Editing Pierre Messmer (section)

== Early career ==

Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer was born in [[Vincennes]] in 1916. He graduated in 1936 in the language school [[ENLOV]] and the following year at the ''[[Ecole nationale de la France d'outre-mer]]'' (National School of Oversea France).<ref name=Monde /> 

He then became a senior civil servant in the colonial administration and became a [[Doctor of Laws]] in 1939. In the outbreak of World War II, he was [[sous-lieutenant]] of the 12th regiment of [[Senegalese tirailleurs]], and refused France's capitulation after the [[Battle of France|defeat]].<ref name=Monde /> He then hijacked in [[Marseille]] an Italian cargo ship (the ''Capo Olmo''), along with his friend [[:fr: Jean Simon| Jean Simon]] (a future French General), and sailed first to Gibraltar, then London and engaged himself in the [[Free French Forces]] as a member of the [[13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion|13th Demi-Brigade]] of the [[French Foreign Legion]].<ref name=Monde /><ref name=Fig /> 

Messmer then participated to the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|campaign in Eritrea]], [[Syria-Lebanon campaign|in Syria]], [[Western Desert Campaign|in Libya]], participating to the [[Battle of Bir Hakeim]], and in the [[Tunisia campaign]].<ref name=Monde /> He also fought at the [[Second Battle of El Alamein|Battle of El Alamein]] in Egypt.<ref name=RFI>[http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/092/article_55853.asp Messmer, légionnaire et baron gaulliste] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902072154/http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/092/article_55853.asp |date=2 September 2007 }}, ''[[Radio France International]]'', 30 August 2007 {{in lang|fr}}</ref> He joined in London [[Marie-Pierre Kœnig|General Koenig]]'s military staff and participated in [[Operation Overlord|the landings in Normandy in August 1944]] and the [[Liberation of Paris]].<ref name=Monde />

Named ''[[Compagnon de la Libération]]'' in 1941,<ref name=Fig /> he received the ''[[Croix de guerre 1939–1945|Croix de guerre]]'' (War Cross) with six citations after the Liberation, as well as the [[medal of the Resistance]].<ref name=Monde />