Paul Legentilhomme

Legentilhomme was born on March 26, 1884 in Valognes, Manche.

He was a cadet at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr 1905 to 1907 (promotion "la Dernière du vieux Bahut") Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in 1907. Promoted to Lieutenant in 1909.

World War I

In 1914 his unit took part in the battle of Neufchâteau in Belgium, on August 22, and was captured by the Germans. He spent 1914 to 1918 in German captivity. In 1918 he was promoted to Captain.

Interwar period

He was promoted to Major in 1924. From 1926 to 1928 he was Chief of Staff in Madagascar. In 1929 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel From 1929 to 1931 he was Chief of Staff 3rd Colonial Division. In 1934 he was promoted to Colonel From 1937 to 1938 he was Commanding Officer 4th Senegalese Tirailleurs Regiment. In 1938 he was promoted to Brigadier-General.

World War II

1939 to 1940 he was Commander in Chief of the French military units stationed in French Somaliland (present day Djibouti).

June 18, 1940 : In Djibouti, the capital of French Somaliland, Legentilhomme condemned the French armistice and declared his intention to continue the war with the British Empire. He declared this in his "General Order Number 4".

• August 2, 1940 : Left French Somaliland (Vichy French until 1942) and went to the United Kingdom.
• October 31, 1940 : Legentilhomme stripped of his French citizenship by the Vichy government.

• 1941

In 1941 Legentilhomme was promoted to Major General in the Free French Army and returned to East Africa as the Commander-in-Chief of the Free French Forces in the Sudan and Eritrea. As part of Brigadier Harold Rawdon Briggs' Briggsforce, Free French forces participated in the East African Campaign. Legentilhomme worked under the supreme command of Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell.

• Created the First French light division or 1st Free French Division (in French "1ère Division légère française libre" or "1ère DLFL").
• Commanded the 1st Free French Division and Gentforce during Syria-Lebanon Campaign.
• Commander in Chief of Free French forces in Africa.
• November : Legentilhomme condemned in his absence for treason by the Government of Vichy to the death penalty.
• National Commissioner of War

• 1942

• Awarded the Compagnon de la Libération cross by General Charles de Gaulle on 9 September 1942,
• High Commissioner of the French possessions in the Indian Ocean
• Governor-General of Madagascar
• general Officer Commander in Chief Madagascar

• 1943

• Member of the Council of Défense of the Empire,
• Nominated Lieutenant General
• Nominated Commissaire to the French Committee for National Liberation

• 1944 to 1945

• General Officer Commanding 3rd Military Region (France)

from 1945 to 1946 he was General Officer Commanding Paris Military Region.

• 1945 to 1947 : Military Governor of Paris
• 1946 to 1947 : General Officer Commanding 1st Military Region
• 1947 : Promoted Army General
• 1947 : Retired
• 1950 : Military advisor of the Minister for French overseas departments and territories
• 1952 : Technical advisor of the Minister François Mitterrand (who much later was President of the French Republic between 1981 and 1995)
• 1952 to 1958 : Member of the Assemblée de l'Union française for the UDSR political party (in French)
• 23 May 1975 : Paul Legentilhomme died at age 91 in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. He is buried there.

• Grand Cross of the Légion of Honor
• Compagnon de la Libération
• Médaille militaire
• Croix de guerre 1914–1918
• Croix de guerre 1939–1945
• Knight of the Order of the Dragon of Annam
• Commander of the Order of the Bath (GB)
• Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA)

• French Somaliland
• East African Campaign
• Syria-Lebanon Campaign
• Battle of Madagascar

• (in French) Full Biography in the ordre de la Libération website
• Biography of Paul Legentilhomme