Jean-Marie Charles Abrial

Jean-Marie Charles Abrial (17 December 1879, Réalmont - 19 December 1962, Dourgne) was a French Admiral and Minister of Marine of France. He fought in both World Wars, and was known mostly for his activity at Dunkirk in 1940.citebook|last=Baudot|first=Marcel|title=The Historical Encyclopedia or World War II|year=1980|publisher=Facts on File Inc.|isbn=0-87196-401-5|pages=1]

Early years

Abrial started his career in 1896 when he started at the French Naval Academy and with his first post as a Midshipman in 1898citebook|last=Tucker|first=Spencer C.|title=Who's Who In Twentieth-Century Warfare|year=2001|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415234972|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=zeN37uwbr3YC&pg=PA2&ots=MerriXwXqQ&dq=Jean+Abrial+%2B+war&sig=LTEQpWdzcC_dUJRd5e_vq9UOcv4|page=1] During World War I, Abriel served in command of a high seas patrol boat until 1917 when he joined the Naval Ministry's anti-submarine division. In 1920 he was promoted to commander after which he started as commander of a torpedo boat and then eventually an entire squadron of torpedo boats positioned in the Mediterranean Sea.

Promotions

After his time at sea, he started studies at the Naval War College which, in 1925, led to his promotion to captain. As captain he commanded a cruiser in 1927 and served as a commanding officer of the 1st Squadron at Toulon. In 1930 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and in 1936 to Vice Admiral after which he commanded the Mediterranean squandron through 1938. In 1939 he was charged with protecting French overseas trade as well as the north coast of France and the following year was named Commander in Chief of the northern naval forces by General Maxime Weygand.

World War II

Abiral worked in cooperation with the British troops during the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940 even though he had not been informed prior to the operation. The operation began on May 26 with the requisitioning of several private boats in attempts to organize assistance from the French Maritime. On May 29 the evacuation began where Abrial was one of the last to be evacuated. After evacuation, Abrial was based in Cherbourg where he was forced to surrender the port to the Germans on June 19 as the senior officer. From July 1940 to July 1941, he served as the governor general of Algeria. He was then appointed by Pierre Laval to Secretary of Navy and commander of naval force Pierre Laval on November 18 1942.

Collaboration

In 1945, Abrial was arrested and charged with collaboration for which he lost his pension.In 1946 he was sentenced by the High Court of France to 10 years of forced labor and subjected to a position of national indignity for collaboration with the Nazis. In December 1947 he was granted provisional release and in 1954 he was granted amnesty.

References

External links

* [http://www.ihtp.cnrs.fr/prefets/kurzbiographien_cv.html Dictionnaire biographique]