Edgard de Larminat

Who was Edgard de Larminat?

Edgard de Larminat was a French general, who fought in two World Wars. He was one of the most important military figures who rejoined the Free French forces in 1940. He was awarded the Ordre de la Libération.

Larminat joined the French Army at the outbreak of the First World War as a private and by 1915 had completed his officer training and later fought at the Battle of Verdun. During the course of the war, Larminat was wounded three times and gassed once. He achieved the rank of captain by the close of the war.

Completing his military studies at Saint-Cyr in October 1919, Larminat volunteered to serve in the colonial infantry. In this capacity, he saw combat against rebels in Morocco, and later served in Mauritania and Indochina. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Larminat was a lieutenant-colonel stationed in the Levant.

Larminat was still serving in the Middle East when France surrendered in June, 1940. He refused to comply and was imprisoned in Damascus, but escaped and fled to join Free French forces in Palestine. He was later active in Africa and during the liberation of Italy and France, serving as the commander of the 1st Free French Division in north Africa, the French Pursuit Corps in Italy, and the French II Corps and Atlantic Army Detachment in France. De Larminat led the controversial bombardment of the city of Royan in April 1945.