61e company of circulation

At the time of the reorganization of the Army in 1984, the 6 {{E}} armor-plated division of Strasbourg is dissolved and its squadron of circulation (6th EC.) made movement towards Auxonne to become the squadron of circulation of the fast force of action. Arrived at Auxonne on June 22nd, 1984, it takes on July 1st the name of 61e squadron of circulation and inherits the traditions of the 61e company of road traffic (61e JRC). From 1995 to 1999, the traditions of the 61e company of road traffic are actively taken again by the 1st squadron of road traffic (1st EC.) of the 516 {{E}} regiment of the train (516e RT) to Toul.

History and filiation of the 61e company of road traffic

This history treats only past of the unit under its name of 61e company of road traffic under which it behaved brilliantly in Cochinchine and gained the Military Cross of the Theaters of external operations with Money star.

1945 - Creation with Saint-Raphaël (VAr) of the 61e detachment of road traffic (61e DCR) affected to the 3 {{E}} division of colonial infantry (3rd DIC) which makes movement towards the Indo-China.
1946 - on May 1st is created with Saigon, starting from the DCR 61, the 61e Compagnie of road traffic , it is stationed with the hippodrome of Phu-To
1954 - on November 1st the 61e JRC becomes 261e JRC
1955 - Into its creation the Groupement of road traffic 603 integrates the 261e JRC which becomes 2/603
1956 - 603e GCR east dissolves with Constantine after its transfer in North Africa and the 2/603 becomes then 223 JRC
1963 - the 223e JRC becomes 252e JRC at January 1st then it is repatriated in metropolis before being dissolved in December with the camp of Sissonne (Aisne).
1984 - on July 1st the 6th Squadron of circulation becomes 61e EC. and inherits the traditions of the JRC of Indo-China.

Commanders of unit

1946-1947 : lieutenant Vignardou (Death with the combat)
1947-1949: captain Jet
1949-1950: captain Mazeiraud
1950-1951: captain Reynaud
1951: captain Latry
1951-1952: captain Paillot
1952-1953: captain Esvan
1953-1954: lieutenant Thevenet
1954: captain Thevenet

1984-1985 : captain B. Steinmetz
1985: captain E. Segura

Missions of the 61e Company of road traffic of 1946 to 1954

In November 1946, the 61e JRC joined the task force charged to recover the provinces reassigned by the Siam. This occasion, it ensures the protection of many convoys and carries out recognitions of the light cavalry type. In February 1947, of return to Saigon, after having left its second group detached with the Kampuchea, the JRC accepts responsibility for the control and the civil and military traffic control of the South of the Indo-China: around Saigon towards Round of applause Me Thuot, Dalat and My-Tho and around Phnom Penh towards Kampot, Siem Riep, Kompong Cham and Phu Lam, around Phnom Penh with Neack Luong, Kompong Cham and Kompong Luong. These stations isolated as well as the PC from the Company installed to the Hippodrome of PhU To will be very often attacked until 1954; each time, the attacker will be pushed back. In addition to these external missions, the JRC takes part in the patrols of safety of day like night inside the agglomeration of Saigon-Cholo. It ensures, moreover, of many stakes of honor and escorts of authority (High commissioner, Général ordering higher Kampuchea…)

Its principal activity, most dangerous and most delicate at the time, was the participation in guidance, the defense and the safety of the convoys. The Company paid a heavy tribute there. April 25th, 1947, its first commander of unit, Lieutenant Vignadou as well as a warrant officer, chief of group, and 5 drivers disappeared in a ambush with My-Tho; December 19th, 1947, a patrol in escort of convoy submerged by the number of the attackers leaves 4 dead and 2 wounded.

Following the fatal ambush of the Lagna, where the JRC has 4 killed, on March 1st, 1948, the command is directed towards a new solution. Instead of the escorted convoys, one decides on a new technique: that of the “kept road”. The manpower of the stations is reinforced in order to allow a mobile monitoring of the routes, in addition the convoys are formed and started starting from coach stations (the 61er JRC holds 4 of them: Bienh Hoa, Bencat, Thu Dau Word then after the departure of the 73er JRC of Saigon).

