▁the ▁French ▁military ▁a cademy , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁After ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁French ▁Occ up ation ▁of ▁the ▁Ru hr ▁and ▁in ▁Mor oc co , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Saint - C yr ▁as ▁an ▁instruct or . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁cro ix ▁de ▁guerre ▁des ▁thé â tres ▁d ' op ér ations ▁ext érie ures ▁for ▁leading ▁g ou mi ers ▁in ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁c aves ▁and ▁rav ines ▁on ▁Bou ▁Am d oun ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁he ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁who ▁def ied ▁his ▁government ' s ▁Arm ist ice ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁way ▁to ▁Britain ▁to ▁fight ▁with ▁the ▁so - called ▁Free ▁French ▁under ▁General ▁Charles ▁de ▁Ga ulle , ▁adopt ing ▁the ▁nom ▁de ▁guerre ▁of ▁L ec ler c ▁so ▁that ▁his ▁wife ▁and ▁children ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁put ▁at ▁risk ▁if ▁his ▁name ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁papers . ▁He ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁French ▁Equ atorial ▁Africa , ▁where ▁he ▁r al lied ▁local ▁leaders ▁to ▁the ▁re bel ▁Free ▁French ▁cause , ▁and ▁led ▁a ▁force ▁against ▁Gab on , ▁whose ▁leaders ▁supported ▁the ▁French ▁Government . ▁From ▁Ch ad ▁he ▁led ▁ra ids ▁into ▁Italian ▁Lib ya . ▁After ▁his ▁forces ▁captured ▁K uf ra , ▁he ▁had ▁his ▁men ▁swe ar ▁an ▁o ath ▁known ▁today ▁as ▁the ▁Ser ment ▁de ▁K ou