Georges Thierry d ' Argenlieu Georges Thierry d ' Argenlieu , in religion Father Louis of the Trinity , O . C . D . ( 7 August 1889 - 7 September 1964 ) , was a Discalced Carmelite friar and priest , who was also a diplomat and French Navy officer and admiral ; he became one of the major personalities of the Free French Forces and the " Forces navales françaises libres " . He was the chancellor of the " Ordre de la Libération " . Biography . Early career . Georges Thierry d ' Argenlieu was born in Brest on 7 August 1889 , in a family of Navy officers . He joined the " École navale " ( Naval Academy ) at 17 . D ' Argenlieu served on the " Du Chayla " as a midshipman , taking part in the campaign in Morocco which led to the Treaty of Fez , in 1912 . During the campaign , he was awarded the Legion of Honour , and befriended Hubert Lyautey , something that d ' Argenlieu later recalled as one of the happy memories in his life . First World War . During the First World War , d ' Argenlieu served in the Mediterranean ; in 1915 , while on leave in Malta , he became a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites . He was promoted to " lieutenant de vaisseau " in 1917 . The next year , as commanding officer of a patrol boat , the " Tourterelle " , he distinguished himself in the rescue of a troop transport . Religious career . Upon the conclusion of the war , d ' Argenlieu undertook theological studies at the Angelicum in Rome , which he completed in 1920 . That same year he entered the novitiate of the Discalced Carmelite friars in Avon , Seine - et - Marne . He professed his initial religious vows as a member of the Order on 15 September 1921 and was given the religious habit and the religious name of Louis de la Trinité ( Louis of the Trinity ) . D ' Argenlieu then studied theology for four years at the Catholic University of Lille . He finished his studies there and was ordained a priest there in 1925 . The Discalced Carmelite friars re - established a Province of Paris in 1932 , and he was elected Prior Provincial in 1935 . Second World War . In September 1939 , d ' Argenlieu was mobilised as a reserve Navy officer , rising to the rank of " capitaine de corvette " in 1940 . During the Battle of France , d ' Argenlieu was captured as he was defending the arsenal of Cherbourg . After three days , he escaped from the prisoner train to Germany and joined Charles de Gaulle on the 30 June . D ' Argenlieu joined the Free French Forces , intending to serve as chaplain , but eventually took on the duties of a fighting naval officer , with a special authorisation of his religious superiors , due to the small number of Navy officers in the Free French Naval Forces . He was made chief of staff in July . He attempted to convince the then Vichy - loyal governor of Dakar to join De Gaulle , and was severely wounded when he was fired upon in his small and unarmed craft on 23 September 1940 , during battle of Dakar . In November , he directed successful operations in Gabon . D ' Argenlieu was made a " capitaine de vaisseau " , and chancellor of the newly created " Ordre de la Libération " . In 1941 , he rose to counter - admiral ; he undertook several missions to administer French colonies loyal to Free France . In 1943 , he was made commanding officer for the naval forces in Great Britain On 14 June 1944 , he ferried de Gaulle to France aboard the " Combattante " , and entered Paris with him on the 25 August . First Indochina War . After the defeat of Japan , d ' Argenlieu was sent to French Indochina as part of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps to restore the French colonial administration . In 1946 , he was promoted to " vice - amiral d ' escadre " , and soon later to admiral . During the First Indochina War , the actions of d ' Argenlieu grew more and more controversial , and he was replaced by Emile Bollaert in March 1947 . Back to France , he was made inspector general of the Naval Forces , before retiring in a convent . After the War . In 1958 , sick , d ' Argenlieu resigned his position of chancellor of the " Ordre de la Libération " and withdrew to monastery life again . He died on 7 September 1964 in Brest and was buried in Avrechy .