The official journal of January 18, 2025 relays the decrees of January 15 relating in particular to promotions and appointments in the national order of the Legion of Honor and in the national order of Merit. In all, “1,702 people are distinguished in national orders”, includes the Grand Chancellery of the Legion of Honor. Throughout these long lists, a few names will speak to Calvadosians.
The rank of knight of the Legion of Honor thus goes to Jean-René Vacher, “honorary sub-prefect in charge of the 80e anniversary of the Landing”, recalls the decree, rewarding “fifty-six years of service”.
The mayors of Trouville and Campagnolles
Several elected or former elected officials are distinguished in the National Order of Merit, starting with Philippe Duron, “former MP, former mayor of Caen and honorary mayor of Louvigny”. Place at the rank of officer of this order, at 77 years old, for the man who had already been made a knight of the Legion of Honor in 2017. “A feeling of surprise and pride”, he then commented.
As for these two women, they still have current mandates and today obtained the rank of knights of the National Order of Merit: Sylvie de Gaetano, mayor of Trouville-sur-Mer since 2020, and Catherine Gourney-Leconte, mayor of Campagnolles since 2008, president of the community of communes of Vire au Noireau and vice-president of the Normandy Region.
-Three prison officers
For the National Order of Merit, still, three personalities are named, at the rank of knights: Arnault Chazal (34 years of service), Nicolas Crombecq (27 years of service) and Damien Louis (28 years of service), each being “escort agent at the regional judicial extraction center of Caen”. They are the colleagues of Fabrice Moello and Arnaud Garcia, who were killed in the spring of 2024 in the van attack that occurred at the Incarville tollbooth (Eure).
The latter two received the Legion of Honor posthumously last year. “We also do not forget your comrades, seriously injured on May 14, who are getting back up with a dignity that does honor to the prison administration,” underlined the national message of tribute to prison staff last fall, naming the three Calvadosians now distinguished.
