Serge Andolenko


Serge Andolenko was a French military officer of Ukrainian origin who became brigade général of the French Army.
Born in Volochysk in 1907 in the Ukraine, then in the Russian Empire, he was the only son, of an aristocratic family of military traditions. His father, Paul, a tsarist officer, was a magistrate and dragoon captain in the Russian Imperial Army who died in 1931 in one of Stalin's first purges.

Military career

Admitted into Saint-Cyr in 1924, he served with prince Dimitri Amilakvari. He was assigned to the French Foreign Legion at the end of his scholarity. In 1926, at 19, he became a sub-lieutenant in the 1st Foreign Regiment at Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria. He participated in campaigns in Morocco and the French Levant and was naturalized as a French citizen in May 1928. He then served in the 1st Foreign Regiment, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, 4th Foreign Regiment, 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment, the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment and the Inspection of the Foreign Legion.
During the Second World War, he was chief of the 2nd bureau of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division under the orders of General Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert. At this occasion during the Italian campaign, he assured the liaison between the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division and the 4th Mountain Moroccan Division . Following the disembarkation in Provence, he took part in the liberation of Marseille. Due to his functions, he assured the liaison coordination between various units. He finished the conflict with the 3e DIA at Stuttgart.
Following the war, he commanded the 5th Infantry Battalion in Germany.
He commanded the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 5e REI during the Algerian War.
Following that command, he was designated as Inspector-adjoint of the Foreign Legion, then integrated the CHEM.
Designated Military Attaché to Vienna, he was promoted to Général de Brigade. He was admitted to the second section of the officer corps of generals in 1963.
A passionate historian, he was renowned for several publications on the French Army and the Imperial Russian Army. He created an entire hall for the Russian Army of the 1st World War in the Musée des Invalides.
He died in France on August 27, 1973.

Literature

He wrote several publications, notably on military history, out of which certain were translated to several languages:
Titled of nine citations out of which five at the orders of the armed forces.