The spacings vehicles being increased (300 meters), the accompaniment by an element of circulation becomes essential to ensure the police force of the convoys. The JRC accompanies the columns towards Long Vinh until My-Tho, towards Dalat until Dinh Quan and towards Ban Me Thuot until Bu Dangs Rey the accompaniment was then taken charges some by the 73e JRC

Because of manpower not very important of company, zone of responsibilities very wide, insecurity permanent and missions many (recognitions, arrowing, monitoring, accompaniment, control and regulation, service of the coach stations to what it is necessary to add patrol downtown, stakes of honors and escorts), the personnel of the 61er JRC was submitted to severely tested. Despite everything, their missions were always fulfilled and their behavior was always exemplary, also the company is it seen rewarded in 1953 by attribution for a Military Cross for the Theaters for External operations with Money star (text of the quotation to the order of Division). The end of the hostilities sees the surge of refugees of the Tonkin. After so much of engagements, the unit is devoted completely to its new very humane task: to accommodate this disabled and uprooted crowd, to direct these poor people on provisional hearths and to give them a first comfort.

November 1st, the 61e JRC becomes 261e JRC In spite of the difficulties of all kinds, as well with the combat as in manpower, as in material, the 61e JRC is proud to have filled its task until the end, conscious of having at the same time as all the units of Indo-China, taken part in the gigantic work of civilization and pacification that the France undertook in its possessions of the Far East.

Newspaper of walk and the operations of 1946 to 1954

Year 1946

1946 :

January 20th, 1946, the Detachment of the road traffic of the 3rd division of colonial infantry embarks in Marseilles for Indo-China. The arrival of the first elements is made on February 12th in Saigon. April 25th, all the elements of the DCR joined their unit. This day, the DCR of the 3rd DIC is made up in Company and becomes the 61e Compagnie of road traffic. It is starting from May 1st, 1946 that the JRC becomes autonomous Compagnie. On this date, the unit is ordered by lieutenant Vignardou; its assistant is the Lallart second lieutenant. July 10th, the 61e JRC replaces in its positions the 73e JRC leaving for Laos and Kampuchea (coach stations, patrols of day and night). It ensures the service of order the Port. July 15th, it passes by again under the orders of the 3rd DIC. From November 6th to 13rd, it passes by again its instructions of circulation of Saigon-Cholon to the 73e JRC (arrowings of routes, connections). During this year, the 61e JRC ensures primarily of the patrols of state highway patrol and safety as well as missions of marking out, of service of order of recognition and control.

Year 1947

1947 :

In February, it takes part in the operations of the provinces reassigned in Kampuchea. One entrusts the circulation of the axis Saigon-Dalat to him. By its fixed telephones of Baqueo Binh Law, Phu Lam, Neack Luong, Kompong Luong, it controls all the main roads of Southern Indo-China and controls all the road traffic there in its main axes: Saigon towards My-Tho and Dalat, Phnom Penh towards Kampot, Siemreap, Kompong Cham, Battambang. It also controls the road traffic inside the place of Saigon Cholon by making patrols of day and night. It takes part in many operations of night in connection with the commandos inside or in the surroundings of the town of Cholon.

