A commemoration ceremony was held on Saturday 8th of March, 2025, at Yule Island in Central Province where a French navy vessel based in New Caledonia, the Frigate “Vendemiaire”, anchored at Yule Island and carried out memorial action. This was through the cleaning and restoration of the grave of Lieutenant Léon Bourjade, a French flying ace in the First World War who later became a missionary and died in 1924 on the island. Famous for his "acrobatic" landings, his name is still associated with aviation through the expression "landing like Bourjade". Captain Guillaumat, the officers and sailors of the "Vendemiaire" were very touched by the warm welcome they received and are proud to have been able to perpetuate this tradition of the French Navy. The ceremony was held in the presence of European Union Ambassador Jacques Fradin, French Deputy Head of Mission Khouira Drault, Managing Director of Total Energies Arnaud Berthet, Operations Director for TotalEnergies Eric Casse, Captain of the “Vendemiaire” Gauthier Guillaumat and his crew, and dignitaries of the island and their community leaders. The island's residents also turned out to attend the event. It was not the first time that French officials and militaries paid tribute to the Lieutenant on Yule Island, many military vessels used to stop over there in the past. Last year, this tradition was revived when the French Navy Vessel “Auguste Benebig” came, and this year marks the 101st year of Lieutenant Bourjade’s death on Yule Island. The French Navy is part of the French Armed forces in New Caledonia (FANC); FANC enable France to have permanent military presence in the South Pacific to protect French interests in the region and maintain France's military partnerships in this area of strategic interest. With more than 1,650 military personnel, the FANC provide regular support for missions involving government action at sea. They have the capacity to intervene in the event of a security or climatic crisis affecting the area. The FANC regularly share their expertise in the field of HADR and maritime security with the security and defence forces of partner countries in the South Pacific. As such, France, alongside PNG, is an actor of the regional security, for a free, safe and secured, prosperous and sustainable Pacific, and in particular South Pacific.