Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc
Encyclopedia
Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc (born on 11 February 1922) is a French
former member of the Resistance
, then a military officer, and was courtmartialed for participating in the Generals' Putsch against Charles de Gaulle
.
Hélie de Saint Marc joined the Resistance at the age of 19. Caught in July 1943, he was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp.
After the World War II
, he joined the French Foreign Legion
and was sent to the First Indochina War
. From 1948 to 1950 he led partisan groups on the Vietnam-Chinese border to defend themselves against the Chinese insurgents. After 4–5 months' leave in Algeria and France, in 1951 he was given command of a company (2nd CIPLE) in the 2nd BEP (Battalion of Legion Parachutists) which consisted of Vietnamese volunteers. He was made captain on 1 October 1950. In May 1953 he again returned to France on leave.
Whilst in France he was redirected to spend time with the 11th Choc who were the action arm of SDECE. He returned to Vietnam in May 1954 to join the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion.
In Algeria
, during the Algerian War, while heading the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
, he agreed to support the April 1961 "Generals' Putsch" against President Charles de Gaulle
. The putschists saw de Gaulle's acceptance of Algerian independence as a betrayal of France and a betrayal of the local population both indigenous and French colonial. The officers in revolt had seen exactly this behaviour in Indochina and felt that it had to stop. As the putsch failed for lack of political support, he was arrested and, after concerns about a possible death sentence, sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was freed at Christmas 1966.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
former member of the 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...
, then a military officer, and was courtmartialed for participating in the Generals' Putsch against Charles 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....
.
Hélie de Saint Marc joined the Resistance at the age of 19. Caught in July 1943, he was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp.
After the 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...
, he joined the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
and was sent to the 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...
. From 1948 to 1950 he led partisan groups on the Vietnam-Chinese border to defend themselves against the Chinese insurgents. After 4–5 months' leave in Algeria and France, in 1951 he was given command of a company (2nd CIPLE) in the 2nd BEP (Battalion of Legion Parachutists) which consisted of Vietnamese volunteers. He was made captain on 1 October 1950. In May 1953 he again returned to France on leave.
Whilst in France he was redirected to spend time with the 11th Choc who were the action arm of SDECE. He returned to Vietnam in May 1954 to join the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion.
In Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, during the Algerian War, while heading the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment was an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion. It fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961....
, he agreed to support the April 1961 "Generals' Putsch" against President Charles 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....
. The putschists saw de Gaulle's acceptance of Algerian independence as a betrayal of France and a betrayal of the local population both indigenous and French colonial. The officers in revolt had seen exactly this behaviour in Indochina and felt that it had to stop. As the putsch failed for lack of political support, he was arrested and, after concerns about a possible death sentence, sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was freed at Christmas 1966.
Decorations
- Grand Croix 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...
, 28 November, 2011 - 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...
, 28 November, 2002 - 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:...
(1 citation) - Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieuresCroix 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:...
(8 citations) - 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....
(4 citations) - Médaille de la RésistanceMédaille de la RésistanceThe French Médaille de la Résistance was awarded by General Charles de Gaulle "to recognise the remarkable acts of faith and of courage that, in France, in the empire and abroad, have contributed to the resistance of the French people against the enemy and against its accomplices since June 18,...
- Croix du combattant volontaire de la RésistanceCroix du combattant volontaire de la RésistanceThe Croix du combattant volontaire de la Résistance is a French decoration that recognizes, as its name implies, those who fought in one of the resistance groups, or have been deported or interned for acts of the Resistance, or have been killed or injured in acts of resistance during World War...
- 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:...
- Colonial Medal with "Far East" clasp
- Memorial Medal of the 1939-1945 war
- Medal of deportation and detention for acts of resistance
- Commemorative medal of the Indochina campaignMédaille commémorative de la campagne d'IndochineThe Médaille commémorative de la campagne d'Indochine was a French military medal established on 1 August 1953 for the participants of the Indochina War. The medal was created to honor the members of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, regular and reserve, for service in Indochina...
- Médaille commémorative des opérations au Moyen-Orient
- Commemorative Medal of security operations and policing in North Africa with "Algeria" and "Tunisia" clasps
- Wounded soldiers badgeInsigne des blessés militairesThe Insigne des blessés militaires is a French military decoration for wounds received in the line of duty.-History:It was instituted by a law of 11 December 1916, after an idea by the nationalist writer Maurice Barrès...
(twice) - Officer of the Order of Civil Merit Sip Hoc Chau Thai
Publications
- Helie de Saint Marc, Laurent Beccaria, Perrin,1988
- Les Champs de braises. Memories with Laurent Beccaria, edition Perrin, 1995, ISBN 2262011184, reward "litteraire de l'armée de terre" - Erwan Bergot in 1995, reward Femina Essai in 1996.
- Les Sentinelles du soir, edition Les Arènes, 1999, ISBN 2912485029
- Indochine, notre guerre orpheline, edition Les Arènes, 2000, ISBN 2912485207
- Notre histoire (1922–1945) with August von Kageneck, conversation taken by Étienne de Montety, edition Les Arènes, 2002, ISBN 2912485347
- Toute une vie ou Paroles d'Hélie de Saint Marc written in collaboration with Laurent Beccaria, volume including an audio CD of radio program, edition Les Arènes, 2004, ISBN 2912485770