General Valin. Commander of the Free French Air Forces

The man who gave wings to Free France

A discreet yet central figure of Free France, Martial Valin (1898–1980) was the man who gave wings to the Gaullist struggle.

A courageous pilot, visionary military commander, outstanding organiser, he embodies the rebirth of French air power at a moment when all seemed lost. In

1941, he took command of the FAFL and helped secure international recognition for Free France. Architect of French combat aviation in the face of Nazism, artisan of its post-war reconstruction, he nevertheless remains largely unknown.

Drawing on 130 boxes of previously unpublished archives held at the Service historique de la Défense, Jean-Charles Foucrier gives us the first major biography of this pivotal commander. A plunge into the inner workings of Free France, at the heart of political rivalries, crucial military decisions and the building of a new weapon — the modern air force.

A rich, human and strategic account, which restores the rightful place of a great French soldier, alongside the likes of Leclerc, de Lattre, Juin, Koenig and Muselier. "Only a handful of connoisseurs of Air Force history could accurately trace the career of General Valin, even though his role was absolutely essential in setting up, organising and developing France's air component, and then, once peace returned, in literally rebuilding a tricolour air force." - Guerres et Conflits