Auguste-Éduard Gilliaert

Auguste-Éduard Gilliaert (born 1894) was an officer in the Belgian Army during World War II.

Lieutenant-General Gilliaert was the commander of the "Belgian Expeditionary Forces" in East Africa during the East African Campaign. The "Belgian Expeditionary Forces" was a Free Belgian colonial unit composed of troops from Belgium and 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. [Forgotten Allies, Vol. 1, p. 44.]

After the successful conclusion of the campaign in East Africa, the 1st Belgian Colonial Brigade was re-designated the Belgian Colonial Motor Brigade Group and served in a garrison and rear-area security role in Cairo, Egypt and in British Palestine from 1943 to 1944. Foreign Volunteers of the Allied Forces, 1939-45, p. 17]

Command history

* General Officer Commanding, Belgian Expeditionary Forces, East Africa - 1941

ee also

* Force Publique

References