Gaulle, de, Charles André Joseph Marie
- Date of birth:
- November 22nd, 1890 (Lille, Nord, France)
- Date of death:
- November 9th, 1970 (Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, France)
- Buried on:
- Grave Charles de Gaulle Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
- Nationality:
- French
Biography
Charles de Gaulle, a veteran from WW1, was the commander-in-chief of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. He became president of France on 8 January 1959.
Career:
00.10.1910: entered the Ecole Spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr - nicknamed "the great asparagus"
00.00.1912: promoted to Sous-Lieutenant, graduated 13th in his class, Ecole Spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr - Promotion « de Fez »
00.10.1912: Sous-Lieutenant, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie, Arras
00.10.1913: promoted to Lieutenant
15.08.1914: LTN, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie, V. Armee - Régiment led by Colonel Philippe Pétain - WIA by a bullet in the knee at the Battle of Dinant and hospitalized
00.10.1914: LTN, Chef, 7e Compagnie, 33e Régiment d'Infanterie
00.12.1914: LTN, regimental adjutant, 33e Régiment d'Infanterie
18.01.1915: LTN, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie - distinguished for a fruitful reconnaissance mission
10.02.1915: promoted to Capitaine
10.03.1915: CNE, WIA shot in the left hand and hospitalized
00.08.1915: CNE, commandant, 10e compagnie, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie
02.03.1916: CNE, commandant, 10e compagnie, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie - WIA by a bayonet to the left thigh and poison gased at Douaumont and captured
03.03.1916: German POW in many POW camps included Rosenberg Fortress then Ingolstadt Fortress - nicknamed Le Connétable "The Constable", title of the medieval commander-in-chief of the French army
00.00.1916-00.11.1918: tried to escape from captivity 5 times
00.00.1919: CNE, Staff Officer under General Pétain
00.00.1919-00.00.1921: CNE, Staff Officer, 3e Bureau, Groupe d'Armées Sud - campaign in Poland, River Zbrucz
00.00.1922: CNE, lecturer in military history, Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
00.11.1922-00.10.1924: CNE, Ecole Supérieure de Guerre / staff college - graduated in 52nd place
00.03.1924: published his first book "La Discorde chez l'ennemi" / The Enemy's House Divided
00.10.1924: CNE, Staff, French Army of Occupation, Mainz
00.03.1925: published an essay on the use of tactics according to circumstances
01.07.1925: CNE, ghostwriter, Maison Pétain led by Maréchal Pétain
01.12.1925: CNE published the "Historical Role of French Fortresses"
00.10.1926: CNE, Staff, Headquarters of the Army of the Rhine
00.04.1927: CNE, delivered three lectures at the Ecole de Guerre : "Leadership in Wartime", "Character", and "Prestige"
25.09.1927: promoted to Chef de Bataillon
00.09.1927: CBA, commandant, 19e Bataillon de Chasseurs à Pied, 19e BCP, Trèves / Trier, occupied Germany
00.11.1929: CBA, Chef, 2e and 3e Brueaux, état-major des Troupes du Levant, Beyrouth, Lebanon
00.11.1931: CBA, Head of the Third Section (operations), secrétariat général de la Défense nationale, General Secretariat of the Supreme War Council, Paris
00.00.1932: CBA, published Le Fil de l'Epée / The Edge of the Sword
25.12.1933: promoted to Lieutenant-colonel
00.00.1934: LCL, published the book Vers l'Armée de Métier, Towards a Professional Army
05.12.1934: met the maverick politician Paul Reynaud
12.07.1937: LCL, commandant, 507e Régiment de Chars de Combat, Metz - nicknamed "Colonel Motor(s)"
24.12.1937: promoted to Colonel
00.00.1938: COL, published the book "La France et son Armée" France and Her Army
03.09.1939: COL, in command of the tanks of the V. Armée, Alsace - Bitche, Saar
15.05.1940: COL, commandant, 4e Division Cuirassée - battle of Montcornet, Crécy-sur-Serre and Abbeville
01.06.1940: temporarily promoted to Général de Brigade ("à titre temporaire")
05.06.1940: GBR, sous-secrétaire d’État à la Défense et à la Guerre
09.06.1940: GBR, flew to London and met British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for the first time
13.06.1940: GBR, attended another Anglo-French conference at Tours with Churchill, Lord Halifax, Lord Beaverbrook, Spears, Ismay, and Alexander Cadogan
17.06.1940: GBR, flew to London to liaise with Sir Winston Churchill who offered him broadcast time on BBC
18.06.1940: GBR, called for Resistance and creation of the « France Libre » at the BBC, London - declared a desertor by the newly nominated Ministre de le Guerre Général Weygand - "Appeal of 18 June"
18.06.1940-03.06.1944: Chairman of the French National Committee
22.06.1940: his promotion to Général de Brigade is cancelled and colonel de Gaulle is ordered to be retired from duty by disciplinary measures and ordered to face a martial court - sentenced to 4 years of fortress and loss of French nationality and bannished from the Order of the Légion d'Honneur
16.11.1940: created the Order of the Liberation and adopted the emblem of the "croix de Lorraine" to represent the Forces Françaises Libres, FFL, Free French Forces in Great Britain
00.00.1943: Leader, Free French Forces then French National Liberation Committee
03.06.1944-26.01.1946: head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic
00.01.1946: resigned and founded the political movement Rassemblement du Peuple Français, RPF, "Rally of the French People"
