Site en Français

Quartermaster Roger PARFAIT

Biography

Source (Photos and text) : Mr Maurice PARFAIT, son of quartermaster Roger PARFAIT

Roger Parfait was born on December 11, 1908, in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime) to a family of sailors, all originally from Saint Valery en Caux.
He died on October 11, 2004, in Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées).

He first worked as a mechanic in the navy for several years, then in an oil refinery in Le Havre.
He completed his military service in 1928 and joined the Istres flight school on April 1, 1928.
He was then assigned to Hourtin and then Berre in Squadron 3 B2 in 1929 before moving to Cherbourg in 1931.

Mobilized in 1939 under serial number 1447 27 1, he joined the Cherbourg Base and flew on CAMS 37 then on Romano 82.
He was then transferred to BAN LANVEOC Poulmic in Squadron E2 on Breguet Bizerte.

On June 18, 1940, driven by the advance of German troops, he left Brest for the Étang de Berre before crossing the Mediterranean on June 19, 1940, and landing in Arzeu, Algeria (a town east of Oran), thus escaping the Germans just before the Armistice.

But on July 3, 1940, French ships anchored in the port of Mers-El-Kébir were attacked by the British. Fearing that the French vessels would fall into German hands after the Armistice, the British issued an ultimatum to Admiral GENSOUL, commander of the French fleet: He had the choice between continuing to fight alongside the British, joining Allied ports to be disarmed, or scuttling his ships. Admiral GENSOUL, after consulting with his superiors, refused the ultimatum... The British launched their attack: the toll was heavy, with 1,295 French sailors killed...
In retaliation, on July 3 and 8, Squadron E-2 bombed the British squadron that had led the attack on the French ships.
Two Breguet Bizerte aircraft led the attack under the command of Lieutenant de Vaisseau DUVAL.
Quartermaster Roger PARFAIT's aircraft, the Breguet Bizerte No. 22, was hit by 49 machine gun rounds and lost fuel without catching fire. The fuselage was pierced through and through at the toilet.
The crew managed to reach Arzeu despite everything, but the Breguet Bizerte was destroyed.

Roger PARFAIT recovered the dashboard clock that his son, Mr. Maurice PARFAIT, had kept.

After the war, Roger PARFAIT moved to Morocco, settling in Petit Jean, now known as Sidi Kacem, where he spent his entire career as a refinery operations manager in the oil industry.

 

 

 

Press article dated 7 July
Breguet Bizerte watch belonging to Roger PARFAIT. It is kept by his son, Mr Maurice PARFAIT.
Quote received by Roger PARFAIT after the attack.

 

Roger PARFAIT is standing, second from the left.