Born in 1935, Jean-Pierre Laffont, studied photography at the Vevey school in Switzerland before returning to Algeria in 1960. As an infantry officer at the Cherchell military school, he was assigned in M'Zaourat in the Mascara region and took command of a section counting 40 harkis in order to ensure "the maintenance of order" in this difficult area. With the help of the Foreign Legion, he built a military post and the village school. With his pay, he bought notebooks, pencils, books and maps, appointed a military teacher and organised regular visits with a doctor and a postman, thus improving village life. When the ceasefire was announced on 19 March 1962, he was ordered to abandon and dismantle the post. On 22 March he embarked for France and was presented the Cross for Military Valour for his action. Roger-Viollet exclusively broadcasts the pictures illustrating these two years.
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Self-portrait of [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the Military cadets. [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Harkis, from the 158th Infantry Batalion based in the Mascara Area, [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Harkis from the fort of M'Zaourat during a routine operation. They [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the Military cadets. [...]
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Wheat Harvest. M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the Algerian War of Independence, Summer 1961.
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the military cadets. [...]
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School built by the soldiers for the children of the village of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Soldiers from the fort of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during a routine [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry School. Official visit to the School by the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Room where [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zarouat, Mascara Area. The platoon [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the military cadets. [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort at M'Zaourat, Mascara Region, overlooking a [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The mischievous children of the village observing the soldier Jean [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the Military cadets. [...]
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School built by the soldiers for the children of the village of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the [...]
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School built by the soldiers for the children of the village of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the [...]
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School built by the soldiers for the children of the village of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Mined barbed wire [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort at M'Zaourat, Mascara Area.The local people [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the Military cadets. [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the Military cadets. [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Mined barbed wire [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Some of the 48 [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry School. Official visit to the School by the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the military cadets [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the military cadets. [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort at M'Zaourat, Mascara Region. This fort [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Training of the military cadets. [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Military cadets, 2nd company, 2nd [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort at M'Zaourat, Mascara Region. This fort [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Harkis from the 158th Infantry Batalion of the Mascara Area at the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Overview of the school from the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Harkis from the fort of M'Zaourat during a routine operation. They [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Harkis from the fort of M'Zaourat during a routine operation. They [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry School. Official visit to the School by the [...]
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School built by the soldiers for the children of the village of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Planting of a tree [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. The platoon [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Harkis from the fort of M'Zaourat during a routine operation. They [...]
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School built by the soldiers for the children of the village of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. During the training sessions [...]
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Wheat Harvest. M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during the Algerian War of Independence, Summer 1961.
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort at M'Zaourat, Mascara Region. This fort [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. View of Algiers from the top of the Kasbah. Algeria, July 1960.
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Algerian War of Independence. Propaganda in favour of the General de Gaulle on the walls of the [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Soldiers from the fort of M'Zaourat, Mascara Area, during a routine [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. The French Army's fort in M'Zaourat, Mascara Area. Mined barbed wire [...]
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Algerian War of Independence. Cherchell Infantry Military School. Military cadets during shooting [...]