A fiftieth anniversary celebration that will change everything
Everything seems lost forever. The families will never know anything. The military secrecy, which is at least 50 years old, will certainly be extended by another 10 or even 20 years, and we might have to wait until 2040 to find out.
Jules Descamps's widow, Thérèse Scheirman-Descamps, urged an association of former submariners to organize a proper ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the tragedy. The Navy and local authorities refused to participate. Only Hervé Fauve, the son of the Minerve's commander, agreed to speak at the ceremony scheduled for January 27, 2018.
This ceremony will change everything thanks to the action of the commander's son, who will rally around him the families of the missing, friends, sailors and former companions.
The AGASM and the Rubis section and the fiftieth anniversary ceremony
​In 2017 the AGASM (Association Générale des Amicales de Sous-Mariniers), chaired by Admiral Dominique SALLES, decided with the Rubis section of the association, in Toulon, chaired by Patrick MEULET, decided to organize a ceremony of greater scale to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of La Minerva.
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To this end, they decide to contact the relatives of the missing sailors. The former President of the AGASM, Admiral Jacques BLANC, put them in contact with the family of Commander FAUVE, with whom he has always maintained ties of friendship. He suggests entrusting the son of Commander, Hervé , with the task of delivering a speech on behalf of the families during a ceremony on January 27 in front of the National Submariner Monument.​​
Letter to the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron
​A first version of this site was put online on January 1, 2018 by Hervé FAUVE with the personal documents he gathered to prepare for the ceremony. It contains 18 pages.
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While discussing with Admiral SALLES, about the preparation of the ceremony, he realizes that no official representation is planned during the ceremony.
He goes directly to the Presidency of the Republic itself to ask 2 things:
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The declassification of the Confidential Defense file the first request for all families.
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A state representation at the upcoming January 27 ceremony.
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A few days later, Admiral SALLES will indicate that many officials will be present at the ceremony.
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The letters of the presidency of the republic are visible by clicking HERE
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La Minerve emerges from oblivion
The site you're visiting will quickly gain unexpected notoriety and attract the attention of the press, which will devote unexpected space to the ceremony instead of the usual short article.
On the day of the ceremony, the Var MPs and the Maritime Prefect were present. An unexpected crowd of 600 people, including many friends and relatives of the missing, came from all over France. Not since 1968 had we seen such a crowd.
The ceremony was a success, but there is no reason to believe that there will be a follow-up.
Official figures at the fiftieth anniversary ceremony