Roger Gavoury
Encyclopedia
Roger Gavoury, born 7 April, 1911 at Mello
, in Oise. Gavouy was Divisional Commissaire
of the French National Police and Central Commissaire of Algiers, in addition to duties associated with French Morocco
. He was assassinated by two members of the OAS
, Claude Piegts
and Albert Dovecar
, at the direction of Roger Degueldre
. Gavoury was stabbed to death in his studio on the Rue du Docteur Trolard in Algiers
on 31 May, 1961, eight days after beginning an investigation into the OAS. Piegts and Dovecar were condemned to death on 30 March 1962 by a military tribunal in Paris, and shot by firing squad on 7 June 1962. Delgueldre was also condemned to death and was executed on 6 July 1962.
Gavoury started his police career at Hazebrouck
in 1936, occupying a variety of posts. He participated in the organization of the national police force of French Morocco between 1956 and 1959. Gavoury was assigned to Algiers beginning in 1960, retaining responsibilities in Morocco. His apartment in Algiers was bombed on 14 April 1961 during the Algerian War. Gavoury was at his family home in Charleville-Mézières
at the time of the Algiers putsch of 1961. Gavoury immediately returned to Algiers, where he was killed a month later. Three more commissaires were killed that year in Algiers.
Mello, Oise
Mello is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise....
, in Oise. Gavouy was Divisional Commissaire
Commissaire de police
Commissaire de police is a rank in the French National Police. Every commune with a population of more than 30,000-50,000 has a commissaire in charge of its police force and larger communes have more than one...
of the French National Police and Central Commissaire of Algiers, in addition to duties associated with French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
. He was assassinated by two members of the OAS
Organisation armée secrète
The Organisation de l'armée secrète was a short-lived, French far-right nationalist militant and underground organization during the Algerian War . The OAS used armed struggle in an attempt to prevent Algeria's independence...
, Claude Piegts
Claude Piegts
Claude Piegts, born 1 January 1934 at Castiglione, French Algeria, shot by firing squad in France at the Fort du Trou d'Enfer 7 June 1962, was a pied-noir and a member of the Organisation de l'armée secrète...
and Albert Dovecar
Albert Dovecar
Albert Dovecar was a sergeant in the French 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment of the French Foreign Legion. He was executed by firing squad at the Fort du Trou d'Enfer for his part in the assassination of French National Police Divisional Commissaire Roger Gavoury during the Algerian War.- Biography...
, at the direction of Roger Degueldre
Roger Degueldre
Lieutenant Roger Hercule Gustave Degueldre was a leader of the OAS Delta Commandos in the last months of French rule in Algeria. There is some dispute about his origins...
. Gavoury was stabbed to death in his studio on the Rue du Docteur Trolard in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
on 31 May, 1961, eight days after beginning an investigation into the OAS. Piegts and Dovecar were condemned to death on 30 March 1962 by a military tribunal in Paris, and shot by firing squad on 7 June 1962. Delgueldre was also condemned to death and was executed on 6 July 1962.
Gavoury started his police career at Hazebrouck
Hazebrouck
-Communications:The town enjoys excellent rail connections, with frequent daily services to Lille and Paris, some by High Speed Line. There is a small international airport, concentrating on business flights, at Merville-Calonne just 12 kilometre / 8 miles away...
in 1936, occupying a variety of posts. He participated in the organization of the national police force of French Morocco between 1956 and 1959. Gavoury was assigned to Algiers beginning in 1960, retaining responsibilities in Morocco. His apartment in Algiers was bombed on 14 April 1961 during the Algerian War. Gavoury was at his family home in Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
at the time of the Algiers putsch of 1961. Gavoury immediately returned to Algiers, where he was killed a month later. Three more commissaires were killed that year in Algiers.
Citations
- Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
- Croix de la Valeur MilitaireCroix de la Valeur MilitaireThe Croix de la Valeur Militaire is a military decoration of France that recognizes individual holding a mention in Dispatches earned in theaters of operations which are not subject to the award of the Croix de guerre....
with silver star - Posthumously promoted to Controller General of the Sûreté Nationale
- Citation of the Order of the Nation
- His death rendered him eligible for the epitaph "Mort pour la France"
Sources
- This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding French Wikipedia article as of October 18, 2010.