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Camp Raffalli, Calvi

Pink Floyd

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Somalia
 

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Pink Floyd

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Joe, if the REP can’t go to CECAP...a little bit of CECAP will come to Calvi
 

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Pink Floyd

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R.I.P Adj/Chef Bernard. He died yesterday after loosing his battle with cancer. A terrific bloke, and a fine sous-officier...
 

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Joseph Cosgrove

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RIP Mon Adjudant Chef.
He came down to CECAP with his section to do the commando course. After my lectures on rope tying or first aid he would always stop me for a beer.
I used to have this thing. If someone was falling asleep during one of my lectures (not knot tying -it's all practical) I would send them into the sea followed by a "go and wet yourself", it's funnier in French. The person would have to come back completely soaked through.
We had an aspirant médecin, doing the course with us. One day I saw "Bob" trying to catch my eye, as I was doing a diagram on the white board. I was just going to finish when he asked me a question, I stopped and he indicated the aspirant who had nodded off.
"WTF". I shouted, "You Mon Lieutenant. Go and get yourself wet."
Off he goes, with me calling after him, you don't find my first aid lesson interesting. Once he'd left , I said it's not everyday you get to do that. Which brought a few smiles. Before adding, I just have to avoid going consultant until I go beck back to France.
The Adj/C had this enormous tattoo on his back. It was of Christ on the cross, with the caption, "I, like him, love to suffer".
I'll light a candle for him and get in touch with "Poster boy" Scouse Arley who was in his section.
 
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Pink Floyd

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RIP Mon Adjudant Chef.
He came down to CECAP with his section to do the commando course. After my lectures on rope tying or first aid he would always stop me for a beer.
I used to have this thing. If someone was falling asleep during one of my lectures (not knot tying -it's all practical) I would send them into the sea followed by a "go and wet yourself", it's funnier in French. The person would have to come back completely soaked through.
We had an aspirant médecin, doing the course with us. One day I saw "Bob" trying to catch my eye, as I was doing a diagram on the white board. I was just going to finish when he asked me a question, I stopped and he indicated the aspirant who had nodded off.
"WTF". I shouted, "You Mon Lieutenant. Go and get yourself wet."
Off he goes, with me calling after him, you don't find my first aid lesson intersecting. Once he'd left , I said it's not everyday you get to do that. Which brought a few smiles. Before adding, I just have to avoid going consultant until I go beck back to France.
The Adj/C had this enormous tattoo on his back. It was of Christ on the cross, with the caption, "I like him, love to suffer".
I'll light a candle for him and get in touch with "Poster boy" Scouse Arley who was in his section.
Early 1994, Bernard was in charge of us up at the fort. He‘s standing front centre
 

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Pink Floyd

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Camp Amilakvari...Arta, Djibouti. Some aerial photos, plus front entrance, of the 2REP camp up in the mountains for the company tours. I was fortunate to do 3 tours, always during the Corsican winter. Today, it is a Djiboutian army academy...
 

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Joseph Cosgrove

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The 3rd Photo brings back the best memories for me. In it on the right, next to the round hut where the lads could watch the videos of an evening is the foyer. I was taken from the CCS, garde punis to run it for 4 months. Having never done anything like that before and being on my own was quite a challenge. On the bottom right of the same photo is where all the CCHs slept, except for me who had a room in the foyer.
It was during an outing with the CDU, that the captain of the company got talking to me. I was his driver for the day and he asked me what I had done here in my two years in Djibouti. A year as a life guard in the swimming pool in Gabode and a year in CECAP. I said that I'd done a weeks course with the French navy on one of their 3rd echelon repair ships that followed the fleet around, on repairing flotteurs (zodiacs). This was very much to the interest of the captain as the guy who was down in the centre amphibie did not get along with Adj Orlando, or maybe it was the other way around. ;)
So when we got back, I went in front of the CDU in the CCS who said that after leave I was to go to join the 3rd cie.
Great photos.
 

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Joe, that’s the old ‘poof’...for the people that don’t know, it’s where the whores were kept. True to Legion style, all the girls were regularly inspected by the medic for any STD’s. When we were in Arta for 6 months (January-July 1991) A/Chef Legris, myself and C/Chef Ribeiro gutted it out and built a Corporal Chefs popote. Also, the round outdoor pergola next to the foyer was also our handy work. Legris (with us in tow) went all over Arta and down to Djibouti ville scrounging up materials. By the way, i was listening to the BBC on my radio when I heard that the gulf war had started. I had to go wake up Legris about 2 in the morning. He asked me wake him up if the ‘shit hit the fan’.
 

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Pink Floyd

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For those that make it to the island
 

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Calvi, is the REP overcoming the covid-19 by wearing gas masks when jumping?
 

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Calvi, is the REP overcoming the covid-19 by wearing gas masks when jumping?
Possibly, however knowing the REP, it could well be another form of training - kind of like when they are doing sea jumps. Training for a Tsunami?
But if it gets them jumping, why not? Except that the largeur isn't wearing his.
 

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It's more to do with the confinement laws...no more than a group of 10 and the distance social (1 mete, at least between 2 individuals and to wear a mask...be it a gas mask or a scuba one)
Can't wait for Mardi to come
Date prévu for the levé de restrictions
 

Pink Floyd

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Possibly, however knowing the REP, it could well be another form of training - kind of like when they are doing sea jumps. Training for a Tsunami?
But if it gets them jumping, why not? Except that the largeur isn't wearing his.
interesting article from the local newspaper
 

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Joseph Cosgrove

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It's more to do with the confinement laws...no more than a group of 10 and the distance social (1 mete, at least between 2 individuals and to wear a mask...be it a gas mask or a scuba one)
Can't wait for Mardi to come
Date prévu for the levé de restrictions
What is on your agenda for Tuesday Le petit caporal?
 

