• Operation Albumen

Date of birth:

December 24th, 1924 (Dunkerque, France)

Date of death:

June 19th, 1942 (Vassilika, Greece)

Buried on:

French War Grave Rosendaël

Nationality:

French

Pierre Léostic joined the Free French forces in England after de Gaulle’s 1940 appeal. He volunteered for the SAS, earned his parachute wings, and served in the 1st Air Company—precursor to today’s 1er RPIMa.

In Egypt, his unit operated with Major Stirling’s “Desert Rats,” sabotaging Rommel’s supply lines across North Africa. For his courage, Léostic was selected for a six-man raid on Heraklion airfield in Crete.

After destroying 22 German aircraft, the team hid in northern Crete awaiting extraction. Betrayed by a local, they were surrounded. Refusing to surrender, Pierre stood and was fatally shot on 19 June 1942 in Vassilika.

On 10 August 1946, Pierre Léostic’s body was returned to Paris, escorted by Greek officers and laid in state at Val-de-Grâce chapel. The next day, in a solemn ceremony attended by dignitaries, military units, and the Air Force band, his coffin was transported to Les Invalides.

There, Greece’s Prime Minister Tsaldaris posthumously awarded him the nation’s highest military honor. Speeches by General de Larminat and Tsaldaris preceded a troop parade.

Colonel Bergé, Léostic’s former commander, accompanied the coffin to Rosendaël, where a moving funeral was held at Notre-Dame on 13 August.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• - SIBARD, J. L., Mission En Crete, Societe des Etudes Historiques Cretoises, 2006.
  - Généalogie et Histoire du dunkerquois
  - Les Français Libres, de juin 1940 à juillet 1943

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