Frix Michelier

François Frix Michelier (8 February 1887 – 23 May 1966) was a French admiral who served in both World War I and World War II. He is best known for commanding French forces during the Naval Battle of Casablanca.

Biography In 1907, Michelier enrolled in the French Naval Academy at the age of 20. During the First World War, he held several commands and functions; Most notably, he was briefly a liaison and intelligence officer with the Royal Navy.

On 10 November 1928 Michelier was promoted to the rank of Frigate captain. The general staff were released shortly after their capture and Michelier became a member of the French delegation to the German Armistice Commission on 1 July 1940. Later in July 1941 he became the interim president of the comminison. On 25 March 1941, Michelier was promoted to squadron vice-admiral. He was then made commander of the vichy naval forces station in Morocco and as commander and chief of the Atlantic theater of operations. He arrived in Morocco on 20 October 1941. He was placed under the direct command of the Vichy French Ministry of the Navy for all naval operations. Michelier was also placed under the command of Residents-General of Morocco Charles Noguès and served as commander of the Casablanca-Rabat sector.

Allied landings in North Africa Michelier was warned of the upcoming Allied landing in Morocco by General Antoine Béthouart. However, Michelier and Noguès gave no credibility to the information given. He informed Noguès (who also received information from Béthouart) of the lack of confirmation of this potential Allied operation, while nevertheless knowing that a convoy is passing Gibraltar towards the east. After the landing on the 8th, Michelier coordinated the defense and did not stop the fire until 11 November. He continued resisting even after receiving a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief of the French Armed Forces Admiral François Darlan to stop resisting. Michelier believed that Darlan was already captured thereby invalidating him from issuing orders.

After the ceasefire, Michelier was more cooperative with the Allies, even wishing to repair both Allied and French damaged ships to resume fighting against the Germans. Under Darlan's orders, he retained the role commander in chief of the navy in the Atlantic. However, after Darlan's assassination, he was dismissed from his position and placed on leave that June.

After the war Michelier was brought before a French court on the charges of treason, but he was able to get case dismissed on the grounds he was carrying out the orders of the Admiralty. He testified during Noguès treason trial before the French High Court. Michelier died in 1966 in Toulouse.