In April 1947, a group of the 61e JRC is detached in Kampuchea under the authority of the command of the forces of this kingdom. It will provide all the escorts and stakes of honor at the time of the voyage of the High-Commissioner and the general ordering higher of Kampuchea than Phnom Penh, the patrols of night of the 2nd group ensure of the missions of circulation and safety on order of the colonel ordering the forces of Kampuchea. The group of road traffic, in charge of control at the significant points, is him split in Sway Rieng, Neack Luong, Kompong Luong and Kompong Cham; two stations in reserve ensure the police force of circulation Phnom Penh. April 25th, 1947, the convoy of Cantho is attacked: a convoy of 13 military vehicles and 28 civil vehicles, whose 2 V.L transporting the Minister for the State education of Cochinchine and the under-secretary of State to information, falls to 10:45, in a large ambush, the village of Tan Hiep, in the west of My-Tho. Several mines explode in the passing of the truck of the escort and the two V.L of which all the occupants are killed. At once, the rebels start the shooting of their automatic weapons. A driver of the 2/519 Work Card is killed at its wheel. The other drivers of this company, the station of circulation of the 61e JRC, counteract and hold until the arrival of a.M. of help that the Denis marshal-of-home, from the 2/519°, after having succeeded in making half-turn under unfavourable fire, went to seek with ten kilometers behind. The assessment is heavy: 42 killed and 4 missings, among whom in addition to the two ministers, lieutenant Vignardou, 1 warrant officer and 5 drivers of the 61e JRC, 1 driver of the 2/519 and the chief of convoy, 12 wounded, 8 destroyed military vehicles and 4 killed civilians.

May 23rd, 1947, a new light fixing occurs on the road of Long Vinh. During the following months, the many convoys on Long Vinh are reorganized; they will be from now on under the control of an officer of the armoured tanks, an officer and a warrant officer of the Train becoming his assistant. The following distance will be of 300 meters, of the variable components of circulation ensuring the police force of the convoy are provided by the C.C.R; these elements are in radio contact with the variable components of safety, of rapid intervention. Stoppings (trenches or clearing) often slow down these convoys. In August 1947, the JRC receives a new armament: the machine-guns Sten to replace the machine-guns Thompson.

December 19th on the road of Round of applause Me Thuot, a convoy is attacked. A convoy of 80 vehicles (10 soldiers and 70 civilians) rolls in direction of Round of applause Me Thuot. It comprises in addition to a special oar of 18 civil vehicles charged with gasoline and ammunition, 1 escort of infantry and 2 A.M. with the orders of lieutenant Petitfils of the Company car of the South Annam, 1 station of circulation of the 61e JRC -5 men and 2 radio and the element of breakdown service provided by WP 511. With 11:40, the escort of head reaches the village of Dong Xoai to the P.K. 105, at the moment when a mine jumps in front of the vehicle of the P.C.R. with the P.K. 101. At the same time, the shooting bursts. The combat continues until 12:30, moment when the intervention of a patrol of planes causes the unhooking of the rebels. On the whole, the convoy counts 9 dead including 2 agents of circulation, 15 wounded among which lieutenant Petitfils and 2 drivers of the 61e JRC twenty vehicles are destroyed.

Awaked every morning at 3 a.m., the personnel of the complete JRC ensures the startup inlassablement convoys of the coach station. It holds the checkpoints of the routes of access to Saigon and regularly carries out patrols on the road Saigon - Nha Be, escort on its request the general ordering the French Troops of Indo-China of South (T.F.I.S.). It makes routine inspections in the agglomeration Saigon Cholon and started the arrowing of the routes concerned with the T.F.I.S. Lastly, within the framework of district VI and in spite of its deficit as a personnel, the JRC 61 had in heart to assist units close by taking again its normal turn to patrols of night and by carrying out some times of the exceptional patrols dictated by the circumstances.

In parallel with its missions, an obscure work is carried out by the personnel of the General Services which one will never say enough the spirit of devotion. In a JRC, there are almost never actions of mass, but often on the contrary, work by isolated small groups and individual exits without given schedule. The missions could be achieved only insofar as the general services reduced of the remainder to their strict minimum, adapted to this rate/rhythm: the cooks endeavouring to keep to eat something hot some is the hour of entry of the drivers in service, inalienable and inapt ones undertaking works of general interest and the clothes industry of the arrows; break-down mechanics affairant itself with the repair of a material which, releasing on any side is given in service daily only following extraordinary efforts.

