Leclerc, Philippe

(1902-1947) (Philippe-Marie de Hauteclocque)

   military leader

   Born in Belloy-Saint-Léonard, Somme, Philippe-Marie, viscount de Hauteclocque, adopted the name Leclerc during World War II. He studied at saint-cyr (1922) and at the École de Guerre (1938). Taken prisoner and escaping twice during World War II (May-June 1940), he rejoined General charles de gaulle in London, then was named governor of the Cameroons, which had come over to Free France, thanks to his efforts in 1940. Military commander of French Equatorial Africa, he left for Chad with a column of Free French forces and conquered Al Kufrah, in Libya, from the Italians (March 1942), then left Chad in December 1942 to join British Marshal Bernard Montgomery in Tripoli (February 2, 1943). He also took part in the Tunisian campaign and then, in 1944, in the Allied landing in Normandy. Entering Paris at the head of the 2nd Armored Division, he received the surrender of the German garrison. General Leclerc liberated Strasbourg on November 23, 1944, and led his troops into Bavaria as far as Berchtesgaden, Adolf Hitler's retreat. Chief commander of the French forces in Indochina (1945), he received, for France, the surrender of the Japanese. He then became inspector of troops in North Africa (1946) and died shortly after in an air accident. The rank of marshal of France was conferred on General Leclerc posthumously in 1952.