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Les vétérans de la « Brigade du diable » durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale honorés à Washington

Les vétérans de la « Brigade du diable » honorés à Washington
Radio-Canada.ca
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Radio-Canada.ca

Une quarantaine de vétérans d'une force conjointe canado-américaine ont reçu la médaille d'or du Congrès américain, mardi après-midi.

Cette unité baptisée la « Brigade du diable » effectuait des missions spéciales en France et en Italie durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

Elle a été l'une des premières unités des forces spéciales alliées et l'ancêtre des forces spéciales contemporaines des États-Unis et du Canada.

Les membres de la brigade étaient des soldats d'exception entraînés au combat rapproché, à l'escalade, au saut en parachute et à la manipulation d'engins explosifs.

La Brigade du diable, dissoute depuis 70 ans, a entre autres servi de modèle pour la création des Navy SEALS au début des années 1960. « Ils nous demandaient de faire ce que personne ne pouvait faire. Et nous le faisions. », se rappelle Maurice White, un vétéran de la force spéciale, aujourd'hui âgé de 90 ans.

Les membres de la brigade ont été surnommés les « diables noirs » par les Allemands après leur passage à Anzio en Italie. Durant cette mission d'un peu plus d'un mois, les soldats américains et canadiens noircissaient leur visage avec du cirage à chaussures et se glissaient derrière les lignes ennemies pour éliminer leurs cibles. Ils laissaient également des notes sur chaque soldat allemand tué où on pouvait lire en allemand « le pire est encore à venir ».

La médaille d'or du Congrès est la plus prestigieuse décoration civile remise par le Congrès américain.

Parmi ceux qui ont reçu cet honneur figurent George Washington, mère Theresa et Nelson Mandela.

Pour certains des vétérans de cette unité d'élite, la reconnaissance arrive un peu tard par contre. La moyenne d'âge des anciens membres de la brigade est de 92 ans. Plusieurs d'entre eux sont morts et d'autres ont une santé trop fragile pour recevoir la médaille en personne.

Les 14 vétérans canadiens qui ont reçu la médaille d'or du Congrès, mardi :

  • Leonard Corbett, Calgary.

  • Maurice White, Edmonton.

  • John Callowhill, Stoney Creek, Ontario.

  • James Summersides, Welland, Ontario.

  • Vernon Doucette, Lower Wedgeport, Nouvelle-Écosse.

  • Herb Peppard, Truro, Nouvelle-Écosse.

  • Arthur Pottle, Saint John, Terre-Neuve etLabrador.

  • Wilfred Paquette, Gatineau, Québec.

  • George Wright, Picton, Ontario.

  • Donald Ballantyne, Cobourg, Ontario.

  • Morris Lazarus, Toronto, Ontario.

  • H.R. Hawkyard, Toronto, Ontario.

  • Charles Mann, Kincardine, Ontario.

  • Ralph Mayville, Windsor, Ontario.

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