André Dewavrin
| André Dewavrin | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Passy |
| Born |
9 June 1911 Paris, France |
| Died | 21 December 1998 (aged 87) Paris, France |
| Buried at | Neuilly-sur-Seine community cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 France
|
| Service/branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1932-1946 |
| Rank | Major |
| Commands held | Bureau Central de Renseignements et d'Action |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | |
| Other work | Businessman |
Andre Dewavrin DSO, MC (9 June 1911, Paris – 21 December 1998) was a French officer who served with Free French Forces intelligence services during World War II.
He was born in Paris, the son of a businessman. He graduated as an army engineer and in 1938 began to teach as a professor in Saint Cyr military academy.
After the outbreak of World War II, Dewavrin was assigned to Norway in 1940 before he joined General Charles de Gaulle in Britain. He received the rank of major, took charge of the Free French military intelligence unit Bureau Central de Renseignements et d'Action (BCRA), and took the codename "Colonel Passy". He began to help organize the French Resistance movement and cooperated with the SOE.
Dewavrin collated information from the French Resistance and planned operations for 350 agents who were parachuted to France to work with them. He secretly traveled to France on occasion to meet with the Resistance and coordinate intelligence gathering and sabotage. On 23 February 1943 Dewavrin parachuted to France alongside Pierre Brossolette to meet with Jean Moulin.
Later in 1943 Dewavrin's organization was merged with the conventional secret service of the Free French Forces to form DGSS under Jacques Soustelle. Dewavrin served as Soustelle's technical advisor before he took the lead of the organization in October 1944. After the Normandy Invasion, Dewavrin became Chief of Staff to General Marie Pierre Koenig, the Commander of the French Forces of the Interior.
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