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Paul Legentilhomme

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Years of service
  
1907–1950

Name
  
Paul Legentilhomme

Rank
  
French Army General

Battles and wars
  
World War I, World War II

Paul Legentilhomme wwwfrancaislibresnetlistetelecharlivreor1274
Born
  
March 26, 1884Valognes, France (
1884-03-26
)

Allegiance
  
France Free French Forces

Battles/wars
  
World War IWorld War II

Awards
  
Grand Cross of the Legion of HonorCompagnon de la LiberationMedaille MilitaireCroix de Guerre 1914–1918Croix de Guerre 1939–1945Commander of the Order of the BathCommander of the Legion of Merit

Other work
  
French Minister Advisor

Died
  
May 23, 1975, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

Education
  
Ecole speciale militaire de Saint-Cyr

Similar People
  
Henri Dentz, Henry Maitland Wilson, Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd

Paul Legentilhomme (Paul Louis Le Gentilhomme) (1884–1975) was an officer in the French Army during World War I and World War II. After the fall of France in 1940, he joined the forces of the Free French. Legentilhomme was a recipient of the "Order of the Liberation" (Compagnon de la Liberation).

Contents

Early life

Legentilhomme was born on March 26, 1884 in Valognes, Manche.

History

  • 1905 to 1907 : Cadet at the Ecole Speciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr (promotion "la Derniere du vieux Bahut")
  • 1907 : Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant
  • 1909 : Promoted to Lieutenant

    • World War I

  • 1914 : His unit took part in the battle of Neufchateau in Belgium, on August 22, and was captured by the Germans.
  • 1914 to1918 : In German captivity.
  • 1918 : Promoted to Captain

    • Interwar period

  • 1924 : Promoted to Major
  • 1926 to 1928 : Chief of Staff Madagascar
  • 1929 : Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
  • 1929 to 1931 : Chief of Staff 3rd Colonial Division
  • 1934 : Promoted to Colonel
  • 1937 to 1938 : Commanding Officer 4th Senegalese Tirailleurs Regiment
  • 1938 : Promoted to Brigadier-General

    • World War II

  • 1939
  • 1939 to 1940 : Commander in Chief of the French military units stationed in French Somaliland (present day Djibouti).
  • 1940
  • June 18 : In Djibouti, the capital of French Somaliland, Legentilhomme condemned the French armistice and declared his intention to continue the war with the British Empire. He declared this in his "General Order Number 4".
  • August 2  : Left French Somaliland (Vichy French until 1942) and went to the United Kingdom.
  • October 31 : Legentilhomme stripped of his French citizenship by the Vichy government.
  • 1941
  • Legentilhomme promoted to Major General in the Free French Army and returned to East Africa as the Commander-in-Chief of the Free French Forces in the Sudan and Eritrea. As part of Brigadier Harold Rawdon Briggs' Briggsforce, Free French forces participated in the East African Campaign. Legentilhomme worked under the supreme command of Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell.
  • Created the First French light division or 1st Free French Division (in French "1ere Division legere francaise libre" or "1ere DLFL").
  • Commanded the 1st Free French Division and Gentforce during Syria-Lebanon Campaign.
  • Commander in Chief of Free French forces in Africa.
  • November : Legentilhomme condemned in his absence for treason by the Government of Vichy to the death penalty.
  • National Commissioner of War
  • 1942
  • Awarded the Compagnon de la Liberation cross by General Charles de Gaulle on 9 September 1942,
  • High Commissioner of the French possessions in the Indian Ocean
  • Governor-General of Madagascar
  • general Officer Commander in Chief Madagascar
  • 1943
  • Member of the Council of Defense of the Empire,
  • Nominated Lieutenant General
  • Nominated Commissaire to the French Committee for National Liberation
  • 1944 to 1945
  • General Officer Commanding 3rd Military Region (France)
  • Military Governor of Paris
  • 1945 to 1946 : General Officer Commanding Paris Military Region
  • 1946 to 1947 : General Officer Commanding 1st Military Region
  • 1947 : Promoted Army General
  • 1947 : Retired
  • 1950 : Military advisor of the Minister for French overseas departments and territories
  • 1952 : Technical advisor of the Minister Francois Mitterrand (who became President of the French Republic between 1981 and 1995)
  • 1952 to 1958 : Member of the Assemblee de l'Union francaise sous l'etiquette (French) (UDSR - political party)
  • 23 May 1975 : Paul Legentilhomme died at age 91 in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. He is buried there.

    • Honour

  • Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor
  • Compagnon de la Liberation
  • Medaille militaire
  • Croix de guerre 1914–1918
  • Croix de guerre 1939–1945
  • Knight of the Order of the Dragon of Annam
  • Commander of the Order of the Bath (GB)
  • Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA)

    • References

    Paul Legentilhomme Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA