François Bonin: "History, with a capital H, is imposed on all men"

François Bonin : « L’histoire, avec un grand H, s’impose à tous les hommes »© La Gazette du Var

On August 14, the general assembly of the regimental association of veterans of the 1er Groupe des Commandos d'Afrique and the 3ème Groupement de Choc was held in La Londe-les-Maures, in the presence of Stéphane Rambaud, MP for the 3rd constituency of Var, Lucien Guidicelli, Secretary General of the Var prefecture, and François de Canson, vice-president of the Région Sud. It has been 80 years since the brave Commandos d'Afrique landed on these coasts of Provence to participate in the liberation of France. This year is therefore somewhat exceptional, and the commemorative ceremonies have taken on an even grander character than usual.

ONLY ONE COMMANDO STILL ALIVE "To date, only one living Commando remains, Jean Cornuau, a young doctor who enlisted at the very end of the war and who did not participate in the landing on August 15, 1944, but remains, despite his great age, very faithful to the memory of his former brothers-in-arms," recalled, in his opening remarks, François Bonin, the president of the association, which welcomed around fifty children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces of Commandos. "Welcome, you are in your family here. Obviously, I cannot forget the two memorial associations which, thanks to vintage military vehicles, enhance the ceremonies we participate in," added the president, citing Jean-Pierre Large (Provence 44), Didier Olivier (Mémoire Bormes 44), and Philippe Natalini (Provence 44 Productions), who made the film about Pierre Velsch in 2021 and who helps perpetuate the memory of those who participated in the liberation of Provence (resistance fighters, American paratroopers, Commandos d'Afrique, and gendarmes in the resistance).

In his thanks, the president added Thierry Martin (musée de la Libération du Muy) and Jean Guironnet, a member of the Board of Directors whose health forced him to end his duties as standard-bearer. In accordance with its statutes, the association's board decided to name them honorary members. He also thanked the Municipalities of the liberated communes that perpetuate the memory of these heroes.

DUTY OF REMEMBRANCE During this general assembly, the association returned to the former rotating system among the four liberated communes. François de Canson wished for his commune to host it this year, given the inauguration of the monument to the glory of the Commandos d'Afrique. This year, France celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Débarquement de Provence.

The Département wished to give it a very special brilliance by creating the "Routes varoises de la liberté".

and of its leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Bouvet. "As I said last year, we can no longer rely on the physical testimony of the Commandos d'Afrique who came from the colonies to save the homeland, as the Chant des Africains so well says. But, the duty of remembrance is imposed on us, families of the Commandos or members of the association anxious to continue honoring the memory of the liberators.

A duty of remembrance, certainly, but that is not enough, in my opinion. History, with a capital H, is imposed on all men. They wrote a part of our common history with their blood, and no one must forget them.

They knew how to speak about this part of their life, even in veiled words, sometimes with emphasis, perhaps also with a bit of exaggeration, but that is normal, they were well aware that they were an important link in the history of their country," said François Bonin with a certain gravity (...)

Lors de cette assemblée générale, l'amicale a repris l’ancienne formule tournante entre les quatre communes libérées. François de Canson a souhaité que sa commune l'accueille cette année compte-tenu de l’inauguration du monument à la gloire des Commandos d'Afrique et de son chef, le Lieutenant-Colonel Bouvet. « Comme je l’avais dit l’année dernière, nous ne pouvons plus compter sur le témoignage physique des Commandos d’Afrique venus des colonies pour sauver la patrie, comme le dit si bien le Chant des Africains. Mais, le devoir de mémoire s’impose à nous, familles des Commandos ou membres de l’amicale soucieux de continuer à honorer la mémoire des libérateurs. Devoir de mémoire, certes, mais cela ne suffit pas, à mon sens. L’histoire, avec un grand H, s’impose à tous les hommes. Ceux-là ont écrit avec leur sang une partie de notre histoire commune et personne ne doit les oublier. Ils savaient parler de cette partie de leur vie, même à mots couverts, même parfois avec emphase, peut-être aussi avec un peu d’exagération, mais c’est normal, ils avaient bien conscience qu’ils étaient un maillon important de l’histoire de leur pays », a lancé, avec une certaine gravité, François Bonin (...). Cette année, la France fête le 80ème anniversaire du Débarquement de Provence. Le Département a souhaité lui donner un éclat tout particulier en créant les « Routes varoises de la liberté ». « Bien évidemment, l'amicale a été associée à cette initiative. Et, France Télévision a souhaité marquer ce 80ème anniversaire en tournant un reportage en trois documentaires de 26 minutes sur l’opération Dragoon intitulé « Provence 44, libérés par la Méditerranée ». Dès le 15 août 2023, une équipe nous a accompagnés sur la vedette pour l’hommage en mer aux Commandos décédés pendant le Débarquement et aux blockhaus de Mauvanne, puis une équipe de France 3 Provence est venue le 11 juin tourner une séquence au même endroit et sur la plage du Canadel. Yves Boyer, Patrice Caserio ont mis en avant l’action des Commandos d’Afrique (...). •

"Of course, the association was involved in this initiative. And France Télévision wished to mark this 80th anniversary by filming a report in three 26-minute documentaries on Operation Dragoon entitled "Provence 44, libérés par la Méditerranée". As early as August 15, 2023, a team accompanied us on the launch for the tribute at sea to the Commandos who died during the Débarquement and at the blockhouses of Mauvanne, then a team from France 3 Provence came on June 11 to shoot a sequence in the same place and on the beach of Le Canadel.

Yves Boyer, Patrice Caserio highlighted the action of the Commandos d'Afrique (...) .

Photos by Alain BLANCHOT.