Cunibil, Robert

Date of birth:: February 3rd, 1915 (Paris, XIVe, France)
Date of death:: June 5th, 1999 (Alès, France)
Nationality:: French

Biography

With a fitting of an adjuster mechanic and industrial designer, he undertakes in November 1935 in the air force and is sent to Morocco.

After his military instruction, he is assigned to the 2nd Moroccan Wing in Meknes.

On September 14, 1937, he was admitted to the school of Rochefort Mechanics. Embedded for Casablanca on September 27, 1937, he was named master worker.

Appointed Caporal-Chief in August 1938, he is sent to Algeria from which he participates in operations on South Italy and Sicily in 1940.

On July 1, 1940 afternoon, two Bombardiers Glenn Martin 167 of the 1/61 bombardment group, take off from Youks-les-Bains, a base located near Tébésas in Algeria, and set Cape Town to the East. Egypt.

On board are five airmen who refuse to deposit arms after the armistice. The first aircraft, driven by adjutant Raymond Rolland, takes Captain Roger Ritoux-Lachaud, an observer officer. The second, is piloted by the Chief Warrant Officer Yves Trénan accompanied by Captain Jacques Dodelier, Observer, and Chief Sergeant Robert Cunibil. The two planes arise in Marsa Matrouh after four and a half hours of flight. The airmen share of their intention to continue the fight and, two hours later, the two Glenn Martin take off again. Guided by a small British liaison device, they go to the headquarters of the Royal Air Force in Bogush. The next day, the two planes arise in Heliopolis in Egypt.

On July 8, the five escapees undertake in the Raf Volunteer reserve and form, with the reinforcement of a dozen other dissidents, including Lieutenant Observer Pierre de Maismont and the Sergeant Mechanic René Bauden, the first of the three small units French aerials formed within the RAF. This is the Number One French Bomber Flight consisting of with both Glenn Martin.

On July 13, the unit leaves Heliopolis for Aden where it will arrive the next day at the end of the morning, the National Day, after spending the night in Port Sudan. During the journey, the Glenn Martin of the Warrant Officer Trénan, with Dodelier and Cunibil on board, voluntarily deviates from his way and flies over a recognition of the cities of Massaoua and Assab, held by the Italian troops. This is the first war mission against the enemy by a French "dissenting" crew.

On July 14, 1940, the unit was attached to Aden, Yemen, at the 8 Bomber Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Robert Cunibil immediately takes part in Abyssinia and Somalia operations. His hard work and technical competence then contribute widely to the maintenance of aircraft and the full performance of the first French unit since June 25, 1940.

On December 16, 1940, during his twelfth mission of war on the Abyssinia, he was shot down in flight through the Italian hunt during a Daoua dir recognition mission; He jumps in parachute, gets hurt, but remains the only survivor of the crew (the Captain Dodelier, Trecan Chief Warrant Officer and Chief Michel Sergeant are killed). Taken prisoner by the Italians, he is sentenced to death on December 20, 1940 by a court in Addis Ababa; Incarcerated waiting for its execution, he finds Pierre de Maismont also interned. Both are saved on April 24, 1941 by the advance of allied troops to Addis Ababa which allows their release from the desié prison.

First of all back to the Squadron in Abyssinia, he then fulfills liaison missions under the orders of Colonel Palewski, commanding East African FFL.

In April 1942, it is incorporated into the hunting group "Alsace" in Libya and participates in the battle of El Alamein. But having lost 5 pilots, Alsace is removed from the front in October 1942 and repatriated on England.

In January 1943, Robert Cunibil is assigned to Camberley (England) and was transferred in April in the 2nd squadron of the bombing group "Lorraine" as a mechanic. He performs 20 missions including 9 on France, as a browser and machinery mechanic.

It is appointed second lieutenant on June 25, 1944.

After the German capitulation, it is assigned to the rock pilot school base. In 1946, it was mutated at the base of Cognac, promoted lieutenant and then mutated at the Base School of Rochefort.