April 15 marks the day when Lieutenant Colonel Maurice Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was killed during the war in Algeria, in 1957. At the time, he was the temporary commander of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI). Almost-forgotten officer of the Foreign Legion, this article was written to honor his memory.
Maurice Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was born on November 25, 1911, in Brest, France. He decided to pursue a military career and entered, in 1931, the prestigious Saint-Cyr military academy, where he attended the “Tafilalet” class. In 1933, he graduated and immediately chose to serve with the famous Foreign Legion in North Africa.
His first assignment as a fresh second lieutenant was with the Mortars & Radio Operator Training Company of the DCRE in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria (the Legion’s main garrison town, until 1962). Shortly afterward, in 1935, he was transferred to the 2e REI in Morocco. First, he served as an instructor in the Team Leader Platoon. Later, the young officer became a platoon leader with the regiment’s Mounted Company.
After the outbreak of WWII, now Lieutenant de Vaugrigneuse returned to France and was assigned to the 11e REI in November 1939. In early May 1940, he was promoted to captain. From May to June, he participated with the regiment in numerous fights against Germans during the Battle of France; he was wounded twice.
Following the Armistice of June 1940, Captain Brochet de Vaugrigneuse rejoined the DCRE in Algeria. In August 1941, he left for Senegal in French West Africa, as a member of the 2nd Battalion, 4e DBLE (demi-brigade; successor to the 4e REI). He commanded the 5th Company. The 4e DBLE returned to North Africa in early 1943 to take part in the Tunisia Campaign alongside the Allies. Upon the end of the campaign and the defeat of the Axis in Africa, his unit helped to form the Foreign Legion Operational Regiment (RMLE, future 3e REI), where he kept command of the 5th Company. With the RMLE, he participated in fierce battles in France and Southern Germany until May 1945. In June of that year, he was promoted to major.
When the war ended, Major Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was assigned to the HQ staff of the 7th Military Region in France, then to the 41st Infantry Regiment. Because of health issues associated with war injuries, he was not allowed to take part in the First Indochina War (1946-1954). In 1953, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and transferred to the HQ staff of the French forces stationed in Germany. The next year, due to his great support of Legion recruitment in Germany, Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was named an honorary corporal of his beloved Foreign Legion. Finally, in early May 1956, he rejoined it and became second-in-command of the 3e REI, stationed in Algeria. At the time, a large campaign against the insurgency was taking place in the country: the Algerian War.
On April 15, 1957, a fierce battle with rebels occurred north of El Milia, a town in the mountainous Petite Kabylie region of northeastern Algeria, and a new HQ of the regiment. While on patrol, two platoons of the 2nd Company 3e REI were heavily attacked near the small village of M’Chatt. In the densely forested terrain, no more than 40 legionnaires led by a lieutenant faced over 200 fellagas (local rebels).
At that time, Lt. Colonel Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was the regiment’s temporary commanding officer. To help his isolated men locate the enemy position in the difficult terrain, he immediately traveled via helicopter from El Milia to the site of the battle. To better recognize figures on the ground, he asked the pilot to descend. Suddenly, a burst of gunfire hit the air. The colonel had the strength to murmur, “I am hit,” and collapsed on his seat. The wound was mortal, and he died shortly afterward. That day, another 11 legionnaires were killed during the fierce six-hour battle.
Commander of the Legion of Honor, Lieutenant Colonel Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was cited (mentioned in dispatches) seven times. He was awarded the Second World War Cross with four citations, including two at the Army level—the highest possible citation in France. He was also awarded the Colonial Medal with the “Tunisia 1942-1943” clasp, the North Africa Commemorative Medal with the “Algeria” clasp, the Military Valor Cross, and the U.S. Bronze Star Medal.
Lieutenant Colonel Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was 45 years old, had been married since 1944, and was the father of two sons.
For the record, he and Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Jeanpierre from the 1er REP (who was killed in Algeria one year and one month later, in late May 1958) remain the highest-ranking Foreign Legion officers killed in action after the end of the Indochina War (1954). Coincidentally, they both died while navigating their men in helicopters.



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