leclerc-layout_Layout 1 9/29/11 8:16 AM Page iii FREE FRANCE’S LION The Life of Philippe Leclerc, de Gaulle’s Greatest General WILLIAM MORTIMER MOORE Philadelphia & Newbury leclerc-layout_Layout 1 9/29/11 8:16 AM Page iv Published in the United States of America and Great Britain in 2011 by CASEMATE PUBLISHERS 908 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083 and 17 Cheap Street, Newbury RG14 5DD Copyright 2011 © William Mortimer Moore ISBN 978-1-61200-068-8 Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-61200-080-0 Cataloging-in-publication data is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, record - ing or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed and bound in the United States of America. For a complete list of Casemate titles please contact: CASEMATE PUBLISHERS (US) Telephone (610) 853-9131, Fax (610) 853-9146 E-mail:
[email protected] CASEMATE PUBLISHERS (UK) Telephone (01635) 231091, Fax (01635) 41619 E-mail:
[email protected] leclerc-layout_Layout 1 9/29/11 8:16 AM Page v CONTENTS FOREWORD by Martin Windrow vii MAPS xi PREFACE—DEATH IN THE DESERT 1 CHAPTER 1: A TRUE SON OF FRANCE 15 CHAPTER 2: LA CHUT E— THE FALL OF FRANCE 51 CHAPTER 3: DE GAULLE’S MAN IN AFRICA 72 CHAPTER 4: ANNOYING THE ITALIANS 95 CHAPTER 5: CONSOLIDATING, RAIDING, AND PLANNING 125 CHAPTER 6: A VERY ENGLISH