FLAMMANG, Joseph

Joseph’s military career started with his conscription on 28 May 1951. On 4 February 1952, Joseph volunteered along with his brother to serve in the second contingent. Overseas, Joseph’s main tasks were to provide his section with supplies and to transmit messages between the lines as a trench runner.

Back in Luxembourg, Joseph continued to serve in the Luxembourg Army where he was attached to the Corps de la Garde in March 1956. In December 1956, however, he joined the Légion étrangère at their recruitment office in Strasbourg. He was attached to the 2e régiment étranger d’infanterie and served in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria. In 1960, it was rumoured that he had fallen in Algeria, but a letter written by Lieutenant-Colonel Gilson proved this to be false. Serving for 6 years in the Légion étrangère, he saw action during the entire Algerian war. Later, he returned to Luxembourg and became a technician at the Dudelange steelworks.

Despite his deteriorating health condition, Joseph was eager to attend the annual ceremony of the Légion Etrangère in Aubagne. He was not to survive his last trip to southern France, trespassing in a local hospital on 2 May 2008.