Henri Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves
Encyclopedia
Henri Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves (3 June 1901 – 29 August 1941) was a French Navy
officer, reputed "first martyr of Free France" and one of the major heroes of the French Resistance
.
, in the Essonne
department. Educated in a conservative Catholic
family, he was a remote cousin of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
and of Louise de Vilmorin, later companion of André Malraux
. Estienne d'Orves spent the First World War as a high school student at the prestigious Lycée Louis-le-Grand
in Paris
, and entered the École Polytechnique
in 1921. He joined the École Navale
, (French Naval Academy), two years later, becoming an enseigne de vaisseau de 2e classe
in October 1923 and joining the school ship Jeanne d'Arc. He was then an officer on the battleship Provence
, and several other vessels. In 1929, he married Éliane de Lorgeril, with whom he had five children.
In 1930, he was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau, and was made a chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1935. In December 1936, he joined the Naval War School for one year. When World War II
broke out in 1939, he was serving aboard the Jaguar, as under-chief of the Headquarter of the 2nd flotilla of torpedo boats in Mediterranean Sea
. In December 1939, he was an aid to Admiral Godfroy
in the Headquarters of the "Force X" aboard cruiser Duquesne
On 25 June 1940, the day the Armistice
was signed, he was in Alexandria
, Egypt
. Politically, d'Estienne d'Orves belonged to the right-wing, and had sympathies for Charles Maurras
and Catholic monarchism
; nonetheless, while many far-right wing theoricists welcomed the arrival of Marshal Philippe Pétain
, the strongly patriotic d'Estienne d'Orves was unwilling to accept France's defeat. He attempted to join General Paul Legentilhomme
, commander of French troops on the coast of French Somaliland
, who had announced his intention to refuse the armistice, but the colony had chosen to rally itself to the Vichy régime
. D'Estienne d'Orves then gathered a group of volunteer sailors and officers, took the nom de guerre "Châteauvieux" (name of one of his ancestors) and came into relations with the Free France authorities. He set sail on a cargo ship from Aden
to London
, sailing around Africa for two months, and rejoined General de Gaulle
in London on 27 September 1940.
He met with Admiral Émile Muselier
, but was unable to obtain a command at sea. Promoted to capitaine de corvette
(lieutenant commander) on 1 October 1940, he joined the Second Office of the Free French Naval Forces
and requested to be sent to occupied France. After having convinced General de Gaulle, he received the mission to organise an intelligence network in western France, codenamed Nemrod, which had been created in September 1940 by Maurice Barlier and Jan Doornik, but lacked coordination and development. He was officially assigned to this task on 15 December 1940.
to Plogoff
in Brittany
on a fishing boat, the Marie-Louise, along with his 20-year-old radio operator Alfred Gaessler, a German-speaking Alsatian
, codenamed Georges Marty. They arrived at the Pointe du Raz
the following day.
He set his quarters in Chantenay-sur-Loire, near Nantes
, at the house of M. and Mme Clément, and made several trips to Paris and in Brittany, with the notable assistance of Maurice Barlier. He set up the basic organisation of the spying web, and was able to transmit significant information about German forces (coastal defences, submarines, aerodromes and refueling point near Nantes).
From 6 January to 19 January 1941, he was in Paris to set up a second network, meeting with Max André, Jan Doornik and numerous other members of the French Resistance. Back in Nantes on 20 January, he came back to the Cléments who reported to him suspicious activities by the radio operator Gaessler, seen hanging around in bars and talking with German soldiers. When interrogated, Gaessler said that this was a good way to gather information. D'Estienne d'Orves decided to lay down Marty at the next trip to London but, two days later, the Gestapo
stormed the house and arrested him. After a brief resistance, a wounded and handcuffed d'Estienne d'Orves was brought to Angers
, along with his companions.
Marty's treason allowed the Nazis to also arrest Barlier, Doornik and most of the network, totaling twenty-six persons. The small intelligence network created by Max André, however, was untouched, and continued its operations until the Liberation of Paris
in August 1944. For several weeks, Gaessler sent false information to London and allowed the Nazis to arrest several other agents. He was evacuated by the Nazis to Austria
, and disappeared in 1945.
