The new commander
Lieutenant André FAUVE is an experienced submariner.
After his underwater navigation aptitude certificate in 1961.
When he took command, he had over 7,000 hours of diving experience on various submarines of the same type, particularly the FLORE , which can be visited today in Lorient . He was very familiar with this type of vessel.
He was successively assigned to the submarines FLORE, ARGONAUTE - now on display at La Villette in Paris - and NARVAL. On the latter, he was involved in a tragic accident. Commander Henri GOUBELLE and three other sailors perished after falling into the sea, swept away by a wave off the coast of Lorient.
He is well rated by his superiors, with a reputation for seriousness, as observed by those who have consulted his military record. The testimonies of its former commanders point in the same direction. His human qualities make him appreciated by his men.
Before the commission of inquiry, the LV MERLO will declare "FAUVE was very careful, very conscientious, very receptive. He was a very good sailor. When I landed, I had an excellent impression. It was one of the best conditions. The squadron leader had drawn his attention to the danger of repeated shots. He applied himself to it, had good reactions… ”
Before the same commission the CF COATANEA future Chief of Staff of the Navy (1990-1994) declares:
"He was a boy (FAUVE) whom I liked very much and whom I wanted to have as a second on the FLORE. Unfortunately, this case did not turn out the way I wanted. [...] He was a very serious boy, extremely meticulous. I won't say too much, but almost.He was even quite stern at first. He was not without humor.He was a Navigation Officer, and was also an Arms Officer. He was a boy in whom I had the greatest confidence, a maneuvers officer too, and who did his job well.I considered him an excellent submariner.In any case, he was an extremely serious boy who, especially in the first weeks of being in command, would never have taken the slightest risk and then he knew these boats perfectly."