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Crivelli, Roger

Date of birth:
November 25th, 1918 (Lavoncourt, France)
Date of death:
June 5th, 1943 (Roanne, France)
Nationality:
French (1870-present, Republic)

Biography

At his release from the communal school, he second his father before being mobilized in September 1939 at the declaration of war.

The German advance of June 1940 forces him to go to the south of France, in Toulouse where he stays about a month.

From there, he wins Villefranche-sur-Saone where he works as a mason until early 1942, when he goes to work as a cement at the Fibranne manufacturing plant "France Rayonne" in Roanne.

In Villefranche-sur-Saône, it already belonged to a group of resistance and, in Roanne, it enters the resistance movement "Franc-shooter" founded in Lyon by Antoine Avinin and Jean-Pierre Levy.

After a first work of propaganda actions (broadcasting of newspapers and leaflets), in September 1942 he learns the handling of weapons and explosives. His first sabotage mission takes place at night from 2 to 3 October 1942 in Roanne at the German investment office where, with several comrades, he installs two bombs which, spotted by the succession, will not explode.

Nevertheless, from this date, with his comrade Victor Villemin, his clandestine activity becomes almost daily. On November 22, 1942, he stands out during two parachutages.

On December 28, he participated with a commando of "franc-shooter" under the orders of Gérard Hennebert, aka FRIT B, at the great sabotage of France Rayonne, thus slowing the production of Fibranne to Germany.

At the beginning of 1943, always in the same factory, it places a bomb in a dryer which is sprayed and at the same moment, it causes the fire of large fibranne reserves.

Shortly after, noted by an SNCF agent that a train charged with new military vehicles, stationed at Roanne station, were going to leave the next day for Germany, Roger Crivelli on the night of March 27-28, 1943, Place 24 Plastic cartridges on the train. From 22:30 the explosions follow one another until 8 hours the next morning. Suspected and arrested by the French police in March 1943, having confessed nothing, he was released after twelve hours.

On May 1, 1943, he climbs at 3 o'clock in the morning at the top of the chimney of France rayon and place a French flag with a huge Cross of Lorraine.

Following an attack in Iguerande (Saône-et-Loire) with two comrades, one of whom will be arrested a few days later, his chef recommends him to change home, which he refuses.

On the night of 4 to 5 June 1943, the Germans penetrate in his home where he is with Victor Vuillemin. By entering his room the head of the Gestapo de Chalon is received by revolver and killed on the spot, a second officer is also shot down, a third, wounded mortally, had to die at the clinic a few hours later. Vuillemin succeeds in escaping but Roger Crivelli reaches three bullets also succumbes to her wounds.

Roger Crivelli, second lieutenant on a posthumous capacity, is buried at the roan cemetery and in 1946 at the cemetery of his hometown of Lavoncourt.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Compagnon
Awarded on:
January 20th, 1946
l' Ordre de la Libération

Sources

Photo