Countess Leïla Hagondokoff du Luart

Born into a princely Circassian family in the Caucasus, her father, General Hagondokoff, was military governor and commander-in-chief of the imperial forces in the Far East, Ataman of the Amur River Cossacks. Her birth name in Circassian was Elmeskhan Hagundokue (Эльмесхъан Хьэгъундокъуэ), Russified to Elmeskhan Hagundokova (Эльмесхан Хагундокова). From the Russian form comes the French form Hagondokoff. She alternately bore the first names Gali, then, after her naturalization, Irene and finally Leïla. She was a volunteer nurse at the military hospital in Circassia at the age of 19. She married Captain Nicolas Bagenoff of the Imperial Guard, who was seriously injured. The couple settled in China, due to her husband's exile. She divorced in 1922 and left China.

Joining the United States and then France in 1934, she married Count Ladislas du Luart. During the Spanish Civil War, she designed, created, financed, but above all led and managed a mobile surgical unit to provide assistance to the wounded. This unit was made up of military doctors and surgeons, assisted by nurses. With around forty converted vehicles that allowed for rapid deployment, she took part in the Battle of France from May to June 1940, the Tunisian campaign of 1943, the Italian campaign with field Marshal Juin, then with field Marshal de Lattre de Tassigny and the 1st Army, which she followed to Austria. In November 1943, near Rabat in Morocco, Countess Ladislas du Luart accepted, at the request of Lieutenant-Colonel Miquel, to become the patron of the 1st REC6. Her military actions earned her several citations and the honorary rank of the 1st REC in which she was named Legionnaire of Honor 1st Class on November 11, 1943, Brigadier of Honor on January 1, 1944 and Brigadier-Chief of Honor on December 25, 1944. On Christmas Eve 1943, she offered the legionnaires of the 1st REC, gathered in the clearing of Mamora, their first Christmas present. Later, she created a military recreation center at the Chenoua camp for the legionnaires and soldiers of the 2nd Army Corps who were staying in Algiers. Since the return to France of the 1st REC in 1967, she has honored with her presence all the great moments in the life of the regiment: Christmas, Saint-Georges, Camerone, changes of command. Commander of the Legion of Honor, Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit, she has a total of six citations, including three in the order of the army.

Sources wikipedia, union nationale arme blindée cavalerie chars

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