On 24 January, the prisoners were sent to Berlin, then brought back to Paris, to the Cherche-Midi Prison
. D'Estienne d'Orves was put under a particularly harsh treatment, yet managed to cheer up his fellow prisoners; the moral strength which he would find in his faith would later be testified to by German chaplain Franz Stock
.
His trial began on 13 May. D'Estienne d'Orves claimed full responsibility of the network, defending his fellow prisoners. On the 23rd, a German court martial sentenced him to death, along with eight of his companions, and transferred them to the Fresnes Prison
.
Acknowledging their patriotism, the court martial filed a request for grace immediately, and German legal advisor Keyser took it upon himself to make the trip to Berlin and request a grace for the prisoners from Hitler himself. But the invasion of USSR
by the Third Reich, on 22 June 1941, forced the French Communists to join the Resistance and greatly increased the attacks against German forces, inducing a harshening of the repression. Hence, on 28 August, the execution order was given for d'Estienne d'Orves, Barlier and Doornik. The three were granted to spend their last night together, and to be shot standing and without a blindfold. They were blessed by Chaplain Franz Stock
.
D'Estienne d'Orves had an interview with president Keyser, the German military judge who had sentenced him to death, where he said: "Sir, you are a German officer. I am a French officer. We both served our duty. Please allow me to hug you".
The execution took place on 29 August 1941, at dawn, at the Fort du Mont Valérien. Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves was buried in Verrières-le-Buisson.
A German poster advertised their death. A number of people joined the Resistance as a consequence of this execution.
The capitaine de corvette d'Estienne d'Orves was later posthumously promoted to capitaine de frégate
("frigate captain") and made a Compagnon de la Libération ("Fellow of the Liberation").
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...
officer, reputed "first martyr of Free France" and one of the major heroes of the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
.
Early life
He was born in Verrières-le-BuissonVerrières-le-Buisson
Verrières-le-Buisson is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is from the center of Paris, in the Essonne department just outside the inner ring of the Île-de-France.The commune borders the Bièvre River....
, in the Essonne
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
department. Educated in a conservative Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
family, he was a remote cousin of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , officially Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint Exupéry , was a French writer, poet and pioneering aviator. He became a laureate of France's highest literary awards, and in 1939 was the winner of the U.S. National Book Award...
and of Louise de Vilmorin, later companion of André Malraux
André Malraux
André Malraux DSO was a French adventurer, award-winning author, and statesman. Having traveled extensively in Indochina and China, Malraux was noted especially for his novel entitled La Condition Humaine , which won the Prix Goncourt...
. Estienne d'Orves spent the First World War as a high school student at the prestigious Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
The Lycée Louis-le-Grand is a public secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in France. Formerly known as the Collège de Clermont, it was named in king Louis XIV of France's honor after he visited the school and offered his patronage.It offers both a...
in Paris
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...
, and entered the École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
in 1921. He joined the École Navale
École Navale
The École Navale is the French Naval Academy in charge of the education of the officers of the French Navy.The academy was founded in 1830 by the order of King Louis-Philippe...
, (French Naval Academy), two years later, becoming an enseigne de vaisseau de 2e classe
Ranks in the French Navy
The rank insignia of the French Navy are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels....
in October 1923 and joining the school ship Jeanne d'Arc. He was then an officer on the battleship Provence
French battleship Provence
The Provence was a French Navy battleship of the Bretagne class named in honour of the French region of Provence.- Construction :She was built by Arsenal de Lorient, and her keel was laid on 1 May 1912...
, and several other vessels. In 1929, he married Éliane de Lorgeril, with whom he had five children.
In 1930, he was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau, and was made a chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1935. In December 1936, he joined the Naval War School for one year. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out in 1939, he was serving aboard the Jaguar, as under-chief of the Headquarter of the 2nd flotilla of torpedo boats in Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. In December 1939, he was an aid to Admiral Godfroy
René-Emile Godfroy
René-Emile Godfroy was a French admiral.Godfroy was born at Paris. In June 1940, he commanded French naval forces at Alexandria, where he negotiated, with British Admiral Andrew Cunningham, the peaceful internment of his ships.The French squadron consisted of the battleship Lorraine, 4 cruisers, 3...
in the Headquarters of the "Force X" aboard cruiser Duquesne
French cruiser Duquesne
The Duquesne was a French Duquesne class heavy cruiser that served during World War II.After her launch, she was used on prestige missions.In January 1940, she took part in the hunt for the Admiral Graf Spee, and later returned to Alexandria...
