Edgard Tupët-Thomé (19 April 1920 – 9 September 2020) was a French militant. He served in the Free French Forces.

Biography

After he obtained his bachelor's degree, Tupët-Thomé entered the École supérieure de théologie catholique de Reims. However, he soon decided to join the

French Armed Forces The French Armed Forces (french: Forces armées françaises) encompass the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Force and the Gendarmerie of the French Republic. The President of France heads the armed forces as Chief of the Armed Forces. Franc ...

and was incorporated into the

8th Zouaves Regiment The 8th Zouaves Regiment (french: 8e Régiment de Zouaves , 8e R.Z) was an infantry unit of the French Army. Created in 1914, the unit was designated as 8th Marching Zouaves Regiment. Creation and different nominations * 1914 : 8th Marching Zoua ...

and stationed in Camp de Châlons. Promoted to sergeant, his regiment was attacked in Lorraine in September 1939 and in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

the following year. He participated with his unit in the

Dunkirk evacuation The Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, was the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied soldiers during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the ...

from 26 May to 3 June 1940. He was taken prisoner the next day but escaped back to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

during his transfer. While back in France, Tupët-Thomé found work in

Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...

, where he met Roger Wybot and Stanislas Mangin, who tasked him with finding illegal airstrips. He was then one of the first men to join the Free French Forces, led by

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

. He parachuted into Châteauroux on 9 December 1941. However, he was injured during his landing, and was forced to leave combat. Six months later, he left France to seek treatment in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. While in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, he requested to join a combat unit. He left to work as a commando instructor in Saint Pierre and Miquelon. In August 1943, Tupët-Thomé joined the 4th Air Infantry Battalion, which would become the

2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment The 2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment (french: 2e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes) or 2e RCP, is one of the most decorated French units of the Second World War, the only land unit awarded the red fourragère in that war, including six citation ...

, part of the Brigade SAS. He became a certified parachutist the following month. In January 1944, he became second in command of the

3rd Parachute Chasseur Regiment The 3rd Parachute Chasseur Regiment (french: 3e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes) or 3e RCP was a French unit of Second World War known in the British Army as the 3rd SAS Regiment and originally named the 3rd Air Infantry Battalion. Involved ...

. The Regiment's first mission was in

Daoulas Daoulas (; br, Daoulaz) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Population Inhabitants of Daoulas are called in French ''Daoulasiens''. Breton language In 2008, 9.82% of primary-school children attende ...

in August 1944. His group of 12 men outlasted Germany's 60. He then attacked Germany's stronghold in

Landerneau Landerneau (; br, Landerne, ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. It lies at the mouth of the Elorn River which divides the Breton provinces of Cornouaille and Léon, east of Brest. The name is from ...

, liberating the city. Subsequently, he freed Clerval. His final parachute mission was in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

on 7 April 1945. In 1945, Tupët-Thomé resigned from the French Armed Forces. He was admitted to the

École nationale de la France d'Outre-Mer The Colonial School (french: École coloniale, also known colloquially as ) was a French public higher education institution or grande école, created in Paris in 1889 to provide training for public servants and administrators of the French coloni ...

and became an administrator of colonies in

French Tunisia The French protectorate of Tunisia (french: Protectorat français de Tunisie; ar, الحماية الفرنسية في تونس '), commonly referred to as simply French Tunisia, was established in 1881, during the French colonial Empire era, ...

in January 1946. He would later become director of

Takelsa Takelsa is a town and commune in the Nabeul Governorate, which is situated in north-eastern Tunisia. As of 2004, it had a population of 20,169.Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and managed a farm which he had acquired. In 1955, he returned to France, resumed his studies, and became an engineer at the Organisation scientifique du travail and joined the

Singer Corporation Singer Corporation is an American manufacturer of consumer sewing machines, first established as I. M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac M. Singer with New York lawyer Edward C. Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Ma ...

in a pharmaceutical laboratory in

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...

