Accidentally dropped into shark-infested water

"Instead of arriving by staff car, or even helicopter, his favourite manner of inspecting a unit was to drop by parachute, arm at the salute, as he touched down."

However, this nearly ended in disaster recently when Bigeard, nearing 60, was inadvertently dropped into a shark infested sea while visiting troops in Madagascar. He broke an arm and was saved only when his faithful staff threw themselves into the seas after him.