Prince Aage of Denmark

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Prince Aage in 1912
Prince Aage in 1912

Prince Aage of Denmark (June 10, 1887 - February 29, 1940) was a Danish prince and officer of the French Foreign Legion.

He was son of Prince Valdemar of Denmark and Princess Marie d'Orleans.

In 1909 Prince Aage joined the Danish Army, and in 1913 he became Lieutenant. During World War I he served as an observer in Italy for a year. Returning home to Denmark he received the rank of Captain.

In 1922 he got permission from the Danish King to leave the Danish Army in order to join the French Foreign Legion. And after negotiations between the Danish and the French governments Prince Aage entered the Foreign Legion with the rank of Captain.

He got into battle in Morocco within a year of service. Here he received the Croix de Guerre after being shot in the left leg. During his 17 years in the Foreign Legion Prince Aage obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and he also received the premier order of France, Légion d'honneur.

Prince Aage died in Morocco in 1940, and received a burial in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. Before the Foreign Legion left Algeria in 1962, it was decided that the remains of three selected soldiers should be brought to the new headquarters in France. The remains of Prince Aage were selected as the representation of the foreign officers in the Foreign Legion. As of today, his remains lies next to those of Général Rollet and légionnaire Zimmermann in the town of Pyuloubier, France.