![]() ![]() On March 1st, the Italian garrison of the El Ag fort surrendered, and the Free French flag was hoisted over it. Guided by a British Long Range Desert Group patrol, the Colonne Leclerc hit the Italians in the back, from the desert, at the Kufra oasis. In January 1941, he led a strong column of 5.000 Tirailleurs, a few camel riders and one single 75mm howitzer through 400 km of desert considered impassable to vehicles. With Free France now having some territorial foundations, Leclerc prepared for the next step: bringing the fight back to the enemy. De Gaulle promoted him once again and appointed him military commander of Chad. Landing with 20 men in Cameroon, in two weeks he delivered Chad & Gabon to Free France. ![]() Changing his name to Leclerc to avoid retribution against his family in France, he set about his task. From Spain, he went to London where he met general de Gaulle, the two of them instantly going along well.ĭe Gaulle promoted him to lieutenant colonel and gave him the mission to rally French Equatorial Africa to Free France. Then he proceeded to cross France from Champagne to the Spanish border, mostly on a bicycle, avoiding capture. A staff captain in the 4e division d’infanterie, he was captured but managed to escape, returned to French lines to fight again, was wounded and captured a second time, but escaped again from the hospital he was kept in. Leclerc’s saga starts during the Fall of France. ![]()
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