Paul Arnaud de Foïard
Encyclopedia
Paul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard (9 September 1921 – 7 August 2005) was a French Army general, he took part in World War II
, First Indochina War
and Algerian War.
at twenty. Imprisoned, he managed to escape and join the Free French Forces
. He joined for the duration of the war and was posted to the 501st Tank Regiment.
He was posted as an aspirant to the 3rd Battalion, Foreign Legion Marsch Regiment on 1 April 1944. He landed in Southern France and took part in offensive of the First French Army, during which he was wounded. He was leader of a section in Germany and received the médaille militaire
in 1945.
Assigned to the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, he took part in the reconquest of French Indochina where he was wounded a second time. He was made Knight of the Légion d'honneur in 1947; he volunteered to serve as section leader in the parachute company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1948.
Promoted to captain in 1952, he took command of the 2nd Company of the 1st Battalion, 1st Foreign Regiment in Sidon, Algeria. At the end of his command, he was assigned to the morale service of the Foreign Legion as editor of the Képi blanc magazine in Sidi-Bel-Abbes. He is given command of the 5th Company of the 4th Foreign Regiment in 1955. He then returns to France in 1957 as a part of the Foreign Legion depot. After the Ecole de guerre, he returns to the Foreign Legion at the operation bureau of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment from 1962 to 1963. He took command of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment in 1965 at Bou Sfer and will command it during its move to Calvi, Corsica until 1967.
He commanded the 11th Parachute Division from 1975 to 1977. He retired from active service on 11 September 1981 with the grade of Général de corps d’armée, having commanded the Ecole de guerre in Paris for four years.
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...
, First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
and Algerian War.
Biography
He joined the French ResistanceFrench 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...
at twenty. Imprisoned, he managed to escape and join 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...
. He joined for the duration of the war and was posted to the 501st Tank Regiment.
He was posted as an aspirant to the 3rd Battalion, Foreign Legion Marsch Regiment on 1 April 1944. He landed in Southern France and took part in offensive of the First French Army, during which he was wounded. He was leader of a section in Germany and received the médaille militaire
Médaille militaire
The Médaille militaire is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852.-History:The creator of the médaille was the emperor Napoléon III, who may have taken his inspiration in a medal issued by his father, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland...
in 1945.
Assigned to the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, he took part in the reconquest of French Indochina where he was wounded a second time. He was made Knight of the Légion d'honneur in 1947; he volunteered to serve as section leader in the parachute company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1948.
Promoted to captain in 1952, he took command of the 2nd Company of the 1st Battalion, 1st Foreign Regiment in Sidon, Algeria. At the end of his command, he was assigned to the morale service of the Foreign Legion as editor of the Képi blanc magazine in Sidi-Bel-Abbes. He is given command of the 5th Company of the 4th Foreign Regiment in 1955. He then returns to France in 1957 as a part of the Foreign Legion depot. After the Ecole de guerre, he returns to the Foreign Legion at the operation bureau of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment from 1962 to 1963. He took command of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment in 1965 at Bou Sfer and will command it during its move to Calvi, Corsica until 1967.
He commanded the 11th Parachute Division from 1975 to 1977. He retired from active service on 11 September 1981 with the grade of Général de corps d’armée, having commanded the Ecole de guerre in Paris for four years.
Decorations
- Grand Officer of the 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...
- Grand Cross of the Ordre national du MériteOrdre National du MériteThe Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
- Médaille militaireMédaille militaireThe Médaille militaire is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852.-History:The creator of the médaille was the emperor Napoléon III, who may have taken his inspiration in a medal issued by his father, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland...
(1945) - Croix de guerre 1939-1945Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (France)The Croix de guerre 1939–1945 is a French military decoration created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis force at any time during World War II.-Recipients:...
- Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations ExterieuresCroix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations ExterieuresThe Croix de guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieures is a French medal rewarded for military service in foreign countries. It is granted to individuals who have received citations for their actions while engaged in military service overseas.-History:...
- Croix de la Valeur MilitaireCroix de la Valeur MilitaireThe Croix de la Valeur Militaire is a military decoration of France that recognizes individual holding a mention in Dispatches earned in theaters of operations which are not subject to the award of the Croix de guerre....
- Médaille des évadésMédaille des ÉvadésThe Médaille des Évadés is a medal given by the government of France, to individuals who were prisoners of war and who escaped....
- Croix du combattant volontaireCroix du combattant volontaireThe Croix du combattant volontaire may refer to one of three French military decorations rewarding soldiers who spontaneously chose to serve with a fighting unit....
1939-1945 - Croix du combattantCroix du combattantThe Croix du combattant is a French decoration that recognizes, as its name implies, those who fought in combat for France.-History:...
- Médaille coloniale with "EO" clasp
- Knight of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques
- Médaille de la Jeunesse et des Sports
- Médailles commémoratives 1939-1945, "Indochine" and
- Security and order maintaining operations in North Africa with "Algérie" and "Maroc" clasps
- Bronze Star MedalBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
(USA) - Officer of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco)