Date of birth:

February 14th, 1916 (Toul/ Meurthe-et-Moselle, France)

Date of death:

June 18th, 2010 (Toul/ Meurthe-et-Moselle, France)

Nationality:

French (1870-present, Republic)

Bigeard was called up in 1939 at the start of WW2 and during the battle for France he was active in the Alsace.
After the armistice Bigeard was captured but later escaped to Africa, from where he was able to rejoin the Free French Forces.
In 1944 he was parachuted into the Pyrenees mountains of south France, where he led an underground resistance group (see the DSO below for details).
In the early 1950s Bigeard led a parachute battalion in southeast Asia, where France was struggling to regain control of its colonies in Indochina after Japanese occupation during the World War.
Bigeard and his unit were dropped into Dien Bien Phu, which fell into the Vietnamese hands in May 1954.
After several months in Vietnamese captivity, Bigeard was released and returned to active service, just in time to get involved in the Algerian war where he headed a colonial parachute regiment, taking part in the Battle of Algiers of 1957. Controversy rose when it became public that French forces made wide use of torture in their attempt to defeat the National Liberation Front (FLN). Although Bigeard saw torture as "a ncessary evil" he always denied accusations that he had himself ordered torture sessions.
When a number of French generals launched a military rebellion against President de Gaulle's plans in 1961 to grant Algeria its independance, Bigeard refused to take part.
His career concluded in the 1970s with a spell as a junior defence minister under president Valery Giscard d'Estaing.
Wounded five times in battle, he was one of France's most decorated soldiers.
He also wrote 15 books.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

6 citations (3 stars and 3 palms).

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With four bronze palms

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 12th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "Extrême-Orient" clasp.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With 5 stars for 5 times wounded.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Recommendation:
"This officer volunteered for a mission to work with resistance asd was parachuted into the Ariège on the 8th August 1944. His energy and initiative ensured the successful organisations of the Allied Mission of which he was a leader, and he was successful in improving relations with the local military and political authorities and with the civilian population.

On 21st August when a strong force of the enemy had twice dislodged the Maquis forces from their positions near Foix, Commandant Bigeard organised an ambush with twelve men and two Light Machine Guns. He halted the germans in advance long enough for the retreating and demoralised Maquis troops to be reorganised. and established new positions.

As a result, two hundred and twenty Germans were killed, one hundred and twenty wounded and one thousand two hundred and twenty were taken prisoner, together with three anti-tank guns and eighty trucks.

By his example, Commandant Bigeard contributed largely to the success of a small Maquis force fighting overwhelming German odds.

It is recommended that Commandant Bigeard be awarded the Military Cross."

Signed
Colin Gubbins
Major-General
9.3.45

Upgraded to a DSO.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

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