France Legion of Honor, 13eme DBLE, Narvik to my Great-Grandfather

[ralstona]

First let me say how much I have appreciated the help offered here so far in my quest to tell the full story of my great-grandfather, Ernest Frederic Hauser. My original post "French Foreign Legion Medal Group" has received lots of looks and it has provided me with some invaluable info.

I wanted to start a new one dealing specifically with his Legion d'Honneur.

Here are the details I know:

1. He was mobilised on 28 August 1939.

2. At the time he was 1st Lieut. of Reserves living in Oran, Algeria.

3. He had served with the Legion in WWI, in Morocco, in Syrie during the Druse War. Rising from a Legionnaire.

4. He volunteered for the Corps Expeditionnaire Norvegien in 1940.

5. He served as one of three Lieutenants (along with Brunet de Sairigne & Arnault) in the 7th Company (commanded by Capt. Kovaloff) of the 2nd Battalion (Commanded by Gueninchault) of the 13eme DBLE.

6. He was awarded the Legion of Honor (Chevalier) which was recorded "au tableau special de la Legion d'Honneur" on 4th October1940. It was issued by the Vichy government and he received notification on14 January 1941.

7. At the time he was Lieut. de reserve living on Rue de Mulhouse, Oran. (He didn't stay with DeGaulle in England).

8. The "family legend" is that he won his LdH saving the life of a war correspondant.

Here is what I would still like to know:

1. Is their any way to find the details of the event that led to his award.

2. I have never really understood the rank place of the LdH. I know it was "France's highest honor". But where would his fit, say, in the British equivalent of awards. Is this a mentions, a Military Cross, a DSO or a VC?

3. How rare is this award? Are there numbers on awards of the LdH for Norway? I can't imagine it was too many.

4. How rare is it to have been awarded a LdH (or any award) by Vichy for fighting the Nazis?

5. If he had stayed with DeGaulle in England instead of returning to Algeria, would he have still received the award?

To add some life to this story, I recently found a picture at my grandmother's house. It is a picture of her in 1940. I have seen the picture many times. I never bothered to look at the back. The inscription says, "Paulette this is a photo of you at 11 years old. It was taken just before the departure of your father (in 1940) for Narvik in Norway." The studio stamp is from a studio at 27 Rue d'Arzaw, Oran. Kind of sent chills to think he had this picture with him.

[Veteran]

Hello ralstona

A few reactions to your questions.

Your great grand-father may well have saved this war-correspondant as the "family legend" reports, But a Legion of honor would have been awarded for more extensive war services than "just" saving the life of a war-correspondant; He would have received it for leadership and bravery in the field. Very much like a british Military Cross or DSO, depending upon rank. It also is the highest award therefore it would be awarded when a VC would in the British system. The first award in the Legion of honor is always the 5th class (chevalier) wether you are a second lieutenant or a colonel.

The fact that he was awarded the Legion of honor in December 1940 means the decision to give it had been thoroughly reviewed and recognised as legitimate. The French were very proud of their troups which had fought in Norway.

The details of the award would be recorded in his officer's papers. Possibly available now from the Service Historique de la Défense, located in the Chateau de Vincennes, near Paris. You would have to know someone who can go there. I don't know of any researchers and the archivists there are under no obligation to answer questioins from private persons.

The Legion d'honneur is sparingly awarded, but when large numbers of troups are engaged in severe fighting acts of gallantry and leadership are frequent. The French in Norway were just a brigade with supporting naval and air forces. Only officers would receive a Legion d'honneur, and not all of them, naturally. Off hand I would expect 30 to 50 may have been awarded for that very short campaign. But this is pure guesswork, it could have been much less.

Considering the number of French (and Allied) troups who fought against Germany and its allies between 1939 and 1945. one would expect thousands of awards to have been made. Statistics probably exist, but I don't really know where.

As an exemple, the armoured infantry regiment (Régiment de Marche de la Légion étrangere) I served with went into combat in November 1944 with approximately 1.800 men (90 officers). When we arrived in Austria in May 1945, the Regiment had suffered 506 killed (22 officers), 1311 wounded and 24 "disparus" (reinforcements had been sparinigly made during the campaign).