Lastly, installations to be brought to quarterings and the checkpoints were continued. It seems that in their rare moments of leisures, the drivers took a certain pleasure “to make use of their ten fingers”, that they were employed with the painting or the manufacture of small rustic pieces of furniture for their barrack rooms. It is there an application of the artisanal workshops whose opening was recommended in all the bodies of troop of France. The difficulties of all kinds met on the road did not modify the frequency and the regularity of the convoys. They were surmounted thanks to an increasingly pushed specialization of the personnel.

In Saigon, a starting coach station functions in Dong Xoai. The congestions with the vat of My Thuan were avoided by two “control system” respectively ensured at the beginning of Saigon and Year Huu. The checkpoints were arranged and recall now by their practical and particularly visible installations, their indications and information services, those of the army. During this year, the efforts were not slackened: it was necessary permanently, to level, clog, inform, seek in a word the best performance and progress in all the fields. The 61e JRC is proud to take part in the “Repression of the rebellion and Pacification” substitute with the difficulties for all kinds by a good will and an energy which will never contradict.

Year 1948

1948 :

Almost daily of the light fixings take place between the convoys and the rebels. The reconnaissance aircraft announce the stoppings, the trenches and the presence of rebels. The company is reinforced with 10 warrant officers and 40 soldiers of the row. Convoy of Dalat attacks on March 1st, 1948: the convoy includes/understands 69 vehicles including 53 civilians. The escort, made up of two armoured cars and 4 sections of protection (22e R.I.C and 4th B.D.P.), is divided into 3 elements: head, medium and tail of the column. Circulation is ensured by a post office of the 61e JRC having a radio operator scout car. The element of breakdown service is provided by the 2/519 Work Card.

During the day the column is initially hung by 3 times. An intervention of hunting was necessary the morning; the station of circulation, each time, gave the convoy in order and the element of breakdown service carried out various repairs. Towards 16:30, the column heading arrives at height of the P.K 112 at the time when the scout car of the chief of convoy jumps on a mine. It is the signal of the attack started by the Minh Vietnamese soldier over the entire length of the convoy. The scout car of the 61e JRC jumps in its turn on a mine. The combat continues until 20:15, at the time of the unhooking of part of the rebels yielding under the blows of the fighter force. Towards 21:00, first aid arrives of Dalat. The majority of the vehicles of the convoy were still destroyed or burn. One on the whole counts about fifty deaths, of which the lieutenant-colonel of Sairigné (13 {{E}} DBLE) which had taken seat in its jeep in the column, 3 killed out of the P.C.R. among which the Lenoir marshal-of-home, chief of station and 1 of WP 511 and of many casualties and missing including 2 from the P.C.R., 2 of WP 511 and 2 of 2/519° CT.

The startup every morning of the convoys at the coach station was carried out with a remarkable punctuality. The operation of the coach stations termini and the coach stations of arrival appeared always satisfactory. All the modifications to the highway network were daily announced to the command. On certain axes and at certain hours, circulation is made free: Saigon with Bien Hoa, of Saigon with Thu Dau Word, and of Saigon with Cant Ho.

The JRC receives a reinforcement of 4 warrant officers and 20 soldiers of the row. The arrowing set up by the JRC carries out tests of connection by carrier pigeons at the time of attacks of the convoys. Many isolated vehicles are stopped, plundered, and their occupants made captive. Not only one movement at the beginning of Saigon which was not controlled by the checkpoints. Not only one surveillance mission of the circulation in which the Company did not take part. The information of all kinds (circulation, transport, material) collected and centralized was the subject of particular suggestions or overall studies. During the year 1948, the group of circulation detached in Kampuchea carried out 1 800 km of road recognitions and patrols of safety while ensuring moreover road control and of many escorts.

