Date of birth:

September 1st, 1908 (Bernaville, France)

Date of death:

May 4th, 1996 (Achères-la-Forêt, France)

Nationality:

French (1870-present, Republic)

He entered Polytechnique in 1928 and chose a military career. He served in the Colonial Artillery from 1930.

Promoted captain in 1938, he was sent at the time of the war to Cameroon to set up a coast battery in Manoka.

Decided, from the Armistice, to continue the fight, he enlisted, on the spot, in the Free French Forces (FFL), August 28, 1940.

As a result, his wife and two children will have to leave a safe refuge south of the Garonne in the fall of 1940, then later in Nice, due to Vichy pressures.

They will take refuge in a small mountain village where his wife will be killed by a German mine in September 1944. The children taken on foot, in deportation, will be able to escape from the convoy thanks to a household of teachers.

Promoted squadron leader, Jean Crépin takes command of the AEF-Cameroon group and becomes deputy to the general commanding the AEF artillery in Cameroon.

Commander of the artillery in the Fezzan campaign within the Column of General Leclerc, he distinguished himself, during the attack on El Araneb, by his high technical value and efficiency, knocking out 4 pieces of 77 enemies. .

He was still noticed during the campaign in Tunisia, during the German attacks on Ksar Rhilane, March 10, 1943, where he contributed largely to the victorious resistance, as well as in the Jebel Melab where he demonstrated his 'a fine mastery of his command under fire. Wounded on March 26, 1943, he remained in line until the units were relieved.

Promoted lieutenant-colonel, he took command in June 1943 of the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment (3rd RAC) which condenses in November 1943 to form the 1st Group of the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment (1/3 RAC) .

Jean Crépin was then appointed head of the divisional artillery of the 2nd Armored Division and landed in France on August 2, 1944. During the liberation of Paris, in the afternoon of August 25, alone with the Head of State - major of the German garrison, he obtains the capitulation of the Luxembourg fulcrum, thus saving human lives and avoiding the destruction of historical monuments.

He distinguished himself once again during operations from November 13 to 24, 1944, showing a remarkable tactical sense by carrying out all the artillery actions that were requested of him. Thus, by the fires of its groups in direct support or in collective action, it makes it possible to break the enemy defenses, in particular on November 21, 1944 in the region of Nieferhoff and Saint-Quirin, facilitating the exploitation by the armored elements. . He is one of the main architects of Strasbourg's victory;

Jean Crépin ends the war with the rank of colonel.

In December 1945, he embarked for Saigon and took command of the Artillery of the French Expeditionary Force in the Far East. He is the deputy to the general commanding the North Indochina troops and the 9th Colonial Infantry Division (9th DIC).

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• - Jean CRÉPIN | L'Ordre de la Libération et son Musée