A man of initiative
In 1999, Admiral Christian Brac de La Perrière succeeded Raymond Triboulet as president of the D-Day Committee. He continued his predecessor's work, adapting the association to the 21st century and emphasizing the importance of the presence and involvement of younger generations in the D-Day commemorations. He is also the founding president of the "Normandie Mémoire" association, created by the Lower Normandy Regional Council in 2002 to organize the festivities for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Born in Lyon in 1926, Christian Brac de La Perrière joined the French Navy in 1945. He had a 41-year career during which he commanded several ships, the most famous of which was the helicopter carrier and training ship "Jeanne d'Arc".
After commanding the Atlantic Squadron and holding several staff positions in Paris, Admiral Brac de La Perrière was appointed maritime prefect of Brest and commander-in-chief of the Atlantic.
He ended his military career as Inspector General, the second highest-ranking position in the French Navy.
For 12 years, Christian Brac de La Perrière was mayor of Luc-sur-Mer. There too, he presided over numerous commemorations of the Liberation of 1944 and the landing of British commandos in Luc-sur-Mer in 1941, a little-known operation.
Commander of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit, Admiral Brac de La Perrière was made a Knight Commander (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.
Admiral Brac de La Perrière died at the age of 91 on May 28, 2017.