Imperceptibly and because the formula of the escorted convoy went bankrupt, one forwarded oneself to the indirect protection of the road. This solution which gives excellent results, does not make profound changes to the methods of use of the units of circulation whose role does not change. “To go to the front of the needs for the road users” such residence the mission of the 61e JRC. Massive repatriations during this year posed a serious problem of manpower and by an odd coincidence, the missions made only increase. Constantly on the brêche, the officers, the warrant officers and troops competed of energy and combativeness to make honor with the traditions of the Company. It was necessary without stop to reorganize, adapt the methods, to centralize the information, to improve, propose, decide and carry out with initiative.

The reward, however modest is it, is in this sentence of the colonel ordering the zone and who known as in substance:

“the JRC 61 is not a police force intended to worry the road users, but a combat unit, specialized in the organization of the circulation on the great routes and which constitutes one of the essential components of the safety of the road. ”

In its message of the New Year's Day, the general ordering the written TFIS:

“the principal road routes of Cochinchine were opened with free circulation or the passing in safety, of currents of controlled circulation”.

Year 1949

1949 :

The ambushes against the trucks and the bus became almost daily, the vehicles captured after being plundered, are burnt. The convoys are also badgered and the number of the victims is important. Moreover with each passage of the convoys, the roads are degraded more and more and the bridges are often in bad condition. The convoy known as “operational” developped at the point at the end of 1949, is a true operation interarmes which implements all the units available - tabors, legionaries, parachutists, armoured tanks, genius, artillery train to ensure the safety of the automobile column. Before the departure, the convoy formed in the coach station is articulated in the following way: at the head, escort armor-plated made up of one to two armored vehicles - armoured car or half track- and of a support carried; P.C. operational including/understanding average the radio operator necessary ones to the connection with the PC of the commander of the Train of the frontier zone in Lang Its and with the escort, the network Train of the convoy, a detachment of connection of artillery of direct support; P.C. Train with a station of circulation, a radio operator vehicle and 1 escort on GMC; a variable number of oars from 10 to 12 noon; in tail, a heavy element having a station of circulation of a vehicle of breakdown service and an armor-plated escort of composition similar to that of head.

The garrisons of the stations, throughout the route, ensure protection brought and static closer to the convoy before and during its passage; The oars leave the station of departure every approximately ten minutes.

Year 1950

1950 :

The rebellious action against the transportation routes intensifies and extends on the territory. The ambushes of which the units of the Train are victims are multiple.

March 30th, 1950, it is with the turn of the convoy of Dalat to be attacked by approximately 1 000 rebels out of 25 kilometers, between the P.K. 64 and 89. The Minh Vietnamese soldier remain Masters of the road until around 3 p.m. One then counts 22 burned vehicles including 1 soldier, 10 killed or disappeared, 3 wounded. The station of circulation of the 61e JRC, which was not taken in the ambush, gives alarm, releases the road and evacuates the casualties. This year proceeds with the same incidents as the year 1949: ambushes, aggressions of convoys isolated, plundered and set fire to.

Year 1951

1951 :

The attacks against the vehicles are done fewer than the previous years.

Year 1952

1952 :

The various units of the Train in the South Vietnam fulfill from now on their missions under improved conditions. The massive assistance granted by the United States allows a certain renewal of the car fleet and the increase in the potential of the units; the extension of pacification facilitates the execution of the movements and transport: the number of the ambushes and the incidents is in regression, without however disappearing completely.

It is for example the attack of the convoy of Round of applause Me Thuot which has occurred on February 12th, 1952 between the stations of Phuoc Hoa and An Binh (P.K. 71 to 81). The column includes/understands 60 vehicles including 24 trucks of the 2/566 Work Card; it is articulated in a first oar of 11 trucks with an escort of a scout car and its support carried, a second oar of 13 vehicles, the element of the chief of convoy and a scout car of the escort, a third oar of ten civil trucks with which 6 are charged with gasoline and, in tail of the convoy, the element of breakdown service and the remainder of protection. Morane flies over the column.

