# Alain Le Ray

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**Alain Le Ray** (3 October 1910 – 4 June 2007) was a French general and [Resistance](/source/French_Resistance) leader.

Le Ray, a keen alpinist, was a lieutenant in the French mountain infantry when wounded and captured by the Germans in June 1940. After a first escape attempt from a prison camp in occupied Poland, he was transferred to [Oflag IV-C](/source/Oflag_IV-C). In April 1941, he became the first prisoner ever to escape from the [Colditz Castle](/source/Colditz_Castle).[1]

Le Ray returned to France, where he held a position in Vichy Army and was posted at the Uriage Leader's School, under [Pierre Dunoyer de Segonzac](/source/Pierre_Dunoyer_de_Segonzac), a pro-[Pétain](/source/Philippe_P%C3%A9tain) but anti-German officer. Along with Dunoyer de Segonzac, Le Ray chose Resistance in January 1943. He assumed military command of the [maquis du Vercors](/source/Maquis_du_Vercors) in February 1943. Le Ray left the Vercors in January 1944 and become the [Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur](/source/Forces_Fran%C3%A7aises_de_l'Int%C3%A9rieur) local commanding officer. In this position, he freed [Grenoble](/source/Grenoble) and fought the still German-occupied alpine forts in 1945.[2]

After the war, Le Ray held senior command in [Indochina](/source/Indochina_War) and [Algeria](/source/Algerian_War) and retired in 1970 as a [Corps General](/source/Corps_General).

## Publications

- Alain Le Ray, *Première à Colditz*, Presses Universitaires de Grenoble 2004, ISBN 2706112042

## References

1. Jean-Pierre Martin, *Alain Le Ray, le devoir de fidélité : un officier alpin au service de la France (1939-1945)*, Presses universitaires de Grenoble, 2000, ISBN 2 7061 0940 8

1. Th. Wieder, " Alain Le Ray, chef militaire du maquis du Vercors", *[Le Monde](/source/Le_Monde)*, June 9, 2007.

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