Thierry Albertini: "Putting the general interest before any other consideration"
This August 23 marked the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of La Valette-du-Var.
As they do every year, the City paid tribute to its liberators and celebrated the regained Freedom after years of Nazi occupation.
This commemoration was also a moment of reflection for the families who have not forgotten their glorious relatives: Bernadette Guillaume, daughter of colonel Guillaume of the 1er commando landed at Cap Nègre who participated in the capture of the Mauvanne blockhouses and the capture of Coudon (a sergeant at the time, he seized the swastika flag). And, Hervé Martin, nephew of caporal Haurou, of the 1er commando killed during the capture of Fort du Coudon alongside lieutenant Girardon.
UNFAILING BRAVERY "These 230,000 men from all backgrounds - Tunisians, Algerians, Moroccans, pieds-noirs, Senegalese, metropolitan French - and their indomitable courage in taking up arms to defend our homeland, demonstrating dedication and unfailing bravery to liberate a land that was not theirs but for which they shed their blood as if it were. To this army, so often unrecognized, which made France more than a liberated country, but indeed a victorious country. For our liberators, I ask you for a thunderous round of applause," declared the first magistrate.
The mayor continued: "As we remember the heroic acts that allowed the liberation of La Valette-du-Var, it is essential to reflect on the lessons of this glorious past. Today more than ever, in a world marked by multiple crises, we must remember that the higher interest of the nation, dear to général de Gaulle, must take precedence over personal ambitions. Those who fought in 1944 did so without hesitation, not for their own glory, but for an ideal of freedom and justice.
Their sacrifice imposes a duty on all of us: that of putting the general interest before any other consideration. Too often, in our society, individual ambitions and partisan quarrels take over, to the detriment of the common good."
COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY "We must not forget that our responsibility is to serve the community, to preserve the values for which so many of our elders gave their lives. Their example must guide us in our daily action. They remind us that unity, sacrifice, and selfless commitment are the foundations of any society that aspires to peace, justice, and prosperity.
It is this spirit of collective responsibility that must continue to drive us to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
"On this day of commemoration, let us renew our commitment to work for the common good, to place the interest of our nation and our city above all else, and to honor, through our actions, the memory of those who made our freedom a reality," concluded Thierry Albertini. Photo Alain BLANCHOT (text and photo page). In the presence of: Gilbert DELEUIL, honorary prefect, representing Philippe MAHÉ, prefect of Var, Laure LAVALETTE, MP for Var, Sylvie LAPORTE, regional councillor, representing Renaud MUSELIER, president of the Region, Manon FORTIAS, departmental councillor, representing Jean-Louis MASSON, president of the Department of Var, Yves PALMIERI, mayor of La Farlède, Ange MUSSO, mayor of Le Revest-les-Eaux, VENTURINO-GABELLE, mayor of Barjols, Patrick BOUBEKER, deputy mayor, representing André GARRON, mayor of Solliès-Pont, Paule MISTRE, deputy mayor of La Crau and vice-president of the Chambre d'Agriculture du Var, Captain François de MONTELLA, for the 4ème Batterie of the 54ème Régiment d'Artillerie and the honor guard, Warrant Officer Nicolas MOULIN, for the operational reserve of the gendarmerie group and the safeguarding of the heritage of the gendarmerie (Histoire et Patrimoine de la Gendarmerie), Jean-Charles MATEOS, chief of the municipal police of La Valette-du-Var, Lieutenant-colonel Lucien FLAMANT, president and Olivier ROUSSEL, Director General, representing the Domaine des Gueules cassées, Yves BOYER, secretary general and Jean-Patrick ANDRÉ, vice-president, of the Amicale des Commandos d'Afrique, Marie-Hélène CHATEL, National Delegate for memory of the 1ère DFL of the Fondation France Libre, Jacques MICHAUX, president of the Comité d'Entente des Associations Patriotiques, Claude ROLLANDIN, president of the Souvenir Français, Michel MAGNALDI, Departmental Delegate of the Fondation de la France Libre, Néo VERRIEST, for the readings of the Fondation de la France Libre, Jean-Pierre LARGE, president of the Provence 44 association with its vintage vehicles, Patrick and Jacques OYHÉRÉGUY, from the family of sergeant OYHÉRÉGUY, Representatives of civil and military authorities, association leaders, flag-bearers, Emeline, Ayrton, Ange and Stan, L'Echo du Faron, The children of the Conseil Municipal des Enfants.
SEVERAL TRIBUTES AND THANK YOUS The mayor paid tribute to Marius Bogliolo, recipient of the Légion d'Honneur this summer for his participation in the Liberation. He also paid tribute to the deceased military personnel: captain Sébastien Mabire and lieutenant Matthieu Laurens, of the escadron de transformation rafale 3/4 Aquitaine based in Saint-Dizier in Haute-Marne, who died in the collision of their aircraft during a training flight. As well as to Didier Berger, during the crash of his Fouga Magister during the air show in Le Lavandou on August 16.
The flag-bearers, presidents and members of the patriotic associations: "You, who tirelessly work in our duties of remembrance, who carry that of our veterans, who proudly make our tricolor colors shine, you, who have shared so many gatherings with these heroes, whose stories we have listened to, hours of glory and pride. It is to all of you that we owe that this patriotic flame is not extinguished, you who see to maintaining its light.
Among the stories of these moments in our History, those from the Cahiers de la Libération by Pierre Bel, folklorist and associate member of the Académie du Var and the Amis du Vieux Toulon, allow us to plunge back "as if we were there" into these historic days (...) .
Photo Alain BLANCHOT (text and photo page).