Rue Michel Arnaud

Son of a pharmacist, Michel Arnaud was born on November 27, 1915 in Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain). After studying at the Carnot high school in Dijon, he entered Saint-Cyr in 1935 (Marshal Lyautey's class) and then chose the colonial infantry. A few days after the June 18 appeal, he read the first Free French communiqués. On August 26, he actively participated in the rallying of Chad to General de Gaulle. During the Normandy campaign, Captain Arnaud provided, under difficult conditions, remarkable intelligence work during the operations from the 9th to the 11th August. He also carried out several liaison missions which contributed to the successful capture of Cuissay on August 12. After the liberation of Paris, he continued to give full satisfaction in his duties and distinguished himself particularly on September 13, 1944 at Ville-sur-Illon by brilliantly organizing the defence of the headquarters of his group, which was counter-attacked by numerically superior forces.