The brutal death of Florian Montorio, a staff sergeant killed in an ambush on the morning of April 18 in Lebanon, caused consternation in Valence-d’Agen where the family is known, in Gasques where the parents live and Saint-Clair, the soldier’s home.
“It’s a disaster. I learned about it while listening to the radio and I was amazed. I called all the municipal councilors to warn them and many were not aware. We can’t imagine such news for a small village like ours…”
“I saw him in January before he left for Lebanon”
Gérard Bongiovanni, mayor of Saint-Clair, 272 inhabitants, where Florian Montorio had taken up residence with his wife and two daughters, blames the blow, he who knows the 40-year-old soldier very well. “It’s incredible. He came to see me just before leaving for Lebanon in January for a four-month screening. He told me he was happy because it was the last mission of his career.
Also read:
DIRECT. War in the Middle East: “He had to retire, he was looking forward to being able to find his family”, the relatives of the Tarn-et-Garonnais soldier killed in Lebanon, in shock
He lives 200 meters from the town hall next to the village hall and when he could, he was always present for the ceremonies at the war memorial. He came in uniform and was very proud to participate. He was a helpful and serious man always ready to lend a hand. When everyone finds out, the town will be upside down. We’ll probably organize something and help his family, but it’s still too fresh to think about it…”
The soldier was from Valence-d’Agen, a twin town with the 17th RGP which regularly sends delegations to commemorative ceremonies. Obviously, the emotion was intense for the mayor of the town Jean-Michel Baylet. “A child from our town gave his life for peace. We pay him a vibrant tribute. May this drama lead us to reflect on peace in the world and the extremism which, today, is taking us to the wall,” reacted the former minister.
Also read:
French soldier killed in Lebanon: originally from Tarn-et-Garonne, father of a family, passionate about rugby… who was Florian Montorio, died after an attack against peacekeepers
The soldier from the 17th RGP lived for a long time in Gasques where his parents Pascale, AESH (support for students with disabilities) at the Goudourville school, and his father Christian, who recently retired after a career at the water union, still live.
An accomplished sportsman
Florian Montorio spent his entire youth in the area and played football at FC Goudourville in the youth categories and later at RC Brulhois, the local rugby club.
More recently, at the start of the school year in September 2025, he was behind the creation of a touch rugby club called Les Jeunes Pousses. The club met in particular every Thursday on the municipal grounds of Auvillar, as the mayor of the town, Olivier Renaud, told La Dépêche.
Also read:
Death of a French soldier in Lebanon: what do we know about the circumstances of the death of Staff Sergeant Florian Montorio?
Coincidentally with the calendar, the atmosphere was also special on Saturday afternoon during the Top 14 match between US Montauban and RC Toulon, poster for the 21st day of Top 14. Because the Sapiac stadium hosted workshops set up by the department’s regiments, including the 17th RGP, on the sidelines of the meeting.
Paratroopers notably brought the match ball from the air. The six soldiers succeeded in their mission to perfection despite the emotion. The disastrous news quickly spread throughout the stadium.
Leave a Reply