Koenig, Lt-General Marie Pierre

Koenig, Lt-General Marie Pierre (1898–1970),commander of the Western Desert 1st Free French Brigade at Bir Hakeim which, in June 1942, held off Rommel's forces for ten days during the Gazala battle.

Koenig fought with the 13 Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion during the Norwegian campaign and after the fall of France in June 1940, against the advice of family, friends, and brother officers, he joined de Gaulle. After taking part in the Dakar expedition he fought in the Gabon campaign and was promoted to lt-colonel in December 1940. He then served as chief of staff to General Paul Legentilhomme, the commander of the French forces which fought in the Syrian campaign of June 1941, was promoted colonel and then brigadier-general, and was given command of the 1st Free French Brigade in the Western Desert.

Bir Hakeim did much to restore French military prestige in the eyes of the world, and the stubbornness of its defence was largely due to Koenig's fighting qualities. He then fought with the Eighth British Army during the remainder of the Western Desert campaigns and in the North African campaign. Promoted maj-general in May 1943, he was appointed assistant chief of staff of French ground forces in North Africa that August before moving to the UK in April 1944 to hold three appointments simultaneously: the delegate to SHAEF of the French Committee for National Liberation; C-in-C French Forces in the UK; and commander of the French Forces of the Interior (see FFI). He was promoted lt-general in June 1944 and became the military governor of Paris when the capital was liberated (see also Paris rising). After the war, he commanded French occupation troops in Germany and was promoted general.