Christian de Castries

Biography

Castries was born into a distinguished military family, the House of Castries, and enlisted in the army at the age of 19. He was sent to the Saumur Cavalry School and in 1926 was commissioned an officer but later resigned to devote himself to equestrian sports. After rejoining the army at the start of World War II, he was captured (1940), escaped from a German prison-of-war camp (1941), and fought with the Allied forces in North Africa, Italy, the south of France and finally, during the invasion of Southern Germany. He ended the war in command of the 3rd Moroccan Spahis (mechanized cavalry), whose cap he was subsequently to wear throughout his service in Indochina.

In 1946 Castries, soon to become a lieutenant colonel, was sent to Indochina. He was wounded and spent a year recuperating in France before returning to Vietnam as a full colonel. In December 1953 he was charged with defending Dien Bien Phu against the Viet Minh and was given a field promotion to brigadier general. After an eight-week siege, the garrison was defeated. The French were overrun by the Viet Minh forces on 7 May 1954, effectively ending the First Indochina War and the French presence in Southeast Asia. Castries was held prisoner for four months while an armistice agreement was reached in Geneva.

Upon his return to France Castries was appointed to command the 5th Armoured Division, then stationed in West Germany. Following a car accident in 1959 he retired from the military. He subsequently headed a recycling firm. Castries died in Paris on 29 July 1991.