. He became a mercenary in the Katangese Gendarmerie, the army of the secessionist

State of Katanga The State of Katanga; sw, Inchi Ya Katanga) also sometimes denoted as the Republic of Katanga, was a breakaway state that proclaimed its independence from Congo-Léopoldville on 11 July 1960 under Moise Tshombe, leader of the local ''Co ...

led by

Moïse Tshombe Moïse Kapenda Tshombe (sometimes written Tshombé) (10 November 1919 – 29 June 1969) was a Congolese businessman and politician. He served as the president of the secessionist State of Katanga from 1960 to 1963 and as prime minister of the Re ...

, as an adviser to Joseph Yav, defence minister as part of Katangese disengagement with Belgium. Subsequently, he worked for

Panhard Panhard was a French motor vehicle manufacturer that began as one of the first makers of automobiles. It was a manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its final incarnation, now owned by Renault Trucks Defense, was formed ...

and finished his career working for a tourism agency. After his retirement, Tupët-Thomé lived in

Binic Binic (; ; Gallo: ''Binic'') is a small fishing port north of Saint-Brieuc on the north coast of Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany, in northwest France. Once a commune of its own, Binic is now part of the commune of Binic-Étables-sur-Mer, ...

, where he took part in commemoration ceremonies. He was then admitted to

Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides ( en, "house of invalids"), commonly called Les Invalides (), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, where he would become a resident. He was honored with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour and was named a Companion of the Liberation. During the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Appeal of 18 June, British Prime Minister

Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...

announced that the last four members of the Order of the Liberation, Daniel Cordier,

Pierre Simonet Pierre Adrien Simonet (27 October 1921 – 5 November 2020) was a French militant and senior official. He was with the Free French Forces before becoming a colonial administrator and international official. Biography Pierre was the son of Gilber ...

Hubert Germain Hubert Germain (6 August 1920 – 12 October 2021) was a French politician who was a member of the French Resistance during World War II. He was the last living Companion of the Order of Liberation. Biography Germain was born on 6 August 1920 ...

, and Edgard Tupët-Thomé would be honorary members of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

. The honor was presented by Ed Llewellyn,

Ambassador of the United Kingdom to France The British Ambassador to France is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in France, and is the head of Britain's diplomatic mission in Paris. The official title is ''His Majesty's Ambassador to France''. Traditionally, the ...

on 2 July 2020. Edgard Tupët-Thomé died at

on 9 September 2020 at the age of 100. The French President

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...

issued a press release, saying: "This resistance from the first hour, who was until his last breath a committed man, ready to oppose the bad winds of history with the breath of the ideal". The Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and the Minister of Memory and Veterans Affairs, Geneviève Darrieussecq, paid tribute, declaring: "Every key moment of the Second World War in France is found in the epic of the young Edgard Tupët" and "Like his 1038 brothers in arms, he personified the honor of France and the participation of our country in the Victory". It was announced that military honors would be returned to him on 17 September 2020 in a ceremony at the courtyard of Les Invalides.

Distinctions

*Grand Cross of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

(2019, Grand Officer in 2016) *Companion of the Liberation *

Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 The ''Croix de Guerre 1939–1945'' (English: War Cross 1939–1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the ''Croix de Guerre'' created on 26 September 1939 to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis forces at any ti ...

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

* King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom *

Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau ( nl, Orde van Oranje-Nassau, links=no) is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has ...

*Netherlands War Cross * Honorary Member of the

(2020)

Book

*''Spécial Air Service : 1940-1945, l’épopée d’un parachutiste en zone occupée'' (1980)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tupet-Thome, Edgard 1920 births 2020 deaths People from Bourg-la-Reine French Resistance members French Army personnel of World War II French centenarians Men centenarians Honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Liberation French Army soldiers French prisoners of war in World War II World War II prisoners of war held by Germany French escapees Escapees from German detention