Jean Marcellin Joseph Calixte Gilles (14 October 1904 – 10 August 1961) was a

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 ...

general. He was born in Perpignan,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

on 14 October 1904. His father, Joseph Gilles, was killed in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life

At age 12, Jean enrolled in a military school and at age 18, entered the renowned

Saint-Cyr Military Academy Saint-Cyr refers to the popular child-saint Saint Quiricus (Cyriacus), whose following was strong in France because relics were brought back from Antioch by the 4th-century Bishop Saint Amator of Auxerre. Saint-Cyr may refer to: Places Franc ...

, where he lost an eye in a training accident, replacing it with one made of glass. On leaving school he was assigned to 24e régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais (24th Regiment Senegalese Infantry) and took part in the Rif War in northern Morocco, where he received his first citation, and the Medal of Alfonso XIII of Spain. He served as a Camel Corps officer until leaving Morocco with the rank of captain in 1938.

World War II

He was assigned to the 7e division d'infanterie coloniale (7th Colonial Infantry Division) from 1939 to 1940. Demobilized in France in 1942, he tried to reach North Africa to join the

French resistance The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...

but was captured and imprisoned in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Finally released for medical reasons, he enlisted in the 9e division d'infanterie coloniale (

9th Colonial Infantry Division The 9th Colonial Infantry Division (french: 9e Division d'Infanterie Coloniale, 9e DIC) was a French Army formation which fought in World War II and the War in Vietnam (1945–1946). History A 9th Colonial Infantry Division was being formed i ...

) and took command of 2e bataillon du 13e régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais (2nd Battalion, 13th Regiment Senegalese Infantry). Gilles took part in the capture of

Elba Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano Nationa ...

in June 1944 and then landed in

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

and with 1re armée française (1st French Army), participated in the liberation of southern and eastern France and the 1945 campaign into Germany.

Indochina

As deputy commanding officer of the 23e régiment d'infanterie coloniale (23rd Colonial Infantry Regiment), he was sent to Indochina in October 1945 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Following the landing at Haiphong March 6, 1946, he was promoted to colonel and named to the staff of General Philippe Leclerc. He returned to Europe in 1947, where he held the positions of chief of police of the colonial armored cavalry regiment in Germany and, after a stint at the military school, became commander of 1re demi brigade de commandos parachutistes coloniaux (1st Colonial Airborne Demi- Brigade). Gilles earned his parachutist wings in 1949. In 1951, he returned to Indochina and took a prominent role in the

Battle of Nà Sản The Battle of Nà Sản was fought between French Union forces and the Nationalist forces of the Việt Minh at Nà Sản, Sơn La Province, during the First Indochina War for control of the T’ai region (Northwest territory). Background Mil ...

(September–December 1952). He was promoted to brigadier general December 23, 1952 and became commander of TAPI (Airborne Troops in Indochina). He took part in Operation Castor, the early phase of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in November 1953.

Algeria

Gilles returned to France in March 1954 and was given command of the 25e division infanterie parachutiste (25th Airborne Infantry Division). During the Suez Canal crisis of late 1956, he commanded the elite 11e régiment parachutiste de choc (11th Shock Airborne Regiment) in the Suez Crisis. In 1958 he became commander of the Army Corps of Constantine.

After Algeria

On his return from Algeria, Gilles took command of the 5th Military Region in Toulouse. His son, Michel Gilles, was killed in action in Algeria on 2 February 1961. Jean died of a heart attack in August that same year.http://amis2montlouis.free.fr/activit%E9s%20culturelles/gilles.htm

Decorations

*Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (

Grand-Croix de la 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 B ...

) *

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 ...

* Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 * Croix de la valeur Militaire * Médaille de l'Aéronautique * Distinguish cross * Médaille des Evadés * 18 citations * Mort pour la France

References

* * * *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilles, Jean 1904 births 1961 deaths People from Perpignan French generals French military personnel of World War II French military personnel of the First Indochina War French military personnel of the Suez Crisis French military personnel of the Algerian War École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr alumni Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur