John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Bigeard
  • FORENAME
Marcel
  • UNIT
SOE
  • RANK
Sous Lieutenant
  • NUMBER
  • AWARD
Distinguished Service Order (GB),Croix de Guerre (Fr),Medaille de la Resistance (Fr),Legion of Merit - Commander (US)
  • PLACE
France 1944
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 14.2.1916 Toul,Meurthe-et-Moselle,France
son of Charles and Sophie Bigeard
bank clerk,Societe Generale,Toul
military service September 1936-1938
23 Regiment d'Infanterie (Soldat - Caporal)
bank clerk again
79 Regiment d'Infanterie de Fortress 1939 (Sgt)
promoted Adjutant
POW 1940 France
escaped 11.11.1941
FFL,Africa
commissioned 1943
SOE 1944
call sign Bruno (later his nickname)
parachuted into Ariege departement 1944
Capitaine 1945
23 Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniaux October 1945 (Indo-China)
instructor to Thai auxiliaries
3 Bn de Parachutistes Coloniaux (BPC) 1947 (France) 1948 (Indo-China)
3 Thai Bn
Indochinese Bn de Marche
6 Bn de Parachutistes Coloniaux 1952-54 (Indo-China) (Major + LtCol)
POW 7.5.1954 Dien Bien Phu
repatriated August 1954
3 Regiment de Parachutistes Coloniaux 1957 (Colonel) (Algeria)
O.C. Ecole Jeanne d'Arc,Philippeville,Algeria 1958
OC Ground Forces,Dakar,Senegal (Gen de Brigade) 1967
OC All Forces,French Indian Ocean Territory 1970-73
State Secretary,Ministry of National Defence 1975-76
resigned from Army 1976 (General de Corps)
Government Minister 1978-88
other awards included Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur
died 18.6.2010 Toul,Meurthe-et-Moselle,France
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Had the pleasure of going to his house in Toul in 2006 / 7 to meet the man in person , one of the biggest privileges in my life . This Man can be considered one of the greatest post ww2 soldiers of the modern age , an absolute legend . Him and his likes are among the true genuine patriots of the 20th century and deserve the free Western worlds everlasting accolades .
 
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