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Obviously there will be cases of covid 19 in the REP. Corsica was one of the worse hit places when the virus was at its worse. I mean what with the cadre going home every night and having children at schools and their wives going out to shop.
However, with the medical team in place and the legion discipline, I don't think that there is too much to worry about. I mean square kilometre per square km, I'd say that the REP had the most qualified doctors and medics on Corsica.
 

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What is on your agenda for Tuesday Le petit caporal?
Chez Perras (Corsican bakery) for petit déjeuner and Chez la Chouette for lunch, if open
It's from Chez Perras at Castanet (he has several shops) the Legion and others, Moto Clubs reunion for road trips...it's braw and warm weather here actually, so I expect to see them soon
 

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Calvi, is the REP overcoming the covid-19 by wearing gas masks when jumping?
Since the start of the health crisis, the 2nd foreign parachute regiment has been in turmoil. Several sources denounce the non-compliance with barrier gestures and the presence of numerous cases of Covid-19. The corps chief evokes a "relentlessness" against the Raffalli camp
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(The caption on this photo says that the Chef de corps had the regiment's parachute repair shop transfromed to make masks.)

At a time when the entire population is going into the second phase of deconfinement announced by the government, the situation seems to be worrying within the 2 nd REP.

Indeed, several civilians close to the regiment, wishing to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, very clearly accuse the legion of not taking the health crisis seriously enough in Calvi.

According to them, there are about thirty Covid-19 cases within the unit. Legionaries, for the most part, who would be put in solitary confinement for 15 days and who would come out well before the planned date.

A particularly worrying situation, for these sources, who worry about the risks of contamination.

" They are constantly hiding the truth ," says one of them. There is no communication with the families in order to clearly explain the situation to them. Barrier gestures are in no way respected, legionaries attend meals or sports training without social distancing. The truth has to come out. "

According to these same sources, the legionaries would go out in the city center of Calvi without wearing the mask. And breaches of health rules have been observed: "On the occasion of the celebration of Camerone, the legion decided to maintain the sporting challenge, which is actually a kind of obstacle course necessarily requiring physical contact. Photos would have attested to this, but they are of course prohibited within the camp. "

Some buildings would also be used for Covid-19 cases. "These spaces are packed, the legionaries are not tested in Corsica to distort the statistics," accuses another of these civilians.

"We scrupulously respect barrier gestures"
According to our information, several regiments have left on an external mission and have been infected with the virus.

About twenty cases are currently retained in Aubagne in order to be tested in order to be able to return to island territory. So many accusations that the corps commander of the 2 nd REP, Christophe de La Chapelle, rejects en bloc.

" We remain very vigilant about the spread of this epidemic, " he said. I myself imposed strict measures on my men, not only inside the camp but also in the streets of Calvi. Wearing a mask is compulsory in shops and no jogging is tolerated in the city center or near the beaches . "

And the corps chief did not hear anyone questioning his commitment during this epidemic: “ I took the initiative to transform my parachute repair workshop into a workshop for making masks. The Calvi town hall was able to benefit from this a few weeks ago. In addition, contact sports are not allowed and the weight room is currently closed to our legionaries. Our only concern is to be able to guarantee the security not only of our men but also of the population . "


Legionaries tested on the continent before returning to Corsica
Certain training is admittedly tolerated, but respecting, according to Colonel Christophe de La Chapelle, a health protocol and the principles of social distancing. Concerning the potential cases of Covid-19 within his unit, the corps chief did not wish to communicate.

We have an airlock on the mainland, near Aubagne, where the soldiers are put in isolation in the event of an external mission. They are also tested before they can return to the Calvi regiment. Some men have actually contracted the virus, but are not on island territory. At the start of the week, I contacted the sub-prefect of Calvi to explain the measures I intended to put in place, ” he said.

Information confirmed by Florent Farge, yesterday, during the day. Christophe de La Chapelle also wishes to emphasize that barrier gestures are part of the daily life of his men, outside the camp and especially during military training.

A few days ago, we went to the town of Borgo so that we could practice parachute jumps. The men were fitted with gas masks, gloves and a full-length suit in order to considerably limit the risks , he said. I do not understand this relentlessness on the Raffalli camp. Throughout the confinement period, we strictly followed the sanitary measures. Many tournaments have been canceled. During the celebration of Camerone, we organized a sporting event, but it was an individual relay during which the participants did not touch. A marking on the ground was clearly signaled so that everyone respected the protocol. "

Between testimonies from sources familiar to the functioning of the unit and the discourse developed by the corps commander, very different realities emerge.

Leaving a doubt about the exact situation. Are there really about thirty cases in the Raffalli camp? Are barrier gestures fully respected? Questions that remain unanswered for the moment.

(I forgot to add that the article showed the photos that Pink Floyd posted of the REPmen where their gaz masks.)
 
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Pink Floyd

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R.I.P Claude Dupre. The man worked his way up through the ranks, went on to become an officer in the REP. Many times I remember him when we were doing our jumps at Calvi with his headset on talking to the pilots. One had to be on one’s toes around him, he didn’t suffer fools gladly.
 

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