Issa Cisse, landing beaches Dakar Astilleros de Provence

Malick Rokhy BA | AFP -

His modest life in a popular area of Dakar, Issa Cisse, 92, proud, pictures and military awards refer to the wall, the holiness of his life as a soldier during the landing in Provence in August 1944th

"It began on August 15, August 17, landed anti-tank weapons," he told AFP, former Senegalese infantry soldiers, a red fez and Medals impeccable embroidered tunic with yellow face s "illuminates the memory his feats of arms.

"I belonged to, I -9 Colonial Infantry Division., We landed on August 17, August 25, entered Toulon, launched the" man with impaired hearing problems. One who had used served as a tank company to go one floor.

"There were a lot of dead and wounded among the shooters" Senegalese, a common name for many SSA of soldiers committed under the flag of Free France, adds veteran funny mood, surrounded by his family, including his two wives, his children and grandchildren .

"Two days after the beginning of the landing, we were without water. Along with other soldiers, volunteered to go if we have won," the mother Bakel (Eastern Senegal) said in the first class soldier.

After a few miles of walking, they will fall "Well, a deserted village." Cisse said the soldier had "tested the water" to the quality guarantee ", despite the fact that the poisoning."

"We returned to each of the 20 liters in the head," he says.

Friday marked Toulon, the accelerated French President Francois Hollande and African heads of state on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II landing in Provence.

The original plan was called "Anvil" (Anvil, English), referring to the "hammer" (Hammer), landing in Normandy, where he was a colleague who has performed in the release of much of the southern France.

- "I do not see" -

"I was a volunteer on November 4, 1942" Shortly before 21 days after it is agreed Cisse. "I worked as a boilermaker Armada Dakar".

Before Provence, is the ship, Morocco and Algeria. "In Morocco we have trained (and other African soldiers) in the war, the weapons used., We have learned to kill without getting killed."

At the end of the war, "wait a year to return to Senegal, April 25, 1946, by the ship." It went from the army in the same year began work on marine coppersmith.

"I lost a lot of friends at the landing. Were they killed by bombs, mines, machine guns or cannons. Others have lost your mind or mutilated and never come back," said Cisse Africa.

"We have no recognition in France., I also could not pay," he said, lamenting the low level of their pension.

"I see it 219 614 CFA francs (334 euros) every six months. Beginning of this year (2000, ed) was 25,000 CFA francs (38 euros) per year," sighs nonagenarian, the brochure in hand.

December 1944 back demobilized shooters from the war, in the vicinity of Dakar to protest the payment of premiums and sales demand was made by the French colonial army.