Rémy Raffalli

Barthélémy “Rémy” Raffalli (16 March 1913 – 10 September 1952) was a French Army soldier who fought in World War II and the First Indochina War.

Early Life and pre-war service

He entered the Saint-Cyr Military School on 1 October 1933 as part of the King Albert I promotion and graduated in 1935. Raffalli then chose to enter the cavalry of the French Army and studied at the Armoured Cavalry Branch Training School in Saumur. In 1936 he was posted to the 1st Regiment of Spahis in Algeria, which he joined at Médéa, and then the 3rd Moroccan Regiment of Spahis.

World War II service

Raffalli joined the French Expeditionary Corps in Italy in 1943 and served with distinction. On 17 March 1944, he was seriously wounded while leading a squadron of the 5th Moroccan Spahis Regiment.

Post War service and death

Raffalli earned his parachute badge in September 1949. After a short tour with the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3^ème BEP and 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 1^et BEP, he took command of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 2^èmeBEP on 12 September 1950 in Hanoi, Vietnam. He was promoted to Chef d'Escadrons on 1 July 1951 and led the battalion during the Battle of Nghia Lo in October 1951. He was fatally wounded on 1 September 1952 while leading his battalion; he died on 10 September 1952 in Saigon.

Honors and awards

Ribons

Decorations

• Légion d'honneur
  • Knight (1944)
  • Officer (1951)
  • Commander (1951)
• Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with one bronze star
• Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations Exterieures with one bronze star

Legacy

Posthumous homages

Camp Raffalli

Camp Raffalli, the headquarters of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 2^ème REP is named in memory of Barthélémy.

Promotion class « Chef d'Escadrons Raffalli » École militaire interarmes ESM

The 183rd promotion of the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr chose the promotion Chef d'Escadrons Raffalli. The song of the promotion recalls the arms celebration of Chef d'Escadrons Raffalli .^[1]

See also

• Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
• Pierre Segretain
• Pierre Paul Jeanpierre
• Marcel Bigeard
• Helie de Saint Marc
• Paul Arnaud de Foïard
• Airborne Battalions and Regiments of France
• Camp Raffalli
• 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment

Foreign Legion Command French Foreign Legion
Honneur et Fidélité History of the French Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers) List of French paratrooper units Képi Blanc (publication)
Current Foreign Legion Units	Administrative Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments 1st Foreign Regiment Foreign Legion Command Foreign Legion Recruiting Group Infantry & Parachute Infantry 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Cavalry 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment Engineer & Parachute Engineer 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment Training 4th Foreign Regiment Jungle Training Center Combat Training Center at Arta Beach
Defunct Foreign Legion Units	Administrative and Training Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments Parachute Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion Foreign Air Supply Company 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company Infantry 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 3rd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 4th Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment/Garibaldi Legion 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers Cavalry 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Transport Armored Train of the Foreign Legion Disciplinary Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East Foreign Legion Brigades 31st Brigade (France)

References