Paul-Frédéric Rollet

Paul-Frédéric Rollet (1875-1941) was a general who served in the French Foreign Legion. He was responsible for creating many of the Legion's current traditions.

Early life
He was born in Auxerre, France and was admitted to the military school at Saint-Cyr in 1894. Upon graduation, he was initially assigned to the 91st Infantry Regiment but was later transferred to the 1st Foreign Regiment in Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria. During the First World War he served in regular infantry regiments, was wounded twice and was promoted to the rank of major.

Career in the French Foreign Legion
On May 18, 1917 he was transferred to command the Regiment de Marche of the Foreign Legion and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Under his leadership the regiment received four citations for excellence in combat.

Late in the war, he was given command of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment which was sent to Morocco to pacify insurgents and promoted to colonel.

After the war, he was given command of the 1st Foreign Regiment at the Legion's headquarters in Sidi-bel-Abbes and took charge of preparations for the celebration of the centennial of the Battle of Camerone.

On April 1, 1931 he was assigned as Inspector of the Foreign Legion. He used this position to improve the readiness of the Legion and develop the organization's traditions. Among these traditions are the singing of Legion songs by Legionnaires, the Legion's slow marching cadence, the annual observance of the anniversary of the Battle of Camerone and the construction of the Legion monument in Sidi-bel-Abbes, which was later moved to Aubagne.

On December 21, 1935 he retired from the French Army after 41 years of military service of which 33 had been in the French Foreign Legion. He was given the honorary title of Father of the Legion.

Later life and death
Rollet died in Paris on April 16, 1941. He was originally buried at the French Foreign Legion's Headquarters in Sidi-bel-Abbes in Algeria. When the Legion left Algeria in 1962 his remains were one of three chosen to be reinterred at the Legion's new headquarters in Aubagne, France.

Legacy
Rollet made major contributions to promoting and preserving the Legion's history, traditions and mystique. Its reputation as an legendary and honorable institution contributed to the decision not to disband it after the French evacuation from Algeria in 1962.

Honors
General Rollet received many honors in his long career. These included being made a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor and a number of awards of the Croix de Guerre.

French Honors

 * Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor
 * Médaille militaire
 * Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (France) with seven palms and one bronze star
 * Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with two palms
 * Combatant's Cross
 * Chevalier Order of Agricultural Merit
 * Morocco commemorative medal (1909) with four clasps
 * Colonial Medal with four clasps
 * 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal (France)
 * 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal (France)
 * Medal of the City of Verdun (unofficial)

Foreign honors

 * Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles (Monaco)
 * Commander of the Order of the Crown (Romania)