Georges Catroux
| Georges Catroux | |
|---|---|
General Georges Catroux in London, October 1940, after he joined de Gaulle's staff.
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| Born |
29 January 1877 Limoges, Haute-Vienne |
| Died | 21 December 1969 (aged 92) Paris |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1898 - 1961 |
| Rank | Général d'Armée |
| Commands held | 19th Corps |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards | Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur |
Georges Albert Julien Catroux (29 January 1877 – 21 December 1969) was a French Army general and diplomat who served in both World War I and World War II, and served as Grand Chancellor of the Légion d'honneur from 1954 to 1969.
Catroux was born in Limoges, Haute-Vienne. He was the son of a career officer who had risen through the ranks. He was educated at the Prytanée National Militaire, and entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1896.
In the early years of his distinguished military career, Catroux moved from Algeria (where he met Charles de Foucauld and then Lyautey) to Indochina. In 1915, while commanding a battalion, he was taken prisoner by the Germans. During his time in captivity, Catroux met Charles de Gaulle, who was then a captain.
After World War I, he became a member of the French military mission to Arabia, and then served in Morocco, Algeria and the Levant.
In July 1939, Catroux was appointed Governor General of French Indochina, and in August 1939, one month before the declaration of war, took over from a senior civil servant, Jules Brévié. Paris wanted to send a strong signal to the Far East on the eve of hostilities. However, after the first Japanese ultimatum of 17 June 1940, and following disagreements with the new Vichy government, Catroux was ordered to hand over his post to Admiral Jean Decoux on 25 June. He initially ignored the order, and only resigned on 20 July.
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