Kieffer, Philippe, born 24-10-1899 in Port au Prince, Haiti, 
to an Alsatian family, the son of Philippe Kieffer, born 1866 and his wife Marie Cecilia, born Cooke, born 1869. Philippe Kieffer obtained a diploma at the School of Higher Business Studies and became a bank director in New York City. On 02-09-1939, aged 40, he volunteered for military service. He joined the French Navy, 
in which he was a reserve officer, a week later. He served on the battleship Courbet 
and at the headquarters of the Northern Fleet during the Battle of Dunkirk. He left for London on 19-06-1940 and joined the Forces Navales Françaises Libres (“Free French Naval Forces”) 
on 01-07-1940, the day they were founded. Speaking fluent English, he was asked to serve as a translator and cipher officer. Impressed by the techniques of the new British Commandos, formed in 1940, Kieffer requested authorization to set up an elite French unit on the same model. In May 1941, he obtained authorization from Admiral Emile Muselier 
to found the unit of Fusiliers Marins Commandos (“Marine Riflemen Commandos”). Muselier died age 83, on 02-09-1965. They undertook extremely harsh selection and training in Achnacarry, in Scotland, where a number of candidates died. The Commando was part of No 10 Inter Allied Commando. Kieffer was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau on 01-07-1942. On 19-08-1942, men of the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion de Fusiliers Marins Commandos 
were engaged during the Dieppe Raid, “Operation Jubilee”. In 1943, the French Commando had grown to two troops, and was regularly used for night raids on the shores of France and the Netherlands during the preparations for the invasion of Normandy. In 1944, the 177 men of the “1st BFM Commando” were integrated into the British No 4 Commando 
under Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson 
, Dawson as a result of his wounds, was evacuated from the battlefield on the 6th June. No 4 Commando was a part of the 1st Special Service Brigade under Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser “Lord Lovat” 
. Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat, died age 83, on 16-03-1995, in Beauly, Scotland. Since Luxembourg did not have its own units, some Luxembourgish volunteers were incorporated in the “1st BFM Commando” and took part in the landings and battles of Normandy. 
On 06-06-1944, at 0731, the Bérets verts, “Green berets” 
landed in Ouistreham, Benouville, Amfreville and Bavant, designated as Sword Beach. Kieffer, recently promoted to capitaine de corvette, led his men personally. The unit suffered 21 killed and 93 wounded; Kieffer himself was almost immediately wounded twice, hit by shrapnel in the leg, but refused evacuation for two days.
to an Alsatian family, the son of Philippe Kieffer, born 1866 and his wife Marie Cecilia, born Cooke, born 1869. Philippe Kieffer obtained a diploma at the School of Higher Business Studies and became a bank director in New York City. On 02-09-1939, aged 40, he volunteered for military service. He joined the French Navy, in which he was a reserve officer, a week later. He served on the battleship Courbet and at the headquarters of the Northern Fleet during the Battle of Dunkirk. He left for London on 19-06-1940 and joined the Forces Navales Françaises Libres (“Free French Naval Forces”) on 01-07-1940, the day they were founded. Speaking fluent English, he was asked to serve as a translator and cipher officer. Impressed by the techniques of the new British Commandos, formed in 1940, Kieffer requested authorization to set up an elite French unit on the same model. In May 1941, he obtained authorization from Admiral Emile Muselier to found the unit of Fusiliers Marins Commandos (“Marine Riflemen Commandos”). Muselier died age 83, on 02-09-1965. They undertook extremely harsh selection and training in Achnacarry, in Scotland, where a number of candidates died. The Commando was part of No 10 Inter Allied Commando. Kieffer was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau on 01-07-1942. On 19-08-1942, men of the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion de Fusiliers Marins Commandos were engaged during the Dieppe Raid, “Operation Jubilee”. In 1943, the French Commando had grown to two troops, and was regularly used for night raids on the shores of France and the Netherlands during the preparations for the invasion of Normandy. In 1944, the 177 men of the “1st BFM Commando” were integrated into the British No 4 Commando under Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson , Dawson as a result of his wounds, was evacuated from the battlefield on the 6th June. No 4 Commando was a part of the 1st Special Service Brigade under Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser “Lord Lovat” . Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat, died age 83, on 16-03-1995, in Beauly, Scotland. Since Luxembourg did not have its own units, some Luxembourgish volunteers were incorporated in the “1st BFM Commando” and took part in the landings and battles of Normandy. On 06-06-1944, at 0731, the Bérets verts, “Green berets” landed in Ouistreham, Benouville, Amfreville and Bavant, designated as Sword Beach. Kieffer, recently promoted to capitaine de corvette, led his men personally. The unit suffered 21 killed and 93 wounded; Kieffer himself was almost immediately wounded twice, hit by shrapnel in the leg, but refused evacuation for two days.
Kieffer here decorated by Montgomery, 
rejoined his unit on 14 June, in time to take part in the breakthrough towards the Seine and Honfleur. Along with two of his men, he was the first member of the Free French Forces to enter Paris. His 18-year old son, who had recently joined the Maquis, was killed by German troops near Paris at nearly the same time. By October 1944, the Commando Battalion had three companies.
Kieffer led it during the attacks on Vlissingen and Walcheren to capture the port of Antwerp. He later took part in raids against occupied Dutch islands. In 1945, he was nominated for the Consultative Assembly, and started working in the Inter-Allied Forces Headquarters. He was promoted to capitaine de frégate in 1954.Death and burial ground of Kieffer, Philippe.
Kieffer died in Cormeilles en Paris, France on 20-11-1962, age 63, after a long illness, and was buried in Grandcamp, Calvados. Kieffer was portrayed by Christian Marquand in the film The Longest Day, in which the action against the fortified casino
in Ouistreham is depicted. Christian Marquand (March 15, 1927 – November 22, 2000, age 73) was a French director, actor and screenwriter working in French cinema. Lord Lovat was portrayed by Peter Lawford. 
Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford (born Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen) (September 07-09-1923 /24-12-1984, age 61) was an English-American actor.
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