Gabriel Bablon | |
|---|---|
 Gabriel Bablon | |
| Born | 1 September 1905 Domfront, Orne,France |
| Died | 27 March 1956(1956-03-27) (aged 50) France |
| Allegiance |  République Française.svg) Free French Forces |
| Service |  French Foreign Legion |
| Years of service | 1923–1954 |
| Rank | Colonel - Légion étrangère |
| Commands | 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion 13e DBLE 24th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | World War II Indochina War |
| Awards | Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur Compagnon de la Libération Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures U.S. Distinguished Service Cross |
Gabriel Bablon (1 September 1905 - 27 March 1956) was a French army officer andCompagnon de la Libération. ALegion Officer seconded from the ranks, who had already accumulated more than fifteen years of service, when theSecond World War began, he refused defeat and continued fighting in the ranks of theFree French Forces.[1] Engaged in theWestern Desert Campaign, he illustrated capability during theBattle of Bir Hakeim and theSecond Battle of El Alamein. Later he participated to theItalian campaign and theLiberation of France. Pursuing later his military career after the war, he served inIndochina and inGermany before retiring.
Gabriel Bablon was the son of a French infantry divisiongénéral.[1] He enlisted at the age of eighteen, was sent toGermany, occupied by France (French:occupée par la France), in the ranks of the 17th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment (French:17e Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens).[1] Promoted toSergent in 1924, he went toMorocco where he was wounded in the knee by a bullet in 1925.[1] Selected to become an officer from the ranks, he integrated the officer active student course at Saint-Cyr in 1926.[1] He became aSous-Lieutenant in 1928, then at his sortie from the school in 1929, was assigned to the 30th Chasseur Battalion à Pied (French:30e Bataillon de Chasseurs à Pied).[1] In 1932, with the rank oflieutenant, he interacted for a first time with theFrench Foreign Legion, while being assigned to the1st Foreign Regiment, then in 1933 to the4th Foreign Regiment.[1]
During theBattle of France, Gabriel Bablon remained stationed in Morocco and did not engaged in any combats. Choosing to pursue combats, he decided to rally to Free France when he was placed in armistice vacation in December 1940.[1] The next month, he was able to join London via Gibraltar and joined theFree French Forces. He was immediately assigned to the13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion 13e DBLE inLebanon.[1] Moved to North Africa with his unit in 1942, he illustrated combat capabilities during theWestern Desert Campaign (French:guerre du desert) and was wounded a first time by the blast of a shell in January, then by a mine in June during theBattle of Bir Hakeim (French:bataille de Bir Hakeim). Heading the second battalion[2] after having been promoted toChef de bataillon, he distinguished again capability during theSecond Battle of El Alamein (French:seconde bataille d'El Alamein).[3] On 23 October colonelDimitri Amilakvari, regimental commander of the 13e DBLE, was killed and Gabriel Gabon replaced him at the head of the unit. He led the latter during the campaigns ofTunisia (French:Tunisie) andItaly (French:Italie). On 17 May 1944, at San Giorgio a Liri, he was wounded again by the blast of a grenade.[1] Disembarked on 31 August 1944 in thedisembarking of Provence (French:débarquement de Provence), he participated to the Liberation of France (French:libération de la France). In September, with the rank oflieutenant-colonel, he headed the 24th Infantry Regiment (French:24e Régiment d'Infanterie) at the corps of the 10th Infantry Division (French:10e Division d'Infanterie) commanded by généralPierre Billotte (French:Pierre Billotte).[1]
In December 1945, he reassumed the command of the13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion 13e DBLE and directed the latter during theIndochina War starting 1946.[1] In April 1948, the4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion, formed from elements of the former elements of the4th Foreign Regiment was dissolved in 1940, and reassumed the designation of 4e RE. Gabriel Bablon headed the contingent. He was then assigned to Germany and then took his retirement in 1954 after having been promoted tocolonel one year prior.[1] Attained by severe health challenges, he succumbed and died on 27 March 1956.[1]
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| Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur | Compagnon de la Libération decree of 28 May 1945[1] | Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 (2 citations) | |||
| Croix de guerre des Théâtres d'opérations extérieurs | Médaille coloniale Agrafes "Sahara", "Maroc", "Syrie", "Bir-Hakeim", "Libye" et "Extrême-Orient" | Médaille des services militaires volontaires | |||
| Medalla de la Paz de Marruecos (Espagne) | Commandeur de l'Ordre du Ouissam alaouite | Commandeur de l'Ordre du Nichan Iftikhar | |||
| Distinguished Service Cross (États-Unis) | |||||