Alain Moreau was a French officer who took command of the 9th Belgian Infantry in 1916.
Biography[]
Originally a sergeant of the French 14th Company, in 1916 Alain Moreau moved up in rank when placed in charge of the 9th Belgian Infantry whose officers had all been killed at Flanders. As the French didn't want to 'waste' an officer on Belgian troops and a Belgian replacement was three weeks away, Moreau was promoted to lieutenant. He took his friend Sergeant Bernard Giscard as his first with Indiana Jones, who led the Belgians after Flanders, as his second. While Moreau was not thrilled with being in command of Belgians, and knowing they wouldn't like him, he was determined to lead them to victory and prove himself a good leader to them.[1]
During the Battle of the Somme, the 9th Belgian Infantry was given orders to take the German-held Chateau La Maisonette. Moreau appealed to the Belgians that in spite of their different nationalities, they were on the same side, and if they worked together, they would be victorious.[1]
When they had to crawl across No Man's Land to get grenades to men who got separated from the others, Moreau taught Indy to look for cover and to explore every option available, focusing on what you CAN do to win, and not what you can't. Because of this, they were successful in taking the first set of German trenches. Although Moreau's initial assault was driven back when the enemy deployed gas, mounted cavalry, and flame-throwers, after a two-day leave, the 9th managed to take La Maisonette. However, Moreau knew that the heavy losses they had suffered meant that the unit was not strong enough to hold the position and when his request for reinforcements went unanswered, Moreau was killed when German forces retaliated.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Alain Moreau was played by Paul Rattigan in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.[1]
