Home » SOF News » French Commando, Killed in Somalia, Identified

French Commando, Killed in Somalia, Identified

by · January 28, 2013 · Posted In: SOF News
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Captain Patrice Rebout, a member of the Division Action arm (11e Choc) of the DGSE, was one of two commandos killed in an attempt to rescue a fellow DGSE operative, Denis Allex, who has been held captive by al-Shabaab since 2009. Patrice, a veteran of the DGSE since 2008, was formerly of the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, where he served since 1996. While serving with the 8RPIMa, Patrice deployed to the Balkans and to Gabon.

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On Thursday the 24th of January comrades from the 8th and the DGSE flocked to the town of Moulin-à-Vent south of Perpignan, home of Patrice’s wife, their 6 month old little boy, and Patrice’s father, a former officer in the 8RPIMa.

During the operation itself, Patrice and 50 of his comrades left the Navy Ship Mistral aboard four EC725 Caracals, two Tiger attack helicopters, and United States support aircraft towards the location of Denis Allex. The incoming aircraft triggered an early warning system in place by the militants which allowed for the enemy to amass a larger group of fighters. Patrice was severely wounded during the operation and was flown back to the Mistral where he succumbed to his wounds.

The identity of the second fallen French commando who was left behind in Somalia has not been released.

Capitaine Patrice Rebout

Capitaine Patrice Rebout

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Alisnackbar
Alisnackbar

OPR point taken my friend it just boils my blood knowing these ragheads are swarming over this dead soldiers body taken pictures and posting them around the world

ThomasVictorio
ThomasVictorio like.author.displayName 1 Like

RIP Capitaine Rebout. Ton jour de gloire est arrivé.

OPR
OPR like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

RIP Warrior. May his family, friends and loved ones find comfort.

usapatriotonthemove
usapatriotonthemove like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

RIP warrior.  Did anyone else see the article about the GROM soldier who was killed a week or so back?  I thought something would be posted here, as BW is close with those guys? Another sad loss...I posted it somewhere?

Alisnackbar
Alisnackbar

Don't the French know you leave NO man behind no matter what!!! RIP capt Patrice Rebout

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OPR
OPR like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

@AlisnackbarLet's just respect these people's sacrifice without second-guessing the people who actually faced death to give it to the terrorists.

 

SEAN SPOONTS
SEAN SPOONTS

Good looking young officer.  France is lucky to have such men in her service.

poidog22
poidog22 like.author.displayName 1 Like

Finish the job and get some payback.

MedicSteve2
MedicSteve2 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Great write-up, ID, and Bon Voyage que Dieu Capitaine

TimUFR
TimUFR like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

A couple of details based on recent french sources:

- The rescue force knew beforehand that they didn't know how much opposition they would be facing. But the decision to launch the operation was made anyway. Denis Alex had been captive for 3 and 1/2 year ... It was decided it was a chance worth taking.

- The LZ was at least 10km away from the target area.

- The rescue force was spotted by a sentry just prior to the assault, and not on its way to from the LZ.

- The helicopters apparantly came back once it was realized that someone was missing, however they were not able to recover him.

- The US support aircraft was apparantly there to relay radio signals between the ship and the rescue force.

 

source:

http://blog.lefigaro.fr/malbrunot/2013/01/somalie-dgse-une-mauvaise-eval.html

and from Libération: http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/783673libe.jpg

DavidGrega
DavidGrega

I looked under the Coalition SF page on SOFREP and found a mention of Marine Commandos but not DGSE (or the "action arm of the DGSE) What is the best comparison to American SOF? CIA direct action arm or something more like Rangers (75th) ? A tier1 unit?  

TimUFR
TimUFR like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

 @DavidGrega 

The rescue force was from the CPIS ((Centre Parachutiste d'Instruction Spécialisée, litteraly something like "Specialized Parachute Training Center"). It's said to be made of "hundreds" of members trained in DA mission. It falls under the CIRP (Centre d'Instruction des Réserves Parachutistes) which is a branch of the SA (Service Action) of the DGSE.

It's closer to the SAD than it is to Delta.

That particular Captain was a former enlisted. Among other things, he had been the platoon leader of the 8thRPIMa recon platoo. But he had never been in the French Army SF brigade. Obviously, a very experienced soldier.

 

ThomasVictorio
ThomasVictorio

 @TimUFR  @DavidGrega They're more like a hybrid between paramilitary and military, actually... (I'd also like to correct my own similar post at another page).

The action arm of the DGSE recruits through information meetings among officers, and presentations at NCO schools. For specific / timely position openings they send information to military units through their respective command staff.

The recruited service member is then "assigned" to the DGSE instead of being formally separated from the military. All the info above is public domain, by the way.

Iassen Donov
Iassen Donov like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 8 Like

 @DavidGrega the DGSE is France's intelligence service. Like our CIA.And the action arm of the DGSE is similar to our own SAD (Special Activities Division) comprised of paramilitary officers and other clandestine service personnel.

 

 

DavidGrega
DavidGrega like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @Iassen Donov Thanks! That's what it sounded like but I wasn't positive. Guess they tried to keep the rescue "in-house" so to speak....hate to hear about this guy having a 6 month old Daughter...gets me choked up

Iassen Donov
Iassen Donov like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @DavidGrega Captain Rebout also lost his first wife in 2008 to an illness. Very tragic.

StormR
StormR like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 6 Like

Sincere condolences to familly, friends and teammates.  Never forgotten.

M_Long
M_Long like.author.displayName 1 Like

Left behind??? WTF.

Jaycel Adkins
Jaycel Adkins like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @M_Long It's happened to U.S. Forces, i.e. Neil Roberts. Dale Comstock, I believe (if memory isn't playing tricks on me) related a story about how he almost got left behind during the Muse Rescue Op in Panama. 

Txazz
Txazz like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 5 Like

RIP Capitaine Patrice Rebout

 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

 

For the unnamed soldier "Unknown Warriors" - For every fallen warrior - anywhere...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZzzDUnKVtk

Matt Eroffact
Matt Eroffact like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 9 Like

Le para ne meurt pas, il exécute son ultime saut.Le para ne va pas au ciel, il y retourne. 

GoNavy
GoNavy like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

May the Captain rest in peace and appreciate his sacrifice. Hope his family will find comfort in time.