Gabriel Auguste Ferdinand Ducuing
Encyclopedia
Commandant Gabriel Auguste Ferdinand Ducuing (22 December 1885, Paris
- 25 May 1940, Cap Gris Nez
) was an officer in the French Navy
of the First and Second World Wars.
. Aiming for the merchant marine, he embarked in 1904 as "pilotin" on the three-masted "Cérès". Called to carry out his military service in 1907, he served on board the battleship
s "Brennus" and "Bouvet". On returning to the merchant fleet, he was promoted lieutenant in the course of 1908 and captain in the course of 1911. He sailed successively on several steamships, all the while taking the time to learn four foreign languages and to study for a law degree.
of a steamship, but he soon decided to leave the merchant navy to join the infantry chasseur
s to defend his country. Named sous lieutenant in December, he could not bear the static life of the trenches
and moved to the nascent French Air Force, first as an observer-corps officer, then (briefly in July 1915) as a pilot. In July 1915 he returned to the Navy with a commission, captaining an auxiliary vessel. Assigned to maritime aviation at Dunkerque then at Venice
(Italy), he immediately became noted for his brilliant qualities as a trainer. After carrying out many observation and bombing missions, he was injured in battle, mentioned in despatches by the French and Italian navies and knighted by the king of Italy
. Promoted enseigne de vaisseau de 1ère classe
in the reserve in July 1916, he was moved to train fighter pilots at Pau, where, unfortunately, an accident rendered him unfit to pilot a plane himself. Made a knight of the Légion d’honneur in January 1917 at only 32 years old, he was again stationed at Dunkerque as second in command of its center of maritime aviation. However, finding this post insufficiently "combattant", he had himself made an balloon observer on and, on 1 October, took command of the centre at Le Havre
, where he remained up until July 1918. Promoted lieutenant de vaisseau
in the reserve, he was then put on attachment (because of his long training as captain) as liaison officer to the under secretary of state to the merchant navy until his demobilization in April 1919.
On the president's suggestion, Ducuing, the French Navy in June 1927 created training centres for reserve officers, that will become accessible to naval NCO
s from 1931. In April 1928, Ducuing's eminent services to the state saw him promoted to be an officer of the légion d’honneur. In liaison with the Union of Fighting Sailors (Union des Marins Combattants, UMC) of Paris, he worked for the creation, on 23 February 1930, of the Federation of the Associations of Old Fighting Sailors (Fédération des Associations de Marins Anciens Combattants, FAMAC) that would become the FAMMAC. Equally down to him is the creation of the Central Association of the Non-Commissioned Officers of the Naval Reserve (Association Centrale des Officiers Mariniers de Réserve de l’Armée de Mer, or ACOMAR). At his request, in 1931 the Navy created courses for improving the instruction of non-commissioned officers in the naval reserve. Promoted capitaine de corvette
in April 1932, he reached the normal retirement age in 1934 but at his own request remained in the reserves and postponed retirement until December 1942, when he would be 57.
In September 1939, Ducuing took command of the battery of D.C.A. (défense contre aéronefs, or anti-aircraft group
) of the Croix Faron at Toulon
. At the end of January 1940, the French Admiralty was anxious to observe and maintain free passage along the Pas-de-Calais coast, and so set up a coastal battery at Cap Gris-Nez. Ducuing was charged with commanding and organizing this battery from March 1940. He had 3 officers and around 100 men under him, with only twenty rifles and six revolvers between them. On 22 May, facing the German offensive
as it closed in on him, with the weak means at his disposal he organized an advanced position of 24 men of which he took personal command. When practically encircled, commandant Ducuing and his men completely destroyed a German column made up of a small number of side-cars, a light tank and two armored cars. In the evening, he refused a surrender proposed to him by the Germans.
During the night of 24 to 25 May, he organized the evacuation by sea of a group of surviving sailors from the shipwreck of their base. On 25 May 1940, at 9am, the German armour and Stukas under Guderian
were no more than 200 metres from Ducuing's post on Cap Gris-Nez. Having run out of munitions, commandant Ducuing destroyed the artillery and machine guns and gave the order to his men to withdraw. Remaining at his post alone, he went to the mast of the base and hoisted the French colors, but at that precise instant he was killed by a short burst of automatic weapon fire.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
- 25 May 1940, Cap Gris Nez
Cap Gris Nez
Cap Gris Nez is a cape on the Côte d'Opale in the Pas-de-Calais département in northern France....
) was an officer in the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
of the First and Second World Wars.
Early life
He was the son of a second cousin of Ferdinand FochFerdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...
. Aiming for the merchant marine, he embarked in 1904 as "pilotin" on the three-masted "Cérès". Called to carry out his military service in 1907, he served on board the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s "Brennus" and "Bouvet". On returning to the merchant fleet, he was promoted lieutenant in the course of 1908 and captain in the course of 1911. He sailed successively on several steamships, all the while taking the time to learn four foreign languages and to study for a law degree.