00.01.1950: retired at Colombey-les-Deux-Églises to write his "War Memoirs"
00.05.1958: returned during the Algerian War and founded the Fifth Republic with a strong presidency
01.06.1958-08.01.1959: Prime Minister of France and Minister of Defence and Minister of Algerian Affairs - granted independence to Algeria
withdraw France from NATO's integrated military command
launched an independent nuclear strike force that made France the world's fourth nuclear power
08.01.1959-28.04.1969: 18th President of France
22.01.1963: restored cordial Franco-German relations - Élysée Treaty
00.05.1965: reelected to the presidency
00.05.1968-00.06.1968: 7 weeks of civil unrest throughout of France with strikes, occupation uf universities and factories
28.04.1969: resigned after losing a referendum proposing more decentralisation and retired at Colombey-les-Deux-Églises and resumed writing his "Memoirs"
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Croix de Guerre (1914-1918)
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Rank:
- Lieutenant
- Unit:
- Chef, 1re Section, 11e Compagnie, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie, Arras
- Awarded on:
- January 18th, 1915
"A exécuté une série de reconnaissances des positions dans des conditions périlleuses et a rapporté des renseignements précieux"
07.05.1916:
« le capitaine de Gaulle, commandant de compagnie, réputé pour sa haute valeur intellectuelle et morale, alors que son bataillon subissait un effroyable bombardement, était décimé et que les Allemands atteignaient sa compagnie de tous côtés, a enlevé ses hommes dans un assaut furieux et un corps à corps farouche, seule solution qu’il jugeait compatible avec son sentiment de l’honneur militaire. Est tombé dans la mêlée. Officier hors de pair à tous égards »
23.07.1919:
« bien que blessé, il continua à être l’âme de la défense jusqu’à ce qu’il tomba inanimé sous l’action des gaz »
00.10.1927:
« fait prisonnier le 2 mars 1916, tenta par cinq fois de s’évader, repris, fut condamné à plus de 200 jours d’arrêts de rigueur. Modèle de courage, d’énergie et de ténacité »
With 3 palms and 1 star (4 citations) : 1 silver star 15.01.1915 + 1 bronze palm 07.05.1916 + 1 bronze palm 23.07.1919 + 00.10.1927
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Unit:
- Chef, 10e Compagnie, 33e Régiment d’Infanterie, Arras
- Awarded on:
- 1916
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Unit:
- commandant, 10e Compagnie, 33e Régiment d'Infanterie, Armée de terre
- Awarded on:
- October 17th, 1919
"A DOUAUMONT le 2 Mars 1916, sous un effroyable bombardement, alors que l'ennemi avait percé a ligne et attaque sa compagnie de toutes parts, a organisé apres un corps à corps farouche, un îlot de résistance ou tous se battirent jusqu'à ce que fussent dépensées les munitions, fracassés les fusils et tombés les défenseurs désarmés; bien que très grièvement blessé d'un coup de baïonnette, a continué à être l'âme de la défense jusqu'à ce qu'il tombât inanimé sous l'action des gaz. A blessure/antérieures"
Odre N. 20.654 "D"
Other sources give 23.07.1919
Order of St. Anna III class
- Period:
- Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Unit:
- 3e Bureau, Groupe d'Armées Sud
- Awarded on:
- December 22nd, 1920
With swords
- Period:
- Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Unit:
- 3e Bureau, Groupe d'Armées Sud
- Awarded on:
- 1921
With bronze palm
Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari - Krzyz Srebrny
- Period:
- Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Unit:
- 3e Bureau, Groupe d'Armées Sud
- Awarded on:
- January 26th, 1922
No. 2980 (commander-in-chief's decree No. 2965)
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Awarded on:
- 1922
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Awarded on:
- 1922
- Period:
- Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921)
- Rank:
- Capitaine (Captain)
- Unit:
- 3e Bureau, Groupe d'Armées Sud
- Awarded on:
- March 14th, 1923
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Awarded on:
- October 1927
Order of Civil Merit of the Syrian Arab Republic - II Class
- Rank:
- Lieutenant-Colonel
- Awarded on:
- December 19th, 1934
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- November 17th, 1940
Grand Master in 1945-1946 and 1959-1969
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- 1942
Nichan ad-Dam
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- June 1943
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- May 1944
Ordre de Saint-Charles - Grand-croix
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- October 1944
Croix de Guerre 1940
Legion of Merit - Chief Commander (LoM - CC)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- October 2nd, 1945
GENERAL CHARLES DE GAULLE, President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic and Commander-in-Chief of France's armed forces, performed distinguished services by maintaining his nation's effort in the struggle against the common enemy in Europe. From the chaos which followed the unleashing of the aggressor states' military power he emerged to keep bright the flame of liberty among his countrymen, to rally them in the cause of freedom, to merge their revived strength with the growing might of the United Nations. In victory he returned to his native soil, there to rebuild on firm principles a nation rededicated to liberty, equality and fraternity."
