Charles De Gaulle Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

Charles de Gaulle was a towering figure in 20th century French history, serving as a decorated general, inspiring wartime leader, and transformative post-war President. Born in 1890 in Lille to a patriotic and devoutly Catholic family, de Gaulle chose a military career at a young age. He served with distinction in World War I, was captured and imprisoned by the Germans, and later became a proponent of mobile armored warfare in the interwar period.

When France fell to Nazi Germany in 1940, de Gaulle refused to accept defeat. He fled to England and famously exhorted the French to resist the occupation in a BBC broadcast. From his headquarters at 4 Carlton Gardens in London, he organized the Free French Forces and rallied the overseas French Empire to continue the fight. His tenacious leadership made him the face and voice of the French Resistance.

After the war, de Gaulle led the French provisional government but abruptly resigned in 1946 over political disagreements. He returned to power in 1958 amid the Algerian Crisis and ruled as the first President of the Fifth Republic until 1969. As President, he sought to restore France’s prestige, pursuing an independent foreign policy and developing a nuclear deterrent. A controversial figure known for his strong personality and nationalist views, de Gaulle nonetheless left an indelible mark on modern France. His wartime residence at Carlton Gardens, commemorated by this plaque in 1984, stands as a testament to his unwavering resolve in France’s darkest hour.