Philippe Kieffer

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Philippe Kieffer

Philippe Kieffer (24 October 1899–20 November 1962) , capitaine de frégate in the French Navy, was a French officer and political personality, and one of the greatest heroes of the Free French Forces.

1 Early life
2 Beginning of the War
3 Establishment of the Free Commandos
4 Liberation of France
5 End of the War and later life
6 Honours and awards
7 Film
8 See also
9 External links

[edit] Early life

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to an Alsatian family, Philippe Kieffer obtained a diploma at the École des Hautes Études Commerciales (School of Higher Business Studies) and became a bank director in New York City.

[edit] Beginning of the War

On 2 September 1939, aged 40, he volunteered for military service. He joined the French Navy, in which he was a reserve officer, a week later. He served in the battleship Courbet, and at the headquarters of the Northern Fleet during the battle of Dunkirk.

He left for London on 19 June 1940 and joined the Forces Navales Françaises Libres on 1 July 1940, the day they were founded.

[edit] Establishment of the Free Commandos

Speaking fluent English, he was asked to serve as a translator and cipher officer. Impressed by the techniques of the British commandos, Kieffer requested authorisation to set up an elite French unit on the same model. In May 1941, he obtained authorisation from Admiral Emile Muselier to found the unit of Commandos Fusiliers-Marins ("sailor-riflemen commando"). They undertook extremely harsh selection and formation in Achnacarry, in Scotland, where a number of candidates died in training. The Commando was attached to the British No.2 Commando (which would become famous for the St. Nazaire Raid, "Operation Chariot", on 28 March 1942).

Kieffer was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau on 1 July 1942. On 19 August 1942, men of the 1st Company of the Fusiliers-Marins Commandos Battalion were engaged during the Dieppe Raid ("Operation Jubilee").

In 1943, the French commando had grown to two companies and was regularly used for night raids on the shores of France during the preparations for the invasion of Normandy. In 1944, the 180 men of the "1er BFM Commando" were incorporated in the British No.4 Commando (under Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson), in the 1st Brigade (under Brigadier Lord Lovat).

[edit] Liberation of France

On 6 June 1944, at 08.45, the Bérets verts landed in Ouistreham, Benouville, Amfreville and Bavant (Sword Beach). Kieffer, recently promoted to capitaine de corvette, led his men personally. The Bérets verts suffered 21 killed and 93 wounded. Kieffer himself was almost immediately wounded twice, hit by shrapnel in the leg, but refused evacuation for two days. The French commando disabled a stronghold at Riva-Bella and made contact with airborne troops at Benouville by 13.30. At the end of the day, the Free French troops were 14 kilometres inland.

Kieffer rejoined his unit on 14 June, in time to take part in the breakthrough towards the Seine and Honfleur.

Along with two of his men, he was the first member of the Free French Forces to enter Paris. His 18-year old son, who had recently joined the Maquis, was killed by German troops near Paris at nearly the same time.

[edit] End of the War and later life

By October 1944, the commando Battalion had three companies. Kieffer led it during the attacks on Vlissingen and Walcheren to capture the port of Antwerp. He later took part in raids against occupied Dutch islands.

In 1945, he was nominated for the Consultative Assembly, and started working in the Inter-Allied Forces Headquarters. He was promoted to capitaine de frégate in 1954.

He died in Cormeilles en Parisis on 20 November 1962 after a long illness, and was buried in Grandcamp, Calvados.