4 officers received a second Legion d'honneur ("officier" rank) and 31 were made "chevaliers" as a first award.

What would have happened if your great grand father had chosen to remain in England with LtCol Magnin-Verneret is anybody's guess.

But he would have seen a lot of action over those five years and certainly done well if he had been lucky to survive. The remnants of the 13th Demi-Brigade were fighting alongside us in Alsace during the Colmar gap battle in January 1945.

But his Legion d'honneur would not have been reviewed in December 1940 as he would have been considered to be an outlaw ("dissident"). No Legion d'honneur awards were made by the Free French under General De Gaulle between June 1940 and September 1945. A special order (Ordre de la Liberation) was created for them.by the General.

Hope you find this useful

Best regards

Veteran

Edited November 13, 2011 by Veteran

[ralstona]

Here is the picture mentioned above.

[ralstona]

And the reverse.

[ralstona]

Veteran,

Thank you so much for your thoughts. Again, I am indebted. Two more questions:

1. If I went to Paris (hope to in the next couple years), could I get into the Chateau de Vincennes myself and inquire?

2. I include below some photos of a few pieces of his final dossier from 1950. It shows he was back at it again in 1943 (where he was wounded) in Algeria and then went to France (1944-45). I have no idea what unit he was with at this point. I think the two "commands" listed at the very end refer to WWII. This first is for Norway (?) The second is for France (44-45)? Is "Q.G." Quartermaster-General? Any help would be appreciated.

I also included my FAVORITE piece of his resume. 39 battles!

[ralstona]

His two "commands".

[ralstona]

39 Battles!

[Veteran]

Yes you certainly could do your own research at Vincennes. They are quite pleasant and organised to help private researchers; A touch of French would be helpful, naturally as English is when I go to Kew.

From the papers you added, I would think he fought with the French troups who were confronted in 1943 with the remnants of the Afrika Korps in Eastern Algeria and Tunisia. The fighting was tough against the Germans who were very experienced warriors. He then volunteered for the French Expeditionnary Force in Italy, but was not sent out. The Foreign Legion there were the 13th Demi-Brigade who may not have wanted one of the officiers that had chosen to obey orders and return to Algeria in 1940 rather than stay with Magin-Vernerey.

His further services with a Head-Quater's Company in 1944-45 could have been with an other unit than Foreign Legion. He would then have been employed as an officer from the general reserve of officers. This would possibly have been at a distance from the Front.

Regards

Veteran

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Ralstona.

In addition to the very informative and detailed posts by Veteran I would like to add some details of which you may be aware already but may be of interest to readers:

the first commander of the 13.DBLE (Narvik operation) as mentioned by Veteran was Lt.Col. Raoul Charles Magrin-Vernerey, perhaps better known as Ralph Monclar. This officer took a reduction in rank during the Korean War after a distinguished career,to command the French Battalion in Korea. He must be one of the highest decorated officers as he was awarded besides the Grand Cross of the L.o.H., the Companion of the Liberation and very rare the Medaille Militaire. These besides many other French and allied decorations.

Two of the company officers your great-grandfather served with later commanded the 13.DBLE . Lt.Col. Brunet de Sarigne (killed in 1948 in Vietnam) and Lt.Col. Arnault .

Bernhard H. Holst

[ralstona]

Thanks Bernhard! No, actually I didn't realize that. I am constantly adding to this story. He certainly was in illustrious company. Of the three Lieuts. in his company 2 went on to command the 13eme DBLE. The three taken together illustrate an interesting case study of the Legion. Brunet de Sarigne and Arnault were both young, French and St. Cyr graduates. My great-grandfather was considerably older, Swiss and had risen through the ranks from Legionnaire 2nd class in 1914 at age 16. After Narvik Brunet de Sarigne and Arnault stayed with DeGualle. My great-grandfather returned to Algeria. This certainly fits with what I have read about the split of the 13eme in England. Older officers, especially those with children (my great-grandfather had two by that point) tended to return to Algeria. I wonder if he was placed with these two "youngsters" to steady them. By that point he had "been there" as they say.