Paul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard (9 September 1921 – 7 August 2005) was a

général is the French word for general. There are two main categories of generals: the general officers (), which are the highest-ranking commanding officers in the armed forces, and the specialist officers with flag rank (), which are high-level office ...

of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...

who served primarily in the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...

taking part in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and the conflicts of

Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...

and

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

Military career

Paul Arnaud de Foïard commenced his arms in the resistance where he was captured and interned on 4 December 1942 until 3 June 1943. Escaped, he disembarked in Spain where he was interned at Figueras. He was liberated at Setubal in Portugal, and embarked to Morocco on 21 August. During this time, he registered an engagement for the duration of the war by joining the 501^e Régiment de chars de combat 501^e RCC. His services counted as retroactive, counting from 4 December 1942. He passed to the instruction depot of Dellys, then joined the school of Cherchell as an aspirant. He was assigned to the

Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (french: link=no, Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Fo ...

RMLE with the rank of aspirant on 1 April 1944. With his unit, he participated to the disembarking at Saint-Raphaël in September then to the offensive of the Ist Army, an offensive during which he was wounded by a mine. He was evacuated on 28 November 1944 and cited at the orders of the brigade with his first croix de guerre 1939–1945. It was at the head of his section, in Germany, that he was awarded the

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

in 1945. On 8 February 1945 he was assigned to the 11th company of the RMLE. Leading a section (platoon), he distinguished leadership on 20 March 1945, at the crossroad south of Buchelberg; during the siege of Mulhausen, on 4 April, on the bridge of Enns, the 7; then in Herrenberg, the 18; at Hattingen, the 25; at Immendingen the 26; accordingly being awarded three citations at the orders of the armed forces and the

in one trimester. At the end of the war, he was sent to the École militaire interarmes, since September 1945, to validate his connaissances of an officer. The RMLE was dissolved. Accordingly, Paul joined the

3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 3e Régiment étranger d'infanterie, 3e REI) is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana. Its mission includes the protection of the Ce ...

3^e REI on 20 December 1945. A decree of February 1946 designated him as sous-lieutenant, to be effective starting 1 February 1944. He was then promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 1 February 1946. He participated to the campaigns of Indochina, he disembarked at Saigon and joined the 11th company of the 3^e REI on 11 June 1946. He was wounded by a machine gun, at My Duc Thay, on 22 January 1947. On 23 October 1947 he was assigned the company of camions bennes CCB. Accordingly, he was awarded a new citation at the orders of the armed forces and the knight croix of the Légion d’honneur, bestowed on 14 July 1947. This last one was matched with the

croix de guerre des TOE Croix (French for "cross") may refer to: Belgium * Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut France * Croix, Nord, in the Nord department * Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort depa ...

, for his personal action in Cai Lay in Cochinchine; at Am Thai Dong in the province of Mytho. During the creation of the Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Co. Para du 3^e REI, on 1 April 1948, he assumed the command of a platoon section under the order of lieutenant Jacques Morin. On 16 May he was awarded a citation at the orders of the division during a combat exchange battle at the fortified village of Tho Truong. Repatriated sanitary, he disembarked in Marseille, was hospitalized and benefitted of a break. He was assigned to the regional administrative company of Versailles. Promoted to captain on 2 January 1952, he reassumed the service on 14 October 1952. He was entrusted with the command of the 2nd company of the 1st battalion of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1^er REI on the 20. On 13 March 1953 he commanded the platoons of the 1^e REI at Saida. In November he joined the moral service of the legion as

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of ''Képi Blanc'' in Sidi Bel Abbès until dissolution in July 1955. He was then assigned in the qualities of a commandant of the 5th company of the 2nd battalion of the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment 4^e REI at Fes in Morocco. The 5^e du 2/4^e REI became the 6^e CP du 4^e REI, on 16 November 1956. At the corps of this unit, he partook to operations of maintaining order in the Rif and notably at Hibel, Tembouzid, and Zoua Ouah. He was cited at the orders of the division with croix de la Valeur militaire on 11 July 1956. He joined metropole in 1957 and was assigned to the depot of the legion. Detached the provisionary commando group, in qualities of an instructor in garrison at El Hadjeb from 16 February to 4 July 1956, he was awarded a citation at the orders of the armed corps. Another citation at the orders of the armed corps, was conferred for another engagement. On 1 August 1957 he was assigned to the depot of the Legion in Marseille. He was promoted officer in the order of the Légion d’honneur on 18 December 1958. He joined the ESMIA de Coëtquidan groupment, on 1 June 1959. He was accordingly promoted to on 1 October 1959. He integrated the 74 promotion of the école supérieure de guerre in August 1960. Following, he was assigned to the operation means bureau of the

2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (french: 2e Régiment étranger de parachutistes, 2e REP) is the only airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of the four infantry regiments of the 11th Parachute Brigade and part o ...