On 25 June 1940, the day the Armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
was signed, he was in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Politically, d'Estienne d'Orves belonged to the right-wing, and had sympathies for Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
and Catholic monarchism
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
; nonetheless, while many far-right wing theoricists welcomed the arrival of Marshal Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
, the strongly patriotic d'Estienne d'Orves was unwilling to accept France's defeat. He attempted to join General Paul Legentilhomme
Paul Legentilhomme
Paul Legentilhomme was an officer in the French Army during World War I and World War II. After the fall of France in 1940, he joined the forces of the Free French...
, commander of French troops on the coast of French Somaliland
French Somaliland
French Somaliland was a French colony in the Horn of Africa. Established after the French signed various treaties between 1883 and 1887 with the then ruling Somali Sultans, the colony lasted from 1896 until 1946, when it became an overseas territory of France....
, who had announced his intention to refuse the armistice, but the colony had chosen to rally itself to the Vichy régime
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
. D'Estienne d'Orves then gathered a group of volunteer sailors and officers, took the nom de guerre "Châteauvieux" (name of one of his ancestors) and came into relations with the Free France authorities. He set sail on a cargo ship from Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, sailing around Africa for two months, and rejoined General 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 London on 27 September 1940.
He met with Admiral Émile Muselier
Émile Muselier
Emile Henry Muselier was a French admiral who led the Free French Naval Forces during World War II. He was responsible for the idea of distinguishing his fleet from that of Vichy France by adopting the Cross of Lorraine, which later became the emblem of all of the Free French...
, but was unable to obtain a command at sea. Promoted to capitaine de corvette
Ranks in the French Navy
The rank insignia of the French Navy are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels....
(lieutenant commander) on 1 October 1940, he joined the Second Office of the Free French Naval Forces
Free French Naval Forces
Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Emile Muselier.- History :...
and requested to be sent to occupied France. After having convinced General de Gaulle, he received the mission to organise an intelligence network in western France, codenamed Nemrod, which had been created in September 1940 by Maurice Barlier and Jan Doornik, but lacked coordination and development. He was officially assigned to this task on 15 December 1940.
Role in Occupied France
D'Estienne d'Orves was codenamed "Jean-Pierre Girard". On 21 December 1940, he set sail from NewlynNewlyn
Newlyn is a town and fishing port in southwest Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Newlyn forms a conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance and is part of Penzance civil parish...
to Plogoff
Plogoff
Plogoff is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.It contains three small ports suitable for very small vessels: Pors-Loubous, Feunten-Aod and Bestrée...
in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
on a fishing boat, the Marie-Louise, along with his 20-year-old radio operator Alfred Gaessler, a German-speaking Alsatian
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, codenamed Georges Marty. They arrived at the Pointe du Raz
Pointe du Raz
The Pointe du Raz is a promontory that extends into the Atlantic from western Brittany, in France. The local Breton name is Beg ar Raz. It is the western point of the commune of Plogoff, Finistère....
the following day.
He set his quarters in Chantenay-sur-Loire, near Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, at the house of M. and Mme Clément, and made several trips to Paris and in Brittany, with the notable assistance of Maurice Barlier. He set up the basic organisation of the spying web, and was able to transmit significant information about German forces (coastal defences, submarines, aerodromes and refueling point near Nantes).
From 6 January to 19 January 1941, he was in Paris to set up a second network, meeting with Max André, Jan Doornik and numerous other members of the French Resistance. Back in Nantes on 20 January, he came back to the Cléments who reported to him suspicious activities by the radio operator Gaessler, seen hanging around in bars and talking with German soldiers. When interrogated, Gaessler said that this was a good way to gather information. D'Estienne d'Orves decided to lay down Marty at the next trip to London but, two days later, the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
stormed the house and arrested him. After a brief resistance, a wounded and handcuffed d'Estienne d'Orves was brought to Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, along with his companions.
