Jules Gaucher
| Jules Gaucher | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 September 1905 Bourges, France |
| Died | 13 March 1954 Dien Bien Phu, Democratic Republic of Vietnam |
| Allegiance |
 France
|
| Service/branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1929-1954 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands held |
13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Groupe Mobile 9 |
| Battles/wars |
World War II First Indochina War *Battle of Hoa Binh *Battle of Dien Bien Phu |
Jules Gaucher (13 September 1905 - 13 March 1954) was a French Army officer noted for his command of Foreign Legion troops in Indochina. Described as a "burly, hard-drinking veteran of years of jungle fighting, with a nose like an axe-blade and a mouth like its cut", Gaucher was a popular commander among the Legion, known as 'the Old Man' to his troops. He was killed at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
Gaucher graduated from the French military academy at Saint-Cyr in 1929 and was commissioned as a Sous-lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant). He was posted to French Algeria and served as an officer with the Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens from 1929 to 1931. He transferred to the Foreign Legion in 1931 and served in North Africa with the 1st Foreign Legion Regiment (1e REI) and the 3rd Foreign Legion Regiment (3e REI). In 1938 he was promoted to Capitaine (Captain) and transferred to 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (5° REI) in Tonkin. When open conflict erupted between the occupying Japanese and French forces in March 1945, Gaucher led his battalion out of Hanoi and marched to Dien Bien Phu, where he received an encouraging radio message from General Charles De Gaulle. Pursued by the Japanese, he then led his soldiers into China. He was promoted to Chef de bataillon (Major) that same year and returned to the Foreign Legion depot at Sidi Bel Abbes where he joined 13e Démi-Brigade de la Légion Étrangère (13e DBLE).
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