941 Michel Carage joined Free French Africa, first in the Middle Congo, where he was assigned to the Pool Battalion until April 1942, then in Cameroon where he participated in the formation of March 9 Battalion (BM 9).

Second lieutenant since March 1942, he obtained his transfer to Chad in October 1942 and found himself an assistant officer of the Compagnie auto n ° 3 (CA 3) of Colonne Leclerc under the orders of Lieutenant Dupertuis.

From December 1942 to May 1943, he participated in the operations of Fezzan, Tripolitania and Tunisia. But, eager to serve in a real fighting unit, he managed to get himself assigned, after the campaign in Tunisia, to the 1st Company of the Senegalese Tirailleurs Regiment du Tchad (RTST), of which he commanded the 2nd section in the ranks of the Force. L under the command of General Leclerc.

At the time of the formation of the 2nd Armored Division (2e DB) of Leclerc in Morocco, Michel Carage was assigned to the 10th Cie of the 3rd Battalion of the Chad March Regiment.

At the beginning of August 1944, Lieutenant Carage landed in Normandy with the 2nd Armored Division; He never ceased to distinguish himself during the campaign in France, as section chief, then as company and armored detachment commander. On August 13, in reconnaissance on foot, eight days before the reduction of the Falaise pocket, he controlled the Argentan center for four hours. On August 24, detached in the vanguard, he found himself in front of Massy-Palaiseau, surrounded in the enemy defense line and, despite severe losses, carried out his mission to the end.

Michel Carage stands out once again at the bridgehead of Chatel-sur-Moselle where, surrounded by the enemy, he manages to free himself and then to maintain himself at the crossroads which commands the city. During the breakthrough on Strasbourg, he played a decisive role in the rupture of the front between Badonviller, Brémesnil and Petimont.

On December 3, 1944, he was seriously injured by shrapnel in Rossfeld after having taken this village the night before and continued to ensure his command until his evacuation. He ends the war in different hospitals.

In 1946, Michel Carage left the profession of arms, spent a year in Tunisia as press attaché at the Main Residence of France, then returned to Paris where he created and successively managed a company of mechanical equipment (Sweda France), then a company of IT (ICE).

In addition to his responsibilities as an entrepreneur, he participates during his professional life in various activities of general interest and is a director of several companies and organizations.

Colonel (Honorary) of the Marine Troops, he retired in 1982.