First member of La Légion des Mille (The Thousand Legion)

Désiré Bianco was born at Marseille in 1902.
In 1914, when the First World War broke out, he was a pupil at a primary school in the Menpenti neighbourhood, in the 10th district.

Burning with the desire to fight for France, Désiré Bianco sought every means to find himself at the front. At Marseille were the barracks of the 6th Hussars Regiment from which detachments were regularly sent to the Meuse. Désiré attempted twice, in January and in March 1915, to stealthily fit himself among the soldiers. On both occasions, he was discovered and sent back to his family.
But that did not deter him nor dampen his enthusiasm to serve as a volunteer. At the port of Toulon, he finally succeeded to fit himself among troops of the 58th Colonial Infantry Regiment as they boarded the “La France” liner for the Dardanelles campaign.

The rest of his saga was narrated by one of his buddies, Private Pechamat of the 58th Colonial Infantry Regiment.

“Désiré Bianco landed with us, experienced our lifestyle and participated in all confrontations in which our regiment took part.
Prior to the general attack of May 8, 1915, Lieutenant Asquier, the company commander, took Bianco’s gun and bayonet and handed him his sword, asking him to stay behind in the trench.
As we left, the kid could not contain the urge to fight. He jumped out and rushed to the front of the company, brandishing the lieutenant’s sword and shouting ‘En avant, à la baïonnette!’ (Here we go, with our bayonets).
Shot by several bullets, Désiré Bianco died a few metres away from the enemy fort.”

On August 30, 1916, General Cordonnier, commanding the French army in the East, awarded him a commendation while paying tribute to his heroic end.
It is not only the ultimate sacrifice of his life, but his perseverance and determination to serve that have won him the highest admiration.
Thanks to this spirit of abnegation, Désiré Bianco was granted the first place in La Légion des Mille (The Thousand Legion).
 
Translated excerpt from the journal “Les Volontaires”, of March 2006.