Jean-Louis Nicot

Jean-Louis Nicot (February 14, 1911, Paris – August 29, 2004) was the commander of the French Air transport fleet during the First Indochina War. He was later sent to prison for his involvement in the Algiers putsch.

Biography

Nicot graduated from the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr and entered the French Air Force. He moved up through the ranks until he reached lieutenant-general, serving as second-in-command of the Air Force.

Conviction

Algiers putsch occurred on April 23, 1961. Nicot was found to have been involved in delaying the transmission of certain orders at the time of the French counter-attack, as well as aiding in the secret transfer of Generals Maurice Challe and André Zeller to Algeria.

General Nicot was tried by the High Military Court and convicted on June 19, 1961, for collusion "with the leaders of an insurrectionist movement." He was sentenced to twelve years in prison, eight less than the prosecution's requested twenty years.

After release from prison

Nicot was released from prison in 1965, and later reinstated to the Air Force Reserves in November 1982, following the adoption of a bill by the French legislature "relating to the settlement of certain consequences of the events of North Africa", whose goal was to reinstate 800 officers, 800 policemen and 400 civil administrators expelled between 1961 and 1963 into public office, except for the eight putschist generals expelled from the reserves.

General Nicot accumulated 4500 hours of flight time during his career.

Decorations

• Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur ("Legion of Honour")
• Ten citations, with nine on order of the army
• Distinguished Flying Cross (UK)