Marcel Alessandri (1895-1968) was a French army officer, active during World War I, World War II and the Indochina War.
Family origins
He was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer on July 23, 1895.
Military career
First World War
Admitted to the special military school of Saint-Cyr on July 1, 1914, he joined the promotion "La Grande Revanche". He was assigned to the 39th Infantry Regiment for employment. Within this regiment then within the 123rd and 8th infantry regiments, he took part in the operations of the First World War. In 1915, he fought in the Bois d'Auderne, at Les Eparges in Champagne; in 1916, he was on the Somme, in Verdun and Craonne; in 1917, it is Flanders and finally he fights in Soissons, Coucy le Château, Saint Marc. He was wounded on September 12, 1916, by a bullet in the wrist. He wins 6 citations and the Knight's Cross of the Legion of Honor.
Appointments - promotions:
Second Lieutenant on December 5, 1914,
Lieutenant on March 19, 1916
Captain on July 5, 1917.
Between the wars
After an internship at the ESM, he chose the colonial infantry and joined the 7th colonial infantry regiment on September 16, 1919 then the 14th battalion of Senegalese skirmishers in Morocco. The pacification columns from 1919 to 1922 engaged him against the Beni Ouarain and he distinguished himself in M'Soussa and Kessarat Khemis, in Goufra Oued M'Lousa - Taza - Ras Arhas - 1920 -, Aïn Souk... - 1921 - Chouf ech Cherg, Teniet M'Sanier – 1927 - Tazzarine Taghbelt - High Atlas (Imdghas, Aghembou, Donoughz) 1932.
He won a citation with a war cross from theaters of external operations. His temporary rank of captain was definitively confirmed on March 25, 1920.
He then served in the 2nd Tonkin Marching Battalion, which he joined on April 8, 1922, which became the 21st Colonial Infantry Regiment a few days later. He was assigned to French West Africa in the 3rd Battalion of Senegalese Riflemen on March 21, 1923. He then joined the 34th Mixed Colonial Infantry Battalion on July 8, 1925 and then the 29th Colonial Infantry Regiment on December 14 of the same year. On November 1, 1928, he joined the war school where he remained until 1930. That year, he was promoted to battalion commander on March 25. Made available to the General Commanding Superior of the troops of Morocco on August 26, 1930, he joined the staff of the Taza region then took command of the 6th regiment of Senegalese skirmishers on November 3, 1932. During this period, he took part in the pacification operations where he won a citation in June 1933. Repatriated to France, he served successively on the staff of the colonial troops from 1934 to 1935, then he was appointed instructor at the war school with an assignment to the 21st colonial infantry regiment. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 17, 1936.
Promotions:
Battalion commander in 1930
Lieutenant-colonel on March 17, 1936
World War II
Called to serve in Tonkin, he quit his job on April 12, 1939 and went to Indochina. Deputy Chief then Chief of Staff to the Superior Commanding General from November 16, 1939, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel on March 25, 1941.
The military attaché in Tokyo, colonel of the infantry designated in the normal turn to replace colonel de Cadoudal corps commander of the 5e REI cannot return to his post. This is entrusted to Colonel Alessandri, of the colonial infantry.
In November, he was appointed head of the 2nd Tonkin Brigade. Appointed brigadier general on May 20, 1943, he took command of the “West of the Red River” group. He was promoted to general of division on a temporary basis. When the Japanese seized French Indochina on March 9, 1945, giving it independence, he then crossed the border of the Republic of China with the survivors of the Japanese coup, whom history will remember under the name of "Colonne Alessandri", on June 11, 1945 and took the superior command of the French troops in China and the title of General Delegate of the Government.
Promotion and appointments:
Colonel in 1941
Brigadier General in 1943
Indochina War
From August to October 1945, he was delegate of the high commissioner for the northern Indochinese zone and in 1946, he was appointed commissioner of the Republic and military commander in Cambodia. He chaired the Dalat conference in August 1946.
After seven years in the Far East, he was repatriated on July 23, 1946. First made available to the Minister, he returned to Indochina. On August 17, 1948, he took command of the land forces in the Far East and then that of North Vietnam. Following the RC4 affair, he was replaced and repatriated on November 10, 1950.
He served on the staff of the colonial troops after being exonerated by General June's report on the events of Cao Bang, he left the army in 1955.
Awards
Titles of French decorations
Knight (1916), officer (1930), commander (1945) and Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor (1950)
Medal of the Resistance (JO of March 20, 48)
War Cross 1914-1918
War Cross 1939-1945
War Cross for External Theaters of Operations
Colonial medal with "Morocco" "Indochina" clasps
Commemorative medal of the 1914-1918 war
Inter-allied medal known as Victory
Commemorative medal for the 1939-1945 war
Commemorative medal for the Indochina campaign
Titles of foreign decorations
Commander of Ouissam Alaouite -
Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia
Military Medal of Cambodia
Resistance Medal of Cambodia Laos
Order of the British Bath
Quotes
Division (OG n°36 with war cross 14/18 1915
Division (OG n° 19 with war cross 14/18 1916
Army JO of 23 11 16 with war cross 14/18 1916
OG regiment n° 22 "R" with war cross 14/18 1917
OG regiment n° 555 with war cross 14/18 1917
Division (OG n° 240 with war cross 14/18 1918
Division (OG n° 1 with war cross of TOE 1922
Army OG n° 57 with war cross of TOE 1933
Army JO of 21 06 46 with war cross 39/45 1945
Army Dec n° 17 with war cross 39/45 1947
Army Dec n°2 3 with war cross TOE 1950
Army Dec No. 38 with TOE 1951 War Cross