He served as a section commander under capitaine Pierre Messmer, who was at the time, a company commander in the "13". At the end of the siege of Bir Hakeim, all the French units received the order to force the blocus, at night, to break through German lines. Pavitchevitch and his 5 légionnaires, who stayed in the fort to cover their companions, were missing. Five days later, they reappeared, leading a column of twenty Afrika Korps prisoners.