Date of birth:

March 31st, 1902 (Norrent-Fontes)

Date of death:

December 5th, 1971 (Boulogne-sur-Mer)

Nationality:

French (1870-present, Republic)

Career :
A Bachelor, entered the military academy Ecole spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1921
October 1924 : promoted Sous-lieutenant with his promotion "de Metz et Strasbourg" and assigned in Algeria to the 13th Régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais.
August 1927 : promoted 1st lieutenant and back to France
End 1927 : designated to serve in Madagascar where he disembarked in February 1928.
August 1930 : back to France assigned to the 12th RTS.
July 1933 : sent to China within the 17th Régiment mixte d'infanterie coloniale as a captain.
July 1936 : rapatriated.
July 1937 : sent to AOF.
February 1937 : assigned to the Régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais in Chad which rallied early in August 1940 the Free French Forces.
February 1941 : campaign in Erythrea with the Bataillon de marche n° 3 - BM3 led by commandant Garbay in the Brigade d'Orient where he played a decisive role during the seizure of the fortress in Kub Kub.
22 February 1941 : severely wounded by a bullet during the attack of fort Kub Kub, captured many Italian prisonners and 4 artillery guns. 31 march 1941 : leaving the military hospital and promoted chef de bataillon (major).
June 1941 : campaign in Syria.
July 1941 : designated chief of staff of South Syria.
26 March 1942 : interim command of the BM11 of the 2nd Brigade française libre (2e BFL).
April 1942 : Egypt campaign
May 1942 : commaded an adavnced outpost in Djeraboub, 100km southwards of Bir Hakeim - Lybia.
July 1942 : designated chief of staff of the 2e BFL.
October 1942 : took part in the fightings in El Alamein, then within the 1st Division française libre (1ère DFL).
May-June 1943 : Tunesia campaign distinguished during the fightings in Takrouna and promoted lieutenant-colonel.
April-June 1944 : Italy Campaign
August 1944 : disembarked in Provence to liberate France.
October 1944 - January 1945 : commader of the 2nd BFL.

January 1945 : distinguished during the fightings in Sélestat and on the Ill River during the German counter-attack on Strasbourg.

July 1945 : promoted colonel,
1948-1956 : left the Army and became a commissionner for the reconstruction.

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• Photo 1: Stephane Kayser
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