2^e REP, on 1 July 1962. On 1 October 1963 he was assigned to EMAT bureau, where he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, on 1 October 1964. Designated during his command time, he embarked to Mers el Kebir and became regimental commander of the 2^e REP, on 1 June 1965 at Bou Sfer. On 15 June 1967 the REP was repatriated on Corsica. With the finalization of this command tenure, he joined the EMA on 1 July. Accordingly, he was promoted to commander of the Légion d’honneur, on 14 July and to the rank of colonel, on 1 October. He was designated to serve at the 1st Parachute Brigade 1^re BP and placed in subsistence at the 420th command and service battalion on 1 August 1972. The following January he was promoted to rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

. In August 1974 he was designated in a director quality, hors-cadre, of the Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale, under the orders of the Prime Minister of France and occupied the vice-presidency of the permanent council for military service in 1975. Reintegrated, he joined the 11th Parachute Division 11^e DP and was division commander on 29 November 1975. He was promoted to division general, in December 1976. Promoted to the rank and designation of a général de corps d’armée on 1 August 1979, he became director of the enseignement militaire supérieur of the

in October. On 17 September 1981 he was nominated as a grand officier de la Légion d’honneur. Attained by the reglementary age limit of his rank to the section of officer generals, on 10 September 1981.

Decorations

Grand Officier of the

Légion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

Commandeur Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

of the Légion d'Honneur (1967) ** Legion Honneur Officier ribbon

Officier of the Légion d'Honneur (1958) ** Legion Honneur Chevalier ribbon

Chevalier Chevalier may refer to: Honours Belgium * a rank in the Belgian Order of the Crown * a rank in the Belgian Order of Leopold * a rank in the Belgian Order of Leopold II * a title in the Belgian nobility France * a rank in the French Legion d'h ...

of the Légion d'Honneur (1947) * Medaille militaire ribbon

(1945) *

Grand Croix of the Ordre national du Mérite (1966) * Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 ribbon

Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (3 palms, 1 star) * Croix de Guerre des Theatres d'Operations Exterieurs ribbon

Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations Exterieures * Croix de la Valeur Militaire ribbon

Croix de la Valeur Militaire The Cross for Military Valour (french: Croix de la Valeur Militaire) is a military decoration of France. It recognises an individual bestowed a Mention in Dispatches earned for showing valour in presence of an enemy, in theatres of operations wh ...

Médaille des Evades *

Croix du Combattant Volontaire 1939-1945 ribbon

Croix du combattant volontaire (1939–1945) * Croix du Combattant (1930 France) ribbon

Croix du combattant The Combatant's Cross (french: "Croix du combattant") is a French decoration that recognizes, as its name implies, those who fought in combat for France. The Poilus (French combat soldiers) of World War I worked toward recognition by the govern ...

Médaille coloniale with agrafe (clasp) « E.O » * Palmes academiques Chevalier ribbon

Knight of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques * Medaille de la Jeunesse et des Sports Or ribbon

Médaille de la Jeunesse et des Sports * Medaille commemorative de la Campagne d'Indochine ribbon

Indochina Campaign commemorative medal The Indochina Campaign commemorative medal (french: Médaille commémorative de la campagne d'Indochine) was a French military decoration established on 1 August 1953 by decree 53-722 to recognize participation in the Indochina War by the member ...

* North Africa Security and Order Operations Commemorative Medal with agrafes (clasps) « Algérie » and « Maroc » * Bronze Star Medal ribbon

Bronze Star Medal, U.S. Army (U.S.) * Ordre de l'Ouissam Alaouite Commandeur ribbon (Maroc)

Officer of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco) He totalized 9 citations.

References

Sources

* '' Képi blanc'' History and Patrimony Division of the French Foreign Legion (french: Division histoire et patrimoine de la Légion étrangère) {{DEFAULTSORT:Arnaud De Foiard, Paul 1921 births 2005 deaths People from Meudon French military personnel of World War II French military personnel of the First Indochina War French military personnel of the Algerian War French generals Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion Officers of the French Foreign Legion Grand Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Recipients of the Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures Recipients of the Cross for Military Valour Chevaliers of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques

Military career

Decorations

See also

References

Sources