First World War
At the outbreak of war in July 1914 he was the second captainSecond in Command
Second in Command is a 2006 action film directed by Simon Fellows, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was released direct-to-video in the United States, Belgium, and Germany on May 2, 2006. It has been rated R by the MPAA for violence and some language. The film was made in Bucharest, Romania.-Plot...
of a steamship, but he soon decided to leave the merchant navy to join the infantry chasseur
Chasseur
Chasseur [sha-sur; Fr. sha-sœr] is the designation given to certain regiments of French light infantry or light cavalry troops, trained for rapid action.-History:...
s to defend his country. Named sous lieutenant in December, he could not bear the static life of the trenches
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and moved to the nascent French Air Force, first as an observer-corps officer, then (briefly in July 1915) as a pilot. In July 1915 he returned to the Navy with a commission, captaining an auxiliary vessel. Assigned to maritime aviation at Dunkerque then at Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
(Italy), he immediately became noted for his brilliant qualities as a trainer. After carrying out many observation and bombing missions, he was injured in battle, mentioned in despatches by the French and Italian navies and knighted by the king of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
. Promoted enseigne de vaisseau de 1ère classe
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the reserve in July 1916, he was moved to train fighter pilots at Pau, where, unfortunately, an accident rendered him unfit to pilot a plane himself. Made a knight of the Légion d’honneur in January 1917 at only 32 years old, he was again stationed at Dunkerque as second in command of its center of maritime aviation. However, finding this post insufficiently "combattant", he had himself made an balloon observer on and, on 1 October, took command of the centre at Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, where he remained up until July 1918. Promoted lieutenant de vaisseau
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the reserve, he was then put on attachment (because of his long training as captain) as liaison officer to the under secretary of state to the merchant navy until his demobilization in April 1919.
Inter-war
At the end of the war he did not rejoin the merchant-fleet, instead becoming a ship owner. Marked by the conflict, he remained an a particularly active officer in the naval reserve. On 9 July 1925, replying to the call of the general delegate of the National Union of the Officers of the Reserve (Union Nationale des Officiers de Réserve), he combined with some friends to form (within the UNOR) the 5th commission made up of the sailors' vows at the congress of Belfort. This later became the general assembly component of the ACORAM (Central Association of the Officers of Reserve of the Army, or Association Centrale des Officiers de Réserve de l’Armée de Mer), of which Ducuing was naturally elected president, and which still remained close to UNOR.On the president's suggestion, Ducuing, the French Navy in June 1927 created training centres for reserve officers, that will become accessible to naval NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s from 1931. In April 1928, Ducuing's eminent services to the state saw him promoted to be an officer of the légion d’honneur. In liaison with the Union of Fighting Sailors (Union des Marins Combattants, UMC) of Paris, he worked for the creation, on 23 February 1930, of the Federation of the Associations of Old Fighting Sailors (Fédération des Associations de Marins Anciens Combattants, FAMAC) that would become the FAMMAC. Equally down to him is the creation of the Central Association of the Non-Commissioned Officers of the Naval Reserve (Association Centrale des Officiers Mariniers de Réserve de l’Armée de Mer, or ACOMAR). At his request, in 1931 the Navy created courses for improving the instruction of non-commissioned officers in the naval reserve. Promoted capitaine de corvette
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in April 1932, he reached the normal retirement age in 1934 but at his own request remained in the reserves and postponed retirement until December 1942, when he would be 57.
Second World War
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
) of the Croix Faron at Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
. At the end of January 1940, the French Admiralty was anxious to observe and maintain free passage along the Pas-de-Calais coast, and so set up a coastal battery at Cap Gris-Nez. Ducuing was charged with commanding and organizing this battery from March 1940. He had 3 officers and around 100 men under him, with only twenty rifles and six revolvers between them. On 22 May, facing the German offensive
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
as it closed in on him, with the weak means at his disposal he organized an advanced position of 24 men of which he took personal command. When practically encircled, commandant Ducuing and his men completely destroyed a German column made up of a small number of side-cars, a light tank and two armored cars. In the evening, he refused a surrender proposed to him by the Germans.
During the night of 24 to 25 May, he organized the evacuation by sea of a group of surviving sailors from the shipwreck of their base. On 25 May 1940, at 9am, the German armour and Stukas under Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
were no more than 200 metres from Ducuing's post on Cap Gris-Nez. Having run out of munitions, commandant Ducuing destroyed the artillery and machine guns and gave the order to his men to withdraw. Remaining at his post alone, he went to the mast of the base and hoisted the French colors, but at that precise instant he was killed by a short burst of automatic weapon fire.
Honours
- 1915 - Italian knighthood
- January 1917 - knight of the Légion d’honneur
- April 1928 - officer of the Légion d’honneur
- May/June 1940 - Posthumously made capitaine de frégate on (with the navy especially waiving its rule forbidding all posthumous promotions for him), and a brilliant citation in the ordre de l’armée.
- In May 1952, the secretary of state to the navy inaugurated a stela at Cap Gris-Nez in memory of him and the fallen sailors under his command.
- The Commandant Ducuing is named after him.