Marc, Francis - L'oeil de la Mangouste (Eye of the Mongoose) (printed)

L'oeil de la Mangouste

Notebooks of an observer on T-6 in Kabylia

Francis Marc

60 years ago the "war" in Algeria is still going on, the service is 27 months away. In order not to suffer and to choose his way, before his 20th birthday the author moves away from his fiancée and anticipates the call. Supported by his letters, he passed the EOR exam, became a midshipman and then received training as a flight attendant.

He describes the life of a lieutenant in a squadron in the four corners of North Constantinois, where it was the "hottest", with 283 operational missions with a high dose of adrenaline as an observer on the T-6, a mythical plane; his antics; his encounters; his detachments to the Operations HQs of the Challe plan; a heliportation to the Aurès with the 2nd REP; the historical events experienced: the week of the barricades, de Gaulle's tour of the kitchens, the generals' putsch

During the only statutory leave, he finally gets married and his wife returns with him to Algeria, from where his warlike ardour gradually diminishes, he becomes aware that he is a killer by proxy but not invulnerable, that this war will lead to nothing. And there are many twists and turns until the day of his return.

This authentic account of the exceptional military service of a conscript with a response includes contemporary explanatory notes and personal photos from the period.

212 pages - printed edition