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_dgn_ · 05-07-20, 02:50 PM

May 7, 1954, last day of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Time for the last offensive of the North Vietnamese communists, started on May 1.

25 000 Vietnamese soldiers assault the remaining french troops (3000 men) . Combat stations are taken one after the other during all the day. At 5:00 p.m, the HQ ("PC GONO") falls. The radio operators blow up their equipment after the last message indicating their encirclement.

At 5:30 p.m, ceasefire order is given in the entrenched Dien Bien Phu camp. No white flags, everything must be blowed up or destroyed (or for weapons, dismantled). On the support point "Eliane 12", Lt Jacques ALLAIRE (now colonel and 96 years old), leader of the mortar platoon of the 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion (6e BPC), demands a written order from his leader, Major Marcel BIGEARD, to stop firing. But in some areas, fighting continues (concerning not only paratroopers or Legionnaires), but ammo is sometimes missing, so close combat is general. In this case, the french "secret weapon" is used : bayonet (and US Mk III combat knife for the paratroopers and Legionnaires). Naturally, it's soon the end.

But on the large strongpoint "Isabelle", the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment resists despite the massive bombardment of all the North-Vietnamese artillery. On April 30, it just celebrated the Battle of Camerone, the symbol of the Foreign Legion. In the same spirit, at one o'clock in the morning, May 8, 1954, the remains of the Regiment (mainly from its 3nd Battalion) managed to break out, but less than a hundred Legionaires managed to cross the communist lines, after numerous ambushes.

All were faithful to the latin maxim (Rom had its Legion, too !) : "More Majorum" ("according to the custom of the ancestors").

With all respect.

Cheers.

05-07-20, 02:50 PM	#3241
_dgn_ Machinist's Mate Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: France Posts: 122 Downloads: 331 Uploads: 0	7 May 1954 : Battle of Dien Bien Phu May 7, 1954, last day of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Time for the last offensive of the North Vietnamese communists, started on May 1. 25 000 Vietnamese soldiers assault the remaining french troops (3000 men) . Combat stations are taken one after the other during all the day. At 5:00 p.m, the HQ ("PC GONO") falls. The radio operators blow up their equipment after the last message indicating their encirclement. At 5:30 p.m, ceasefire order is given in the entrenched Dien Bien Phu camp. No white flags, everything must be blowed up or destroyed (or for weapons, dismantled). On the support point "Eliane 12", Lt Jacques ALLAIRE (now colonel and 96 years old), leader of the mortar platoon of the 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion (6e BPC), demands a written order from his leader, Major Marcel BIGEARD, to stop firing. But in some areas, fighting continues (concerning not only paratroopers or Legionnaires), but ammo is sometimes missing, so close combat is general. In this case, the french "secret weapon" is used : bayonet (and US Mk III combat knife for the paratroopers and Legionnaires). Naturally, it's soon the end. But on the large strongpoint "Isabelle", the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment resists despite the massive bombardment of all the North-Vietnamese artillery. On April 30, it just celebrated the Battle of Camerone, the symbol of the Foreign Legion. In the same spirit, at one o'clock in the morning, May 8, 1954, the remains of the Regiment (mainly from its 3nd Battalion) managed to break out, but less than a hundred Legionaires managed to cross the communist lines, after numerous ambushes. All were faithful to the latin maxim (Rom had its Legion, too !) : "More Majorum" ("according to the custom of the ancestors"). With all respect. Cheers.