Life and death of Philippe Kieffer
Introduction
Philippe Kieffer was a French naval officer and the founder and commander of the Free French Commandos during the Second World War. Best known for leading the 177 French commandos who landed on Sword Beach on D-Day, he became one of the most prominent figures of the Free French Forces. Under his leadership, French volunteers trained alongside British commandos and participated in raids, special operations and the liberation of Western Europe. Kieffer's name remains closely associated with the only French unit to land in the first assault waves on 6 June 1944.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Philippe François Kieffer
Born: 24 October 1899, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Died: 20 November 1962, Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France
Nationality: French
Service: Free French Naval Forces (FNFL)
Rank: Capitaine de Frégate (Commander)
Known For: Founder and commander of the Free French Commandos
Major Operations: Dieppe Raid, Normandy Landings, Walcheren Campaign
D-Day Role: Commander of the 177 French commandos who landed on Sword Beach
Awards: Companion of the Liberation, Commander of the Legion of Honour, Croix de Guerre 1939–1945, Military Cross (United Kingdom), Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Early Life
Philippe François Kieffer was born on 24 October 1899 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His father was of Alsatian origin and his mother was English, giving him an international upbringing from an early age. He later moved to the United States, where he studied at La Salle Extension University in Chicago.
Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Kieffer worked in banking and international business. His professional career exposed him to different cultures and languages, and he became fluent in both French and English. These language skills would later prove invaluable when working closely with British military authorities and commandos during the war.
Second World War and the Birth of the Commandos
When the Second World War began in September 1939, the forty-year-old Kieffer volunteered for military service. Commissioned as a reserve officer in the French Navy, he served aboard the battleship Courbet and was later assigned to the Northern Fleet headquarters during the Battle of Dunkirk. Refusing to accept the French surrender following the German invasion, Kieffer escaped to England on 19 June 1940. On 1 July 1940, the day the organization was officially established, he joined the Forces Navales Françaises Libres (FNFL), the Free French Naval Forces led by supporters of General Charles de Gaulle.
Initially employed as a translator and cipher officer because of his fluency in English, Kieffer became fascinated by the aggressive tactics and effectiveness of the newly formed British Commandos. With the support of Admiral Émile Muselier, he received permission in May 1941 to create a French commando unit modelled on the British example. The volunteers were incorporated into No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando and underwent the demanding commando training course at Achnacarry in Scotland. Kieffer was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau in July 1942, and his men participated in their first major combat operation during the Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee) on 19 August 1942.
Throughout 1943, the unit expanded and carried out reconnaissance missions, raids and sabotage operations along the occupied coastlines of France and the Netherlands. By early 1944, Kieffer commanded the 1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins Commandos, consisting of 177 highly trained volunteers, including several Luxembourgish personnel. The battalion was attached to No. 4 Commando within the 1st Special Service Brigade.
D-Day and the Liberation of France
On 6 June 1944, Kieffer's commandos became the only French unit to land in the first assault wave of the Normandy invasion. At approximately 07:31, recently promoted to capitaine de corvette, Kieffer led his men ashore at Sword Beach near Ouistreham. The French commandos immediately came under heavy German fire while advancing toward their objectives. During the fighting, Kieffer was wounded twice by shrapnel in the leg. Despite his injuries, he refused evacuation and remained with his men during the critical opening phase of the battle.
The commandos successfully captured key positions around Ouistreham and advanced inland, linking up with British airborne troops from the 6th Airborne Division near Pegasus Bridge. During the Normandy campaign, the battalion suffered heavy casualties, with 21 men killed and 93 wounded. After a brief recovery period, Kieffer rejoined his unit on 14 June 1944 and participated in the advance toward the Seine estuary and Honfleur. In August 1944, Kieffer and two of his commandos were among the first members of the Free French Forces to enter liberated Paris.
At approximately the same time, his eighteen-year-old son, who had joined the French Resistance, was killed by German forces near the capital.
Operations in the Netherlands
By October 1944, the French commandos had expanded into a larger battalion consisting of three companies. Kieffer led his men during the amphibious assaults on Vlissingen and Walcheren Island as part of the campaign to clear the Scheldt Estuary and open the vital port of Antwerp to Allied shipping. The commandos fought alongside British and Canadian forces in difficult conditions against determined German resistance.
Following the capture of Walcheren, Kieffer's men continued operations against German positions on the occupied Dutch islands until the final months of the war.
Post-War Career
Following the liberation of Europe, Kieffer remained active in public service. In 1945, he was appointed to the French Consultative Assembly and later served within the Inter-Allied Forces Headquarters. His wartime achievements earned him numerous French and foreign decorations. He continued to serve in the French Navy Reserve and was promoted to capitaine de frégate in 1954.
Death
After suffering from a long illness, Philippe Kieffer died on 20 November 1962 in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France, at the age of sixty-three. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried in Grandcamp-Maisy, Calvados, in the Normandy region that he had helped liberate eighteen years earlier. Today, Kieffer remains one of the most celebrated figures of the Free French Forces, and the French naval commandos continue to honour his legacy.
Key Dates
24 October 1899: Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
September 1939: Volunteers for service in the French Navy.
19 June 1940: Escapes to England following the French collapse.
1 July 1940: Joins the Free French Naval Forces (FNFL).
May 1941: Receives authorization to form a French commando unit.
July 1942: Promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau.
19 August 1942: Participates in the Dieppe Raid.
6 June 1944: Leads the French commandos ashore on Sword Beach during D-Day.
14 June 1944: Rejoins his unit after recovering from wounds.
August 1944: Among the first Free French soldiers to enter liberated Paris.
October 1944: Participates in the Walcheren Campaign and liberation of the Scheldt Estuary.
1945: Appointed to the French Consultative Assembly.
1954: Promoted to capitaine de frégate.
20 November 1962: Dies in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France.
