Pierre Simonet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierre Simonet
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Simonet in 2012
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| Born | 27 October 1921 Hanoi, French Indochina |
| Died | 5 November 2020 (aged 99) Toulon, France |
| Allegiance |  France |
| Free French Forces | |
| Years of service | 1940–1945 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour Order of Liberation Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 Resistance Medal Colonial Medal Order of the British Empire |
| Spouse(s) | Lucienne Ragain |
Pierre Adrien Simonet (born October 27, 1921, died November 5, 2020) was a brave French hero. He fought with the Free French Forces during World War II. After the war, he worked as an important international official.
Contents
Life Story
Early Life and War Decisions
Pierre Simonet was born in Hanoi, which was then part of French Indochina. His father, Gilbert Simonet, was an engineer who had fought for France in World War I. Pierre studied in Marseille and Hanoi before moving to France in 1939 for university.
In 1939, France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. Pierre was too young to join the army at that time. He began studying mathematics in Bordeaux.
On June 17, 1940, Philippe Pétain announced that France would surrender to Germany. Pierre was very upset by this news. He decided he had to fight back. After Charles de Gaulle made his famous "Appeal of 18 June" asking French people to continue fighting, Pierre decided to join him.
Joining the Free French Forces
On June 24, 1940, Pierre left France on the last cargo ship, the Baron Kinaird, heading to Liverpool. He officially joined General de Gaulle's Free French Forces on July 1, 1940. He wanted to be a pilot, but he couldn't because he didn't have a pilot's license. Instead, he was sent to a military camp in Surrey, England.
On August 29, 1940, Simonet left the United Kingdom. He joined a group heading to Dakar to try and get French West Africa to support Free France. He fought in the Battle of Dakar, which aimed to free the important port from Vichy France (the French government that cooperated with Germany).
Fighting in Africa and the Middle East
After Dakar, Pierre was stationed in Cameroon in French Equatorial Africa. He continued his military training there until January 1941. He then took part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign in June and July 1941. This campaign ended with a victory for Free France in Damascus.
Simonet served in the 1st Free French Brigade, led by General Marie-Pierre Kœnig. He fought in the North African campaign from January to July 1942. On March 16, he was part of a special unit called a Jock column. They faced a strong attack from enemy tanks. But Pierre bravely held his position and saved a lot of French military equipment.
He also fought in the famous Battle of Bir Hakeim from May 26 to June 21. He worked as a telephone operator until June 10. Then he took up arms and helped boost the morale of the Free French soldiers, leading to a victory.
Victories in North Africa and Italy
In October 1942, Simonet's brigade fought in the Second Battle of El Alamein. They helped the British Eighth Army in the Tunisian campaign against the Afrika Korps, led by Erwin Rommel.
At the end of 1943, he became an officer candidate. After the Italian campaign, he joined an aerial observation unit. He flew a small plane called a Piper J–3 Cub to observe enemy territory. He often flew deep behind enemy lines to gather important information.
His unit was part of an attack on May 8, 1944, which broke through the strong German defenses known as the Winter Line and the Hitler Line. He helped liberate cities like Rome, Siena, and areas in Tuscany.
Liberation of France and End of War
During Operation Dragoon on August 16, 1944, Pierre continued to observe from his airplane. Between August 20 and 25, he flew many important missions between Hyères and Toulon.
During the Battle of Alsace, he helped destroy several enemy tanks and found two enemy artillery positions. He was promoted to second lieutenant. He also took part in the Battle of Authion and helped free Cuneo.
On June 18, 1945, after the Liberation of Paris and Victory in Europe Day, he was one of three pilots who flew their Piper Cubs under the Eiffel Tower. This was a symbolic celebration of victory. In 1945, he married Lucienne Ragain in Saigon.
Post-War Career
After the war, Simonet studied at a special school for French officials working overseas. In 1948, he worked for the government of Vietnam. He also took courses in statistics and economics at the University of Paris.
From 1951 to 1952, he worked in Cameroon as an administrator in different areas. He helped with the decolonization process, which meant helping to transfer power to Cameroonian authorities.
In 1958, he became an international civil servant. He worked as a statistician and economist in Southeast Asia for the Food and Agriculture Organization. He was part of a project to help develop countries along the Mekong.
From 1959 to 1960, he was an advisor for economic statistics in Iran for the United Nations. Back in France, he earned another degree. In 1962, he joined the OECD in Paris. He then joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1964. From 1973 to 1977, he was an IMF representative in Haiti and El Salvador. He also worked in the Comoros and Lesotho from 1981 to 1984.
Retirement and Recognition
Simonet retired in 1985 and settled in Toulon with his wife, Lucienne, who had supported him throughout his many missions. In 1999, he became a member of the Council of the Order of Liberation.
In December 2019, he received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, a very high French award. It was presented to him by General Benoît Puga.
In 2020, during the 80th anniversary of de Gaulle's Appeal of 18 June, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Pierre Simonet and three other French heroes would become Honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire. This British award was presented to Simonet by Ed Llewellyn, the British Ambassador to France.
Legacy
Pierre Simonet passed away in Toulon on November 5, 2020, at the age of 99. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Simonet "was indeed a hero: no matter how much he refused this title, he had all the attributes - courage, moral strength, a sense of duty." French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly also praised his courage and modesty.
Awards and Honors
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (2019)
- Order of Liberation (1945)
- Croix de Guerre 1939–1945
- Resistance Medal
- Colonial Medal
- Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (2020)
