Raoul Magrin-Vernerey

Raoul Charles Magrin-Vernerey, also known as Ralph Monclar (born 7 February 1892, died 3 June 1964) was a French officer and 2nd Inspector of the Foreign Legion who fought in World War I, World War II within the ranks of the Free French Forces and led the French Battalion in the Korean War. He was also one of the first senior officers to respond to the Appeal of 18 June. Following studies at Victor Hugo School, he first tried to volunteer for the Foreign Legion. Because he was only 15, he was not admitted and so returned to continue his studies. Admitted to École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1912, he graduated in 1914 part of the "promotion de Montmirail" with the rank of Sous-lieutenant. On 5 August 1914, he joined the 60th Line Infantry Regiment ( 60e régiment d'infanterie de ligne, 60e RIL) and ended the war with the rank of captain. He was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur and 11 citations, wounded 7 times and subsequently retired with 90% invalidity because of a thigh fractured by a bullet, a broken arm due to a grenade, trepanning wounds and gas burns to his eyes. Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, he was assigned to the Allied Chief Commander of the Orient. He then joined the general staff headquarters as chief of the first bureau in the beginning of 1919 and appointed to command the 1st Moroccan Tirailleur Regiment ( 1er Régiment de Tirailleurs Marocains, 1er R.T.M). On 25 September, he was designated to conduct a training program at the Center of Aviation of the 415th Infantry Regiment 415e RI of San Stefano where he was appointed as an aviation instructor. Following the assignment, he joined the administrative services of the Levant in Beirut, Lebanon as an adjoint to the administrator. He was designated as an Administrative Council on 1 March 1920 then Inspector on 19 October. In that post, he earned a citation at the order of the armed forces. On 11 May 1921, he was appointed to form the Army of the Levant in the Levant.