Vaillant de Guélis, de, Jacques Theodore Paul

Date of birth:: April 6th, 1907 (Cardiff/Glamorgan, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: August 7th, 1945 (Lichfield, United Kingdom)
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Cathays Cemetery
Plot: I. Grave: 22E.
Service number:: 184312
Nationality:: British

Biography

De Guélis had done his french MIl.Service and rejoined them following the declaration of war in September 1939. In early October 1939, he was posted as liaison officer to the British 234 Field Company of Royal Engineers and also served as interpreter on the staff of Lord Gort, commander of the BEF. Initially evacuated from Dunkirk in June 1940, he returned to France via Cherbourg to assist the escape of other Allied forces.

After the surrender of France on 22 June 1940, De Guélis fled south and crossed the Spanish border. After some time spend in Spanish internment, he was released with help of the British embassy.

Back in England, De Guélis was recruited into the SOE (F Section). During the remainder of the war, he served as SOE-agent in Vichy France, Algiers and the Low Countries. After the liberation of France, he was assigned to the Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force (SAARF) to help coordinate with the resistance. In this role, he was badly injured in a motor accident in Germany in August 1945 and later died of his injuries in a hospital at Lichfield, England. He is buried in his home town of Cardiff.

Promotions:
18 april 1941: Lieutenant without pay and allces.
?: Captain
?: Major

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Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Captain
Unit:: F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: August 9th, 1945

Appointment to be dated 9th March, 1942.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Military Cross (MC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Captain
Unit:: F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: February 21st, 1946

Citation
"This officer was parachuted three times into the field, the first time into France in 1941 on an important liaison mission with existing agents in the Field. He made a number of new contacts, prepared the way for additional organisers to be sent from the U.K. and made arrangements for infiltration by sea on the Riviera coast. He made valuable reports on conditions in France at that time on his return. For this work he was awarded the M.B.E.

He was later transferred to North AFRICA to form a section there for work in FRANCE. He himself volunteered to be parachuted into CORSICA, where he went with an invading French Army battalion and distinguished himself by heroic conduct. On the close of his campaign, he returned to the U.K. and volunteered for a further mission in the Field in 1944.

He was parachuted into FRANCE in July 1944 as leader of an Inter-Allied mission in the CORREZE department. By his tact and diplomacy he established excellent relations with the local French Resistance leaders, and his outstanding leadership and organising ability greatly contributed to the successes achieved by the F.F.I. in the CORREZE. He organised a number of parachute dropping operations including a daylight operation, deliberately exposing himself to danger of death on countless occasions in order to ensure the success of the latter. He established medical services for dealing with F.F.I. casualties. This proved to be of inestimable value.

Although his mission was primarily concerened with organising and liaison work, Major de GUELIS was often under enemy fire and he played a courageous and dstinguished part in the fighting at EGLETONS in mid-August, where the German garrison had with drawn into the ECOLE NATIONALE, a new ferro-concrete building that had been turned into a veritable fortress. Negotiations for surrender having failed, the besieging forces of the F.F.I. were subjected to intensive bombing and machine-gun attackes. Whilst this siege was proceeding, de GUELIS went to USSEL on roads infested by German troops with fresh supplies of grenades, Brens and ammunition to help the Resistance Forces who had encircled another German garrison. Finding, however, that the fighting there was just concluded, he visited his field hospital and returned to EGLETONS, where the siege had been abandoned owing to the entry of German reinforcements. Nevertheless, convinced of the necessity of evicting the Germans, he was successful in arranging for R.A.F. support, eighteen Mosquitoes being sent to attack the strengthened garrison, with the result that they were forced to leave the town. He was then able to organise continued harrassing action and caused considerable casualties to the enemy as they retreated.

For his courageous leadership, outstanding organising ability and devotion to duty, it is recommended that Major de GUELIS be awarded the Military Cross.

Since this citation was prepared it has been learnt that Major de GUELIS has died in hospital in England."

WO 373/100/751 - posthumously awarded

Details:
According to Delphine Isaaman, de Guélis did not parachute into Corsica as the flight was aborted and he went in by sea.

Croix de Guerre (1939-1945)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: October 4th, 1947
Awarded for:: Operation Jericho

Has completed numerous missons in France and Italy. Parachuted 9 July in Corréze and wounded during the Tilleul Mission.
On the 17th and 18th Agust has taken actively part in the Egletons battle (Corréze).

With Silver Star.
Drafted by Colonel Rivier, Commandant la 5e Région F.F.I.
Signed 4 October, 1947 by Captain Guery, Chef de la Section Chancellerie du Cabinet de l'Etat-Major de la Defense Nationale.

Italy Star

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)