Geoffroy Chodron de Courcel
Encyclopedia
Geoffroy Chodron de Courcel (11 September 1912, Tours - 9 December 1992, Paris), was a French diplomat. He was Aide-de-camp
to General Charles de Gaulle
in 1940 and escaped to Britain with the General on 17 June 1940 with the help of General Louis Spears
. When de Gaulle established the Free French Forces
in London, de Courcel was the first officer to join the movement. In 1941, he became de Gaulle’s principal private secretary and would later command a squadron of the ‘1er régiment de marche de spahis marocains
’ (a regiment of Moroccan Spahi
troops formed from other units).
After the war, he returned to the French Foreign Ministry and held a number of important appointments, including that of Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 16 March 1962 au 20 April 1972.
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
in 1940 and escaped to Britain with the General on 17 June 1940 with the help of General Louis Spears
Louis Spears
Major-General Sir Edward Louis Spears, 1st Baronet, KBE, CB, MC was a British Army officer and Member of Parliament noted for his role as a liaison officer between British and French forces in two world wars....
. When de Gaulle established the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
in London, de Courcel was the first officer to join the movement. In 1941, he became de Gaulle’s principal private secretary and would later command a squadron of the ‘1er régiment de marche de spahis marocains
1er Régiment de Spahis Marocains
The First Regiment of Moroccan Spahis is an cavalry regiment of the French Army which was founded in 1914. It saw service in both the First World War and the Second World War as part of the Forces Françaises Libres as well as post-war service in the French-Indochina War and elsewhere...
’ (a regiment of Moroccan Spahi
Spahi
Spahis were light cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now recruited in mainland France...
troops formed from other units).
After the war, he returned to the French Foreign Ministry and held a number of important appointments, including that of Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 16 March 1962 au 20 April 1972.