War Department, General Orders No. 83. The presentation was made by the President in a ceremony at the White House.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- November 13th, 1945
Grand Croix de l'ordre du Dragon d'Annam
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- 1945
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- General de brigade (Brigadier General)
- Unit:
- commandant, 4e Division Cuirassée
- Awarded on:
- 1946
With bronze palm (1 citation of 1940)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Awarded on:
- 1946
Rad Bileho lva I Class
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Général de brigade
Order of the Queen of Sheba - Grand Cordon
- Awarded on:
- October 1950
Cavaliere di Gran Croce della Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
- Awarded on:
- April 16th, 1959
Ordine Supremo del Cristo
- Awarded on:
- June 1959
Order of the Sun of Peru - Grand Cross with diamonds
- Awarded on:
- February 1960
Royal Victorian Chain
- Awarded on:
- April 1960
Orden del Libertador General San Martín - Collar
- Awarded on:
- June 1960
Order of Valour - Grand Officer
- Awarded on:
- July 1960
The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
- Awarded on:
- October 1960
National Order of Madagascar - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- October 1960
Ordre du Lion d'or de la Maison de Nassau
- Awarded on:
- February 1961
Order of the Equatorial Star - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- March 1961
National Order of the Lion - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- April 1961
National Order of the Ivory Coast - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- June 1961
Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes des Verdienstordens der BRD
- Awarded on:
- June 1961
Order of Pahlavi - 1st Class
- Awarded on:
- October 17th, 1961
National Order - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- September 1961
National Order of Benin - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- October 1961
National Order of Chad - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- March 1962
Congolese Order of Merit - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- November 1961
National Order of Merit of Upper Volta - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- April 1962
- Awarded on:
- April 1962
Order of Central African Merit - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- June 1962
- Awarded on:
- September 1962
Sanct Olavs Orden Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- September 1962
Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun suurristi (SVR SR)
- Awarded on:
- October 19th, 1962
Orden Mexicana del Águila Azteca - Chain
- Awarded on:
- March 1963
Order of Mono - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- March 1963
Kungliga Svärdsorden - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- May 8th, 1963
Basilikon Tagma toy Soteros - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- May 1963
Wissam al-Mohammadi - Special Class
- Awarded on:
- June 1963
- Awarded on:
- October 1963
- Awarded on:
- 1963
Royal Order of Cambodia - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- June 1964
Order of the Liberator - Collar
- Awarded on:
- September 1964
Order of Boyaca - Grand Cross
- Awarded on:
- September 1964
- Awarded on:
- September 1964
Order of the Condor of the Andes - Collar
- Awarded on:
- September 1964
Collar to the Order of Merit
- Awarded on:
- October 1st, 1964
National Order of Merit
- Awarded on:
- October 1964
Grande Colar del Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul
- Awarded on:
- October 1964
- Awarded on:
- October 1964
Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali - Collar
- Awarded on:
- November 1964
Elefantordenen
- Awarded on:
- April 5th, 1965
Order of Merit - Extraordinary Grade
- Awarded on:
- May 1965
Nishan-i-Lmar-i-Ala - 1st Class
- Awarded on:
- June 1965
Grand Cordon in to the Order of a Million Elephants and White Parasol
- Awarded on:
- July 1966
Ojaswi Rajanyako Manapadvi
- Awarded on:
- October 1966
National Order of Merit - Grand Collar
- Awarded on:
- July 1967
Order Odrodzenia Polski Wielki
- Awarded on:
- September 1967
Nishan-e-Pakistan
- Awarded on:
- October 1967
Wisam Al Rafidain - I Class
- Awarded on:
- October 1968
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- General de brigade (Brigadier General)
- Awarded on:
- August 31st, 1947
Sources
- Photo 2:
- Photo 3:
- - 1922.
- 1911.
- 1940.
- 1945.
- Legion d'Honneur
- Virtuti Militari de Gaulle - Kraj - rp.pl
- LES MÉDAILLÉS
- De Gaulle Arrives in Iran for a Four-Day Visit - The New York Times
- Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjujen kera haltijat 1919–1994 by svrslrkt - Issuu
- Hyginus Eugene Cardinale : Orders of Knighthood Awards and The Holy See - A historical, juridical and practical Compendium . London: Van Duren, 1983, p. 33.
- Wojciech Stela: Polskie ordery i odznaczenia (Vol. I). Warszawa: 2008, s. 48.
- Légion d'honneur, ordre de la Libération, Une certaine idée de la France…, 2019, pp. 31 et 336.
Photos
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Themes
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