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Bernard Allix was an electrician on the French attack submarine La Minerve , found Monday, July 22 off Toulon (South) 51 years after his disappearance. His widow Marie-Jeanne welcomed the news with great relief and tells this personal story with emotion.
In 1968, Bernard Allix was 27 years old. Marie-Jeanne, his wife, a little more: 29. " I often say that I was one of the first cougars ," laughed the retiree. It takes humor! He had a lot. On the morning of Monday, July 22, she was in front of a continuous news channel, like every day since La Minerve's search resumed a few days earlier.
" I had this anxiety that took me, and then, this morning, poof ! I am released. For 50 years, Marie-Jeanne Allix knew that " they were no longer there ". " But it's a story that was not over ! Finally, they are there. They are there, 47 km from Toulon, in their depths. "
" It was said that it was the Russians "
The emotion felt at the announcement of the discovery is almost comparable to that of the moment when she learned of the disappearance of La Minerve . " It is thanks to Hervé Fauve [son of the commander, who mobilized strongly for the resumption of research, Ed]. He did a fabulous job. He will never be grateful enough. "
This grandmother regrets that the parents of the sailors could not know the fate of their children. " There were so many things that were said ... anything and everything. It was said that it was the Russians who had kidnapped them. We were in the middle of the cold war ! So my mother-in-law always said : he will come back, the Russians will eventually release him. "
A farewell ceremony at sea
She never resolved to rebuild her life. " We are not available. That is the problem. We know they are no longer there, but the case is not closed, we want to be able to continue to talk about it ... "A person met on the 50th anniversary of the disappearance will tell him that she could not rebuild her life only with a submariner. " I think it's true. But, having moved to Normandy, I had little opportunity to meet ! "
The voice of Marie-Jeanne Allix breaks at times, under the emotion. A ceremony, the date of which has not yet been fixed, should be organized above the wreck, at sea. Bernard's widow is not sure of being able to make the journey from her native Channel to Toulon " You know, I'm no longer young ..." What remains of La Minerve will remain at the bottom of the sea to become a maritime sanctuary.
We have just found the Minerva. It's a success, a relief and a technical feat. I think of the families who have been waiting for this moment so long. pic.twitter.com/pjDnj7lEyb
Florence Parly (@florence_parly) July 22, 2019