With 12:30, the rebels start a general attack of the head at the end of the column; at the time of the attack, three mines out of five had been raised for “the opening of the road” provided by the 61e JRC whose immediate support was ensured by the scout cars of the 73e JRC. As of the beginning, the GMC of head jumps on a mine and blocks the column, because the road sinuous, is boxed and bordered by a very dense forest. The protection measures endeavor to counteract; an armoured car jumps on a mine during the action and immobilizes the central protection measure to the P.K. 74. In tail, the breakdown service is taken with part. The arrival of the fighter force, alerted by Morane, puts a term at the attack of the rebels. On the whole, 7 trucks, whose 3 soldiers were set fire to, 2 killed soldiers and 8 wounded, but the essence of the convoy could be saved.

It is still the attack of the post office of the 61e JRC in Binh Loi during the night from August 5th to 6th 1952: with 23:15, the driver of faction, wounded by a rebel whom he saw, can nevertheless give alarm. The station of circulation joined at once its positions of combat under the command of the Fontenay marshal-of-home which prevents immediately the sector of Thu Duc. Approximately two Viet sections attack the station; one in the North-East tries to penetrate there through the defense of points of bamboos and barbed wires; the other in the South, blocks the entry of the station and prevents the arrival of reinforcements. The Northern section is stopped by the shootings of the garrison, in defenses. The arrival of an armor-plated patrol, sent by the sector, constrained the adversary to fold up itself in direction of Thu Duke, to a line of straw huts located at approximately 200 meters in withdrawal of the road. Fire continues until towards 00:15, then the rebels disappear carrying their deaths and their casualties. The station did not have new losses during the combat.

Year 1953

1953 :

The 61e JRC perceives new motor bikes: Harley Davidson.

Year 1954

1954 :

November 1st the 61e JRC becomes 261e JRC No modification in its composition and its organization.

Assessment of 1946 to 1954

The total of the losses of the Company for the period of 1946 at the end of 1954 rises with:

Died with the Field of Honor: 16
Died in Ordered Service: 12
Wounded with the Combat: 10
Wounded in Ordered Service: 21
Disappeared: 6

Individual rewards obtained by the personnel of the Company:

Military decorations: 9
Quotations with the Order of the Army corps: 2
Quotations with the Order of Division: 12
Quotations with the Order of the Brigade: 58
Quotations with the order of the Regiment: 111

The JRC 61 by keen work that it provided and the number of tombs which carry its inscription, believes not to have failed in its task.

Appendices

The attack of the convoy Saigon-Round of applause Me Thout of December 19th, 1947

The convoy includes/understands 70 military vehicles. It was articulated at the beginning in:

a patrol of head, made up of a car-mtrailleuse. and of a group of combat transferred onto a van.
a van of the 61e JRC with a station of circulation 1 sergeant chief of station, 4 men and a radio team of two men.
the scout car of the chief of convoy led by 1 driver of the 2/511 and having a radio team.

Lieutenant Petitfils, of the Company car of the South, Ass, chief of the escort, took seat on the van of head.

a first “special” oar of 18 civil vehicles with which 15 are charged with gasoline on behalf of the F.T.E.O.
a second strong oar of 47 vehicles including 4 military trucks charged with material.
the element of tail consisted the breakdown service, an armoured car and the remainder of the escort.

The chief of convoy, in radio contact with both armoured car and the vehicle of the JRC can come into contact with the stations to ground length of the route and with the aviation of recognition. The convoy arrived normally at Phuoc Hoa at 9:45. The plane having announced a small gathering around the km No 80, the chief of convoy sends the patrol of head in recognition. To 10:15, after the CLOSE-CROPPED signal, the convoy goes back on the way, however that the patrol reaches Dong Xoai without to have noticed anything suspect.

The surroundings of Dong Xoai are covered with a dense forest which encloses the road and the observation of filled is not possible that with a few meters inside the edges.

