Background
Bergeret was born on August 23, 1895 in Gray (Haute Saone).
Bergeret was born on August 23, 1895 in Gray (Haute Saone).
Nineteen years old when war was declared in 1914, he volunteered for the army and was selected for the special course at St Cyr. After graduation he went immediately into combat and won rapid promotion.
After the Franco-German armistice of June 1940, Bergeret went to Turin, Italy, as head of a commission that negotiated armistice terms. He then was air minister in Vichy from 6 Sep 1940 until resigning after Laval returned to the government on 18 Apr 1942. Bergeret then became Inspector of Air Defenses. Shortly before the Allies landed in North Africa, he rallied to Giraud and on 13 Nov 1942 became Darlan's personal assistant and confidential adviser in Algiers. The airman was responsible for headquarters security when Darlan was assassinated at the door to his office on 24 Dec 1942. Under Giraud, who saw fit to make other security arrangements, Bergeret was deputy high commissioner of North Africa until he resigned 16 Mar 1943 and was replaced by Couve de Murville.
The man whom Macmillan described as charming and honest but a "wrong-headed" reactionary was among those marked for revenge by the Gaullist faction of the CNL. Arrested 23 Oct 1943 in a purge that included Boisson, Flandin. and Peyrouton, Bergeret was imprisoned until Sep 1945. All charges against him were dropped on 25 Nov 1948.