Capitaine Gillenaves

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers;

Perhaps this post may find some interest:

Capitaine Serge Georges Egalite Lucien Gillenaves (surnom de Lancy) . DoB 13 Jul. 1921 commanded the 12.Company of the 13.D.B.L.E. in Vietnam in the 1950's . His name was mentioned by a comrade while en route to Indochina which would have been the second tour of duty overseas for him and my first. He spoke in most favorable ways of this officer who was his company commander during his previous tour. Our ways separated upon arrival in Saigon but I encountered him again while in the field in Tonkin in early 1952 and he told me how happy he was to have been reassigned in his former company the 12.and the commander was the very same. I did not see him again until later in 1952 after that unfortunate retreat from Hoa Binh and he told me of his company commanders death in action.

I much later learned that my good friend , the Leg. Erhard Naundorf , Mle. 55842 lost his life on 5.Sep.1952 following a severe wound suffered in action during an operation in Annam (Central Vietnam).

ex-By chance I acquired the book "Les Soldats Perdus" about french prisoners with the Vietminh forces and found an article by the former Caporal Chef Helmut Seelig of 12.company who describes his and others effort to bring the captains body with them who was killed right after the beginning of the company's rear movement on 23.Feb.1952. They were unsuccessful and Seelig was taken prisoner and not released until the armistice in 1954.

I take the liberty to simply describe two members of the FFL one an officer who by what I remembered having been told and later also read, must have been simply an outstanding officer and my friend, a private who had refused any advancement offered him over the years but seemed to have all the prerequisites to make a NCO and a better one than some I encountered during six years of which 2 1/2 on active service .

Some time ago I read a definition of leadership which went like this: "leadership is if you are followed not only willingly but voluntarily". I have yet to find a better one

Sources : SGA Memoire des Hommes,

"Les Soldats Perdus Pronniers en Indochine 1945-1954" Indo Editions 2005

Bernhard H. Holst

ex-Mle 80921