To 11:40, to the km 101,5, a mine jumps suddenly in front of the van of the 61e JRC at the same time as the shots leave the left side of the road. The driver stops, the personnel jumps to ground, posts himself on the right-sided of the road and response while the radio operator sergeant, remained on board, fact fire with the light machine gun of the vehicle. He entrusts then the light machine gun to a sheltered comrade, continues the combat with the grenade before falling seriously wounded. At the beginning of the action the sergeant associated with the chief of station, a driver and the gunner with the F.M. are killed. Another driver seizes the F.M., draws a gust, is in its wounded turn then removed by the rebels not without to have had time to make the weapon unusable. Only the chief of the station of circulation - sergeant Rousseau chief - is unscathed and succeeds in joining the elements in a position behind to defend oneself.

The chief of the convoy prescribed immediately with the patrol left in recognition forwards, to return on the column and, with the armoured car of tail, to go up the convoy. While returning from Dong Xoai, a.M. of head jumps on two mines and the patrol, slowed down in its walk, arrives fifteen minutes after the beginning of the attack with height of the 61e JRC. Reinforcements of Dong Xoai joined the patrol. The armoured car opens fire on the rebels already occupied plundering the trucks then break down its gasoline tank having been burst during the explosion of the mines.

Towed on a score of meters in order to allow the unscathed crew, to start the pump on the emergency tank, it can take again its mission, go up to the piled up vehicles and in flames, but cannot go further. To 12:30, a patrol of fighter plans emerges and begins its passages, causing the unhooking of the attackers. The armoured car of tail, which painfully succeeded in going up the column joined the scout car of the chief of convoy. It is only with 16:00, after the road was disengaged from the burnt vehicles blocking it, that the convoy can set out again to be gathered in Dong Xoai.

The losses are high: 8 killed, about fifteen casualties; 20 destroyed or set fire to vehicles. The post office of the 61e JRC which had for its part 3 killed, 3 wounded - one will die of its wounds - and its set fire to vehicle, is thus practically destroyed. Lieutenant Petitfils and the driver of the 2/511 C.T were also wounded during the engagements.

The attack of the convoy of Dalat of March 1st, 1948

The convoy consists of 69 vehicles including 53 civilians. Its escort, made up of 2 armoured cars of 4 sections of protection provided by the 4th B.D.P. and 22e R.I.C., is articulated in 3 elements placed respectively at the head, in the medium and in tail of the column.

The chief of convoy has moreover of a radio operator scout car, a station of circulation of the 61e JRC and an element of breakdown service of the 2/519 Work Card. Before even undergoing the principal attack, the convoy is victim of three successive fixings. Towards 08:30, whereas the armoured car of head arrives at height of the P.K. 37, it must stop in front of a clearing blocking the road. A rebellious automatic weapon, which let pass the armoured car, opens fire on the escort of head which reacts at once violently and manages to put the Vietnamese soldier-Minh in escape: she regrets at the end of the action 1 killed and 3 wounded of which a driver of the 61e JRC. The element of breakdown service helps with the clearing of the road and the station of circulation gives of the order in the convoy. With 10:00, the column sets out again after an intervention of hunting.

Whereas first half of the convoy passed without new incident, a second ambush with the P.K. 47 blocks the escort of the medium and the remainder of the convoy. The occupants of the civil trucks flee in covers under a dense shooting of automatic weapons. The escort tries to operate but its gunner with the light machine gun is killed. The lance sergeant of part, which replaced it, is in his turn put out of combat. But the shooting of the machine-gun of 12,7 of the scout car of the chief of convoy and the intervention of the element of breakdown service forcing the rebels to take down. The convoy can then gather at the station of Trang Bom, from there, and set out again towards 11:45. The element rolling to height of the plantation of hévéas of Tuc Trung - P.K. 85 - is badgered without much effect with its passage. It sets out again shortly after towards 15:15.

