Auguste-Édouard Gilliaert (7 March 1894 – 10 May 1973) was a Belgian colonial lieutenant general who served in both world wars, and a commander of the Force Publique in the Belgian Congo.
Auguste Gilliaert
Auguste Gilliaert (second from right) with Force Publique personnel in Italian East Africa, 1941
After joining the Belgian Army in 1910, Gilliaert received an officer's commission in July 1914. With the outbreak of World War I, he fought in battles along the Yser River, near Ostende. In 1916, he volunteered for service in Central Africa, in what was then the Belgian Congo, and took part as a captain in the East Africa Campaign fighting in German East Africa. Gilliaert returned to Belgium in 1919, commanding units at home and in occupied Germany.
World War IIedit
By World War II, Major-General Gilliaert was the commander of the "Belgian Expeditionary Forces" in East Africa during the East African Campaign of World War II. The Belgian Expeditionary Force was a Free Belgian colonial unit composed of troops from the Belgian Congo. In July 1941, Gilliaert cut off the retreat of Italian General Pietro Gazzera in Ethiopia and accepted the surrender of Gazzera's 7,000 troops.[1]
After the successful conclusion of the campaign in East Africa, a part of the Force Publique was re-designated the 1st Belgian Congo Brigade Group and served in a garrison and rear-area security role in Cairo, Egypt and in British Palestine from 1943 to 1944.[2] Gilliaert commanded the road march of the 2,000 man brigade on a journey of some 7,000 kilometers from Lagos to Cairo without losing a single man.[3] Gilliaert was made commander of the Force Publique in July 1944 and promoted to lieutenant-general in October 1951.
Gilliaert returned to Belgium in March 1954 and retired on 1 April 1955.
Command historyedit
General Officer Commanding, Belgian Expeditionary Forces East Africa – 1941
Commander of the Force Publique – 1944
Awardsedit
Commander of the Order of the African Star with Palm
Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Biography of Auguste-Édouard Gilliaert (in French)
Archive Auguste Gilliaert, Royal museum for central Africa
January 01, 1970
auguste, gilliaert, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Auguste Gilliaert news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Auguste Edouard Gilliaert 7 March 1894 10 May 1973 was a Belgian colonial lieutenant general who served in both world wars and a commander of the Force Publique in the Belgian Congo Auguste GilliaertAuguste Gilliaert second from right with Force Publique personnel in Italian East Africa 1941Born 1894 03 07 7 March 1894Sint Pieters op den Dijk Bruges BelgiumDied10 May 1973 1973 05 10 aged 79 BelgiumAllegiance Belgium Belgian CongoService wbr branchBelgian Army 1910 16 1919 37 1954 55 Force Publique 1916 19 1937 54 Years of service1910 55RankLieutenant generalCommands heldForce PubliqueBattles warsWorld War I German invasion of Belgium Yser Front East African Campaign World War II East African Campaign Siege of Saio Contents 1 Career 1 1 Early life and World War I 1 2 World War II 2 Command history 3 Awards 4 References 5 External linksCareer editEarly life and World War I edit After joining the Belgian Army in 1910 Gilliaert received an officer s commission in July 1914 With the outbreak of World War I he fought in battles along the Yser River near Ostende In 1916 he volunteered for service in Central Africa in what was then the Belgian Congo and took part as a captain in the East Africa Campaign fighting in German East Africa Gilliaert returned to Belgium in 1919 commanding units at home and in occupied Germany World War II edit By World War II Major General Gilliaert was the commander of the Belgian Expeditionary Forces in East Africa during the East African Campaign of World War II The Belgian Expeditionary Force was a Free Belgian colonial unit composed of troops from the Belgian Congo In July 1941 Gilliaert cut off the retreat of Italian General Pietro Gazzera in Ethiopia and accepted the surrender of Gazzera s 7 000 troops 1 After the successful conclusion of the campaign in East Africa a part of the Force Publique was re designated the 1st Belgian Congo Brigade Group and served in a garrison and rear area security role in Cairo Egypt and in British Palestine from 1943 to 1944 2 Gilliaert commanded the road march of the 2 000 man brigade on a journey of some 7 000 kilometers from Lagos to Cairo without losing a single man 3 Gilliaert was made commander of the Force Publique in July 1944 and promoted to lieutenant general in October 1951 Gilliaert returned to Belgium in March 1954 and retired on 1 April 1955 Command history editGeneral Officer Commanding Belgian Expeditionary Forces East Africa 1941 Commander of the Force Publique 1944Awards editCommander of the Order of the African Star with Palm Honorary Commander of the Order of the British EmpireReferences edit Forgotten Allies Vol 1 p 44 Foreign Volunteers of the Allied Forces 1939 45 p 17 www deplate beExternal links editwww deplate be Biography of Auguste Edouard Gilliaert in French Archive Auguste Gilliaert Royal museum for central Africa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Auguste Gilliaert amp oldid 1163810391, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
