Gérard DRUELLE was born on January 18, 1932, at Haubourdin in the North Division. On February 28, 1949, aged 17, he joined the National Navy. He was granted a nurse licence on December 1, 1949, after which he left for Indochina. He served in Cat Laï for two years, and was later on repatriated to Metropolitan France on November 26, 1953.
He became a 1st class sailor and joined the Brest Military Hospital where served till 1960. On September 7, 1960, he took on board alongside the half brigade of marines, 3rd Battalion, for BAB EL ASSA in the Moroccan network.
1st class QM DRUELLE exhibited exemplary military qualities of quiet courage and abnegation while operating, amid enemy fire, to treat and save wounded marines at the verge of dying. He particularly distinguished himself on April 28, 1961, when he treated injured marines amid shell explosions. In the night of May 1 breaking 2, 1961, amid enemy mortar fire, he treated a wounded officer; in the night of June 9 breaking 10, 1961, under enemy machine-gun fire, he rescued and saved survivors of a burning bazooka half-track as its munitions exploded to distance of about ten meters; on June 12, 1961, he served in front of a barricade to treat mine victims; on July 4, 1961, at night, he evacuated, amid enemy machine-gun fire, injured soldiers at the barricade.
In the night of July 12 breaking 13, 1961, while serving at the barricade, Quarter Master DRUELLE with his driver were killed in their bazooka ambulance as they went to rescue wounded marines in a half-track that had just been hit by a bazooka shot.
Quarter-Master Gérard DRUELLE was holder of the Military Medal granted for his battle front service, the Overseas Operations War Cross, the Military Valour Cross with bar, the Far East commemorative award, and the Algeria Commemorative award.
The title “Died for France” was granted him on September 27, 1961.
The 2007-2010 Military Medical Service batch was baptised QM1 DRUELLE. His trainees spotted an escutcheon whose heraldic description comprised a “modern French shield in the colours of the overseas operations war cross ribbon, with the azure part bearing a golden star on the top right-hand side and a golden colour Algerian map at the top left-hand side as well; at the tapered end a navy anchor attached to a golden rope and a silver chain; with the diamond plate engraved with the rank and name in capitals - “QM1 DRUELLE”; with the whole structure covered with an escutcheon in the arms of the marines half-brigade. The brocading and moving left-hand side of the shield bears the medical service symbol.”
DRUELLE Gérard
