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Battle of Timimoun, Chief Sergeant René Sentenac was mortally wounded during Operation Timimoun I, during the first skirmish on November 21, 1957. His agony was then immortalized by photographer Marc Flament . Near him, Lieutenant Pierre Roher, commanding the section, calls for help. The lieutenant was in turn killed shortly after, as was the nurse Roland Fialon, by an enemy sniper ambushed 400 meters north of their position
Sentenac was a legend amongst French colonial (later "marines") paratroopers. A recipient of the Legion of Honour, the Military Medal and 13 Croix de guerre citations, he had fought in Indochina under the command of the legendary Bigeard. Captured at Dien Bien Phu, he had escaped, joined Montagnards (Meos) pro-French guerillas under French command and then trekked for 200km in enemy infested territory to join before being rescued. This picture capturing his dying moment became famous.
Sentenac was a legend amongst French colonial (later "marines") paratroopers. A recipient of the Legion of Honour, the Military Medal and 13 Croix de guerre citations, he had fought in Indochina under the command of the legendary Bigeard. Captured at Dien Bien Phu, he had escaped, joined Montagnards (Meos) pro-French guerillas under French command and then trekked for 200km in enemy infested territory to join before being rescued. This picture capturing his dying moment became famous.