While arriving at the P.K. 95, the armoured car of head break down. The chief of convoy then takes the column heading with his scout car and leaves with the element of breakdown service the care to carry out the re-starting of the armoured vehicle. In the neighborhoods of 16:30, whereas the head of the convoy arrives at the P.K. 112, the scout car jumps on a mine. It is the signal of the release of a general attack over the entire length of the column, that is to say on ten kilometers. Only escape the ambush, the broken down armoured car, the element of breakdown service and the escort of tail retained near it. The rebels chose their ground well: the road traced with the hillside is cut in the dense forest; narrow, dominated on the left, it prohibits any possibility of overflow. The chief of convoy succeeds in releasing himself with the grenade from his unusable vehicle, joined with foot the section of head and organizes defense. But this one quickly becomes illusory because of the panic of the many civil passengers, of the explosion of several mines which reversed a truck of the escort and the vehicle of the P.C.R., and it weakens little by little under the number of the attackers. In the center of the convoy, the completely surprised escort, is quickly disorganized and does not have soon any more reaction. Certain civilians who still try to defend themselves are pitilessly massacred. In tail, the absence of the protection measure remained behind with the breakdown service, makes it possible to the attackers to plunder without risk the vehicles and to set fire to them. At this point in time arrive, run to the noise of the shooting, the escort and the element of breakdown service which left the broken down armoured car. This detachment surprises the rebels, manages to release the road in tail of the convoy, but must stop soon, not being able to double the trucks in flames.

Quotation with the order of division

General order N°283

the lieutenant-general of army Salan Commander-in-chief of the Terrestrial, Air & Naval Forces in Indo-China

City

With the order of division

61e Company of road traffic

“ Unloaded in the Far East in spring 1946, the 61e JRC, well quickly had, by skilful qualities, the speed of excécution and the notch of its personnel, to impose itself like a unit of value.

Based in Saigon, it ensured since 1947, in zone of total insecurity, many missions of circulation and protection of automobile columns in all the Cochinchine. Its activity, during the following years was to increase in all the fields, and to extend in 1948 until the Kampuchea.

tested Hard in the businesses of My Tho (April 1947), Dong Xoai (December 1947) of Dalat (March 5th, 1948) in which it loses an officer, 2 warrant officers, and 13 drivers; she sees year by year growing her sphere of activity progressively of progress of pacification.

Adding up nearly a million and half of kilometers on the roads and tracks of Indo-China of the South, the 61e JRC, by the will without failure of its chiefs, the abnegation and the energy of its drivers, was always and remains in the hand of the Command, the Unit of elite which must be a Company of road traffic.

As of the appearance of the Work Card, it takes an active share with their protection. Ungrateful role in which its personnel will very often on the occasion to make the shot either to attack or defend themselves, or to recover vehicles diverted by the rebels, or finally to help committed friendly elements.

- on December 30th, 1948 with Chanh-Luu, the patrol of the JRC gives off an armoured car attacked by killing and wounding some rebels. - on January 8th, 1949: Road of Ben-Cat, a band rebels attacking 3 civil trucks, disperses under the fire of one of its patrols. - on June 7th, 1949: Road of Dalat whereas the head of the convoy is attacked, the post office of the JRC runs and thanks to its automatic weapons takes the top quickly. - on April 24th, 1950: lending strong hand to elements of the 3rd RTA, the escort of the JRC victoriously pushes back the attacks of 2 sections Vietnamese soldier-min. - on January 30th, 1951: always on Round of applause-Me-Thuot, the post office of the JRC, after a violent one fixing, gives off four diverted trucks, recovering a machine pistol and leaving a death on the ground. - on August 6th, 1952: The station of Binh-Law, attacked by two rebellious sections is defended bitterly, inflicting losses with the enemy and making him two prisoners.

This quotation comprises the attribution of the Military Cross of the theaters of external operations with money star

Recipient:

- M. the major general, ordering the F.T. South-VIETNAM

Copy with:

- M. the Secretary of State to the War Cabinet-Office of Decorations (2 e.g.) - M. Lt. Colonel, Chief of the Staff Particular - Saigon

Signed: Salan

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