Marty's treason allowed the Nazis to also arrest Barlier, Doornik and most of the network, totaling twenty-six persons. The small intelligence network created by Max André, however, was untouched, and continued its operations until the Liberation of Paris
Liberation of Paris
The Liberation of Paris took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the surrender of the occupying German garrison on August 25th. It could be regarded by some as the last battle in the Battle for Normandy, though that really ended with the crushing of the Wehrmacht forces between the...
in August 1944. For several weeks, Gaessler sent false information to London and allowed the Nazis to arrest several other agents. He was evacuated by the Nazis to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and disappeared in 1945.
Trial and death
Cherche-Midi prison
The Cherche-Midi prison was a French military prison located in Paris, France. It housed military prisoners from 1851 until 1947.Construction on the prison began in 1847, when the former convent of the Daughters of the Good Shepherd was demolished on Rue du Cherche-Midi in Paris...
. D'Estienne d'Orves was put under a particularly harsh treatment, yet managed to cheer up his fellow prisoners; the moral strength which he would find in his faith would later be testified to by German chaplain Franz Stock
Franz Stock
Abbé Franz Stock was a German Roman Catholic priest. He is known for ministering to prisoners in France during World War II, and to German prisoners of war in the years following.- Early life :...
.
His trial began on 13 May. D'Estienne d'Orves claimed full responsibility of the network, defending his fellow prisoners. On the 23rd, a German court martial sentenced him to death, along with eight of his companions, and transferred them to the Fresnes Prison
Fresnes Prison
Fresnes Prison is the second largest prison in France, located in the town of Fresnes, Val-de-Marne South of Paris...
.
Acknowledging their patriotism, the court martial filed a request for grace immediately, and German legal advisor Keyser took it upon himself to make the trip to Berlin and request a grace for the prisoners from Hitler himself. But the invasion of USSR
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
by the Third Reich, on 22 June 1941, forced the French Communists to join the Resistance and greatly increased the attacks against German forces, inducing a harshening of the repression. Hence, on 28 August, the execution order was given for d'Estienne d'Orves, Barlier and Doornik. The three were granted to spend their last night together, and to be shot standing and without a blindfold. They were blessed by Chaplain Franz Stock
Franz Stock
Abbé Franz Stock was a German Roman Catholic priest. He is known for ministering to prisoners in France during World War II, and to German prisoners of war in the years following.- Early life :...
.
D'Estienne d'Orves had an interview with president Keyser, the German military judge who had sentenced him to death, where he said: "Sir, you are a German officer. I am a French officer. We both served our duty. Please allow me to hug you".
The execution took place on 29 August 1941, at dawn, at the Fort du Mont Valérien. Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves was buried in Verrières-le-Buisson.
A German poster advertised their death. A number of people joined the Resistance as a consequence of this execution.
The capitaine de corvette d'Estienne d'Orves was later posthumously promoted to capitaine de frégate
Ranks in the French Navy
The rank insignia of the French Navy are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels....
("frigate captain") and made a Compagnon de la Libération ("Fellow of the Liberation").
Honours and awards
- Chevalier de la Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
- Compagnon de la LibérationOrdre de la LibérationThe Ordre de la Libération is a French Order awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is an exceptional honor, the second highest after the Légion d’Honneur and only a small number of people and military units have received it, exclusively for deeds accomplished...
by decree of 30 October 1944 - Officer of Ouissam Alaouite
- Officer of the Romanian Pour la couronne order
- Officer of the Bulgarian Military Merit
- Knight of the Chinese order of the Golden Ear
- Two ships of the French Navy have been named in his honour:
- A Flower class frigate, launched in 1942, which fought in the French Naval Forces
- The lead ship of the A69 type AvisoD'Estienne d'Orves classThe A69 type Avisos are small warships mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions . Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions...
class, F781 D'Estienne d'Orves
- A station of the Paris Métro Line 12Paris Metro Line 12Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
is named after him: Trinité-d'Estienne d'Orves - A high-school in NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
is named after him: Lycée Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves as well as an adjacent 15 hectare park.