Philippe de Hauteclocque says Leclerc (its name of war) was a Picardy gentleman of old stock. Quite naturally, it carried out a military career without fault. Saint-Cyr obviously, Saumur then. II controlled at the Cuirassiers then, in Morocco, at Spahis.
Captain, it makes a success of, in 1938, the contest of the higher School of war.Far from embanking it, the rout of 1940 will precipitate it in the History. Its beautiful control with the 2° Groupement cuirassier attests as much of its spirit of initiative that of its bravery. Wounded, it escapes the Germans. Then, intending to speak about the call of June 18, it decides to join London by Spain and Portugal.

As of July 25, it is present at the sides of General de Gaulle. Its colonial experiment is worth to him to go to Cameroun, then as an Africa-Equatorial Frenchwoman whom it rejoins in free France with ridiculous forces. But it is in Chad, in Fort-Lamy, that beginbegins truly épopée from Leclerc. Tackling the Italian possessions, it takes Koufra on February 28, 1941. II benefits from it to pronounce the oath not to deposit the weapons before to have released Strasbourg.

The Leclerc column is integrated into VIII, armed British. In May 1943, it becomes the 2° free French light division. At the end of 1943, Leclerc is promoted major general, it receives the command to constitute a great armoured unit: 2° D.B. Since its Moroccan PC of Témara, it devotes several months to set up this shock unit. In April 1944, Leclerc receives the command to gain England. Unloaded in Swansea, 2° D.B. is confined in Yorkshire where it will take part in manceuvres with two other great units, Czechoslovakian and Polish, called, they also, to release France. Leclerc knows that it cannot be first wave, at least discounts it to enter the battle as soon as possible; 2° D.B. will unload only on August 1.

The Leclerc General is a figure of legend. However, its head of staff, the Vézinet General, recognizes that Leclerc disappointed its interlocutors: " not very communicative, remâchant its concerns ", it lent the side to caustic which spoke about its " intellectual mediocrity ". In fact, this rider could adapt to the most moving situations. II will prove it in 1946 during the Indochinese negotiations.