Philippe Kieffer

The Second world war

Graduate of the School of the High commercial studies, he is bank manager to the the United States when the war is announced. In spite of its age (40 years), it is presented in the form of a volunteer and enters the navy the September 10th 1939.

After the defeat of France, then young sign of vessel, it will answer the call of the de Gaulle general while leaving for the the United Kingdom as of the June 19th 1940. He engages with the Free French Naval forces, the day of their creation, on July 1st 1940.

Impressed by the methods of the British commandos, it constitutes in 1942 the “Troop 1” of the French Commandos with a score of volunteers, in the surroundings of Portsmouth. In 1943, the 1st Battalion (1st B.F.M.C) is strong of Three Troops N°1, N°8 of the Trepel Captain - who disappears during a night raid - and Troop d' Appui (K-Guns). It is in frightening Center of Drive Commando of Achnacarry in Scotland that these men were trained and received the famous green beret In May 1944, a few weeks before the Unloading, they receive their own badge (ecu of bronze charged with the brig of the adventure and barred dagger of the commandos with in the sinistral corner the cross of Lorraine and underlined of a streamer carrying the inscription 1st Good F.M.Commando -) They will carry it on the green beret “to English” i.e. on the left side. The drawing is due to the one of them the corporal Maurice Chauvet. Assessing with their right value the qualities of the French, the British incorporate the Battalion within the N°4 Commando of the Brigade of the Special forces. It will have the supreme honor to unload the first in France with the D-day!

Kieffer commandos

Promoted lieutenant, then lieutenant commander (from where name ordering) the day before the D-day, Kieffer unloads on June 6th in Normandy with the head of its men of the 1st battalion of marine fusiliers commandos strong of two Troops of combat and one 1/2 Troop of support (K-Guns). In all 177 men. They unload on the beach Sword with Colleville-Montgomery, in spite of significant losses (in very for on June 6th: two Officers and eight men killed + out of wounded) they seize a part of 50mm encuvée which had put at evil barge LCI 523 (1st Troop), then of the ex-Casino Rivet-Bleated before penetrating the earths by Colleville and Saint-Aubin-with Arquenay to make junction with Pegasus Bridge (Bénouville) with Airborne British of the 6th DAP. They arrive there towards 16:30. Kieffer will be wounded twice this day. At the evening of June 6th, the 1st B.F.M.C will have lost almost 25% of its manpower. It then occupies the edges of the Plain towards 20:00.

The Kieffer commando was composed of marine fusiliers who were, for the majority, engaged in the Free French Naval forces (at the sides of the British green berets) whereas they were with the the United Kingdom. Some joined the FNFL after the evacuation of Dunkirk of others escaped from France occupied finally a group arrived from Africa. A third approximately of these Marine Fusiliers of this commando was originating in Brittany. They had to undergo the hard drive and the pitiless selection in the Center Commando of Achnacarry in Scotland where they gained the right to the port of the mythical green beret. The French of the 1st company had taken part in the raid on Dieppe at the sides of the British and Canadian Commandos " Operation Jubilee ".

During the hard Normandy campaign, the commandos remained in first line (sector the Lime pit - Amfreville) and fought until August 27th, 1944, then the Battalion was recomplété in Great Britain for future missions. In November 1944, the 1st B.F.M.C was unloaded on the island of Walcheren in Holland seized as a combatant Flessingue within the framework an operation combined allied with the British commandos.

Today, two of the five commandos marine bear the name of an officer of the 1st died B.F.M.C to the Field of honor:

Commando Hubert (Naval frogmen of the COS)
Commando Trepel

Moreover current commandos preserved the British green beret, the badge come from their Old and the fodder ones gained during many brilliant deeds.

After the war

The finished war, Philippe Kieffer leaves the army and is elected general adviser of the Calvados in September 1945, under Fighting the France label MRP, it resigns on June 2nd, 1946 of it after its failure with the legislative elections. It is also city council man Grandcamp-the-Baths.

Member of the Consultative Assembly in 1945, it took part after the war in the Staff of the Interallied Forces. He is named commander in 1954.

He was to advise on the film the longest day in 1962. Its book of memories, green Beret , published in 1948, is traditional kind.

Distinctions

Commander of the Legion of Honor
Companion of the Release - decree of August 28th, 1944
Military Cross 1939-1945 (4 quotations)
Military Cross-country race (GB)

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