10 Facts About Fernand Gambiez

Fernand Gambiez was a French Army general and military historian who fought in World War II, the First Indochina War and the Algerian War.

Fernand Gambiez was born in Lille, graduated from Saint Cyr in 1925.

Fernand Gambiez served with the Foreign Legion in Morocco before studying at the Superior War School in 1935.

Fernand Gambiez was a captain in command of a company during the Battle of France.

Fernand Gambiez trained and commanded a Choc battalion in 1943, taking part in the fighting to liberate Corsica in 1944.

Fernand Gambiez served as chief of staff to the French commander-in-chief Henri Navarre during the First Indochina War, including the Battle of Dien Bien Phu where one of his sons died.

Fernand Gambiez was promoted to General de corps d'armee in 1958, commander of the Oran Corps in 1959, Inspector General of the Infantry in 1960 and finally commander-in-chief of the French Army in Algeria in 1961.

Fernand Gambiez was arrested by the rebellious generals during the Algiers putsch in April 1961.

Fernand Gambiez was the director of the French military history commission from 1969 to 1989.

Fernand Gambiez was elected member of the Academie des Sciences Morales et Politiques in 1974.