François Frix Michelier (8 February 1887 – 23 May 1966) was a French admiral who served in both World War I and World War II. He is best known for commanding French forces during the Naval Battle of Casablanca.
Frix Michelier | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 February 1887 Grenoble, France |
| Died | 23 May 1966 (aged 79) Toulouse, France |
| Service/ | French Navy |
| Years of service | 1907–1943 |
| Rank | Vice admiral |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Biography edit
In 1907, Michelier enrolled in the French Naval Academy at the age of 20.[1] During the First World War, he held several commands and functions; Most notably, he was briefly a liaison and intelligence officer with the Royal Navy.
On 10 November 1928 Michelier was promoted to the rank of Frigate captain.[1] He was promoted to deputy director of Military Personnel of the Fleet at the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies. Then on 6 March 1938 Michelier was appointed to vice-president of the French Navy technical committee and as president of the higher shipwreck commission.[1] He was then assigned as head of fleet construction for the French Naval Ministry.
World War II edit
On 29 September 1939 Michelier was promoted to Major General of the Navy. He then became the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Navy on 18 June 1940. During the Battle of France, Michelier along with most of the French Naval general staff were captured by the German Army in the town Rochefort.[2] The general staff were released shortly after their capture and Michelier became a member of the French delegation to the German Armistice Commission on 1 July 1940. Later in July 1941 he became the interim president of the comminison.[3] On 25 March 1941, Michelier was promoted to squadron vice-admiral. He was then made commander of the vichy naval forces station in Morocco and as commander and chief of the Atlantic theater of operations.[4] He arrived in Morocco on 20 October 1941. He was placed under the direct command of the Vichy French Ministry of the Navy for all naval operations. Michelier was also placed under the command of Residents-General of Morocco Charles Noguès and served as commander of the Casablanca-Rabat sector.[5]
Allied landings in North Africa edit
Michelier was warned of the upcoming Allied landing in Morocco by General Antoine Béthouart. However, Michelier and Noguès give no credibility to the information given. He informs Noguès (who also received information from Béthouart) of the lack of confirmation of this potential Allied operation, while nevertheless knowing that a convoy is passing Gibraltar towards the east. After the landing on the 8th, Michelier coordinated the defense and did not stop the fire until 11 November. He continued resisting even after receiving a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief of the French Armed Forces Admiral François Darlan to stop resisting. Michelier believed that Darlan was already captured thereby invalidating him from issuing orders.[5] Additionally, Michelier had received orders from Darlan two weeks earlier that he was to hold out until the end if the allies attacked. He also received information from Admiral Gabriel Auphan that Vichy French leader Marshal Philippe Pétain wished for Michelier to resist an allied invasion to his full capacity if one were to occur.[6]
After the ceasefire, Michelier was more cooperative with the Allies, even wishing to repair both Allied and French damaged ships to resume fighting against the Germans.[7] Under Darlan's orders, he retained the role commander in chief of the navy in the Atlantic.[8] However, after Darlan's assassination, he was dismissed from his position and placed on leave that June.[8] After clashes with Admiral Philippe Auboyneau in May, Free French leader Charles de Gaulle requested his replacement; Michelier was relieved of his duties on 7 July 1943 and was automatically retired in December of the same year.[9]
After the war edit
Michelier was brought before a French court on the charges of treason, but he was able to get case dismissed on the grounds he was carrying out the orders of the Admiralty.[10] He testified during Noguès treason trial before the French High Court. Michelier died in 1966 in Toulouse.
References edit
- ^ a b c Guy, Raïssac (1972). De la marine à la justice: l'orage d'une fin d'été la "drôle de guerre" aux abords de la Beauce, les remous d'une résurrection, un seigneur de la justice: Pierre Caous. Éditions Albin Michel. p. 75.
- ^ Ballande, Henri (1972). De l'amirauté à Bikini: Souvenirs des jours sans joie. Presses de la Cité. ISBN 978-2-258-18972-0.
- ^ Frank, Sarah Ann (July 2021). Hostages of Empire: Colonial Prisoners of War in Vichy France. University of Nebraska Press. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-4962-2704-1.
- ^ Paxton, Robert Ann (January 2004). L'Armée de Vichy. Le corps des officiers français. Tallandier. ISBN 979-10-210-1677-4.
- ^ a b Théolleyre, Jean-Marc (October 27, 1956). "L'amiral Michelier a donné à la Haute Cour les raisons de son attitude lors du débarquement de 1942". Le Monde. Archived from the original on May 11, 2024. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
- ^ Schmitt, Maurice (1995-12-31). Le Double Jeu du Maréchal : légende ou réalité. Presses de la Cité. ISBN 978-2-258-12866-8.
- ^ Symonds, Craig; Mawdsley, Evan (14 July 2020). "The War for the Seas: A Maritime History of World War II". Naval War College Review. 73 (3). ISSN 0028-1484. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
- ^ a b Valode, Philippe (May 28, 2020). De Gaulle, un homme dans l'Histoire. L'Archipel. ISBN 978-2-8098-2832-0.
- ^ Valode, Philippe (June 20, 2014). Le destin des hommes de Pétain. Nouveau Monde éditions. ISBN 978-2-36583-989-1.
- ^ Gounelle, Claude (January 1966). De Vichy à Montoire. Presses de la Cité. ISBN 978-2-258-18894-5.