“A street named after a pilot you say?” The Rue Gaston Merlhe in Dugny. It’s a quiet street today. But its name echoes a thrilling past. It whispers tales of bravery. Tales of a man named Gaston Merlhe. A remarkable gendarme. He lived an extraordinary life.
Gaston Merlhe wasn’t just any gendarme. He was a pilot. A daring fighter pilot during World War I. He volunteered for the air force. He trained in Dijon and Tours. He earned his military aviator’s brevet. He flew Farman and Caudron biplanes. He even flew during violent storms. He risked his life many times.
Imagine young Merlhe soaring above the trenches. Engaging in daring aerial combat. He engaged in ten air battles. His plane was riddled with bullets more than once. He even had a forced landing. His courage earned him the Military Medal. He received four citations. These citations were from the Army and Army Corps. They highlight his exceptional bravery. They highlight his skill.
His service didn’t end with World War I. He later served in French West Africa. He served in Senegal. He was the officer commanding the gendarmerie detachment there. He built up the detachment. He expanded its services. His gendarmes collected taxes. They worked as bailiffs. They even managed markets.
Gaston Merlhe wasn’t just a soldier. He was an administrator. An organizer. A leader. He built buildings for his detachment. They lacked funds. So he and his men were resourceful. They scoured warehouses and businesses for materials. They built the camp themselves.
Later he fought a panther. A panther had escaped the zoo. He tracked it. He wounded the panther in a shootout. The panther attacked. Two gendarmes saved his life. They killed the panther. He was seriously wounded. He was hospitalized for a month. His bravery earned him the Officer’s Cross of the Legion of Honour.
He was promoted to squadron leader. He continued to serve in Senegal. He was even tasked with buying horses in Niamey. A hunting accident injured his hand. His thumb and metacarpal were amputated. He always wanted to return to the mainland during World War II. But he was deemed more useful in Senegal. He helped many survive the bombing of Dakar. His work there earned him the 1939-1945 War Cross. He ultimately retired. But he continued to serve as an inspector. He organized the “Gardes cercles.” He ensured their solid structure. He improved the functioning of the Senegalese gendarmerie.
Gaston Merlhe’s life was full of action and adventure. His name is now a quiet reminder of his service. Rue Gaston Merlhe in Dugny. The name on this quiet street carries a powerful legacy. A legacy of courage. A legacy of service. A legacy of a life well lived.