He was a member of the Kieffer commando, a battalion of 177 marines that landed on the French northwest coast in 1944. He was 100 years old.
Leon Gautier, last survivor of the 177 Frenchmen who landed on June 6, 1944 in Normandy, in the north-west of France, died this Monday, as announced by the Memorial de Caen. He was 100 years old.
“‘We are not heroes, we are only doing our duty,’ he repeated. (…) Leon Gautier has left us. we won’t forgetFrench President Emmanuel Macron posted on Twitter.
During June 2019 and on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary, the last three survivors of the Kieffer commando, a battalion named after its first ctain, were honored by Emmanuel Macronin Colleville Montgomery, the place where they landed on D-Day.
In that act, President Macron concluded the reincorporation into the national story of some Frenchmen who contributed to the liberation by wearing English uniforms.
After the death of the other two members of the French force, Gautier was the last living member of the Kieffer commando, the marine rifle battalion that landed on the coast of northwestern France.
World War II veteran died this Monday at 7.40 (French time) in a hospital in Caen, according to the mayor of Ouistreham, Romain Bail.
“Ouistreham is very sad today (for this Monday), we are left a little orphaned by this father, this grandfather, a local hero known to all who transmitted a certain number of values for the freedom of which he was an ardent defender landing in our beaches”, declared the extremely moved French mayor.
“The State authorities have confirmed to me that a national tribute will be paid to him in Normandy”Bailey added.
Who was Leon Gautier?
Leon Gautier born in 1922 and joined the forces of General Charles De Gaulle, in July 1940, before fighting in Africa and landing in Normandy.
After his participation in World War II to liberate France from the occupation of Nazi Germany, he never stopped advocating “for peace”.
“The worst thing we can see is a war, because we kill people who have done nothing, who have families, children. To achieve what?” Gautier said in October of last year.
This father of two children has lived in the city of Ouistreham since the 1990s. And in 2021, he was recognized as a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor.
With information from AFP
Source: Clarin
