France. Alain Bombarde (1924-2005), biologist, physician and politician. Medal 1971, commemorating the emprise of Bombarde: he deliberately drifted across the Atlantic for 65 days in a lifeboat with no provisions, subsisting on plankton, saltwater and raw fish. AE. mm. 68.00 Inc. A. Ginioux. EF. Alain Bombard was born in Paris. He theorized that a human being could very well survive the trip across the ocean without provisions and decided to test his theory himself. Bombard sailed in a Zodiac inflatable boat called l'Hérétique, which was only 4.5 metres long, taking only a sextant and almost no provisions. Bombard reports he survived by fishing (and using fish as source of both fresh water and food) with a self-made harpoon and hooks and harvesting the surface plankton with a small net. He also drank a limited amount of seawater for a long period on his trip. Bombard reached Barbados December 23, 1952, after 4,400 km of travel. Bombard had lost 25 kg and was briefly hospitalized. He published a book about his trip entitled 'Naufragé Volontaire' in 1953.