Hadj Ben Amar was born in the Ksour, a fortified, traditional Berber habitat in the south of the Maghreb, a region where the men are noted for their proud noble-hearted character. Early 1959, he was a non-commissioned officer within the 23rd Spahis regiment, in the Saïda region, when the decision was taken to form a fighter commando, which subsequently became the Cobra Commando.
He volunteered to join it.
Before long, he became the stick leader of “Terrible”. In May 1959, the Muslim Commando was formed and he became the second-in-command. In the three years that followed, Staff Sergeant Hadj Ben Amar took part in all battles, exhibiting outstanding leadership and warring qualities. He was seriously wounded during fighting at Benidir, but returned to the front barely a few months later.
Staff Sergeant Hadj Ben Amar, the non-commissioned officer with the highest number of decorations and the standard-bearer of Cobra commando, was awarded the military medal and commended six times, two of which were in the army order.
He had been earmarked for the Knight of the Legion of Honour when, upon independence, March 1962, he disappeared leaving no trace…