Albert Lenoir was born on March 14, 1915.
Interested in the profession of arms, he entered the Saint-Maixant Non-commissioned Officers’ School from which he graduated in 1938, in the French Empire batch.

When the Second World War broke out, he distinguished himself in 1940 during the Belgian and French campaigns. Imprisoned on June 25, 1940, he escaped on July 13 to North Africa. He served in Algeria and Morocco from 1941 to 1944. Within the 6th Senegalese colonial infantry regiment, he participated in the Provence landing of August 1944 and in the French and German campaigns, till the surrender of the enemy troops. 

In 1947, after the Second World War had ended, Albert Lenoir left for French West Africa in the colonial infantry, and was there till 1948.

In 1949, he went to Indochina where he was sent initially to the colonial parachutists within the 1st BCCP, before taking over the command of the 2nd BPC. Everywhere he went he exuded exceptional bounce, dynamism and motivation.

Thereafter, it was the turn of the Algerian War. In 1955, he commanded the 3rd BPC before becoming the assistant of Colonel Bigeard in the same battalion which had become the 3rd colonial parachute regiment. As the second in command, Major Lenoir, fondly called "La Vieille" (the Old Lady) by the junior officers under him, temporarily commanded the 3rd BPC while the commanding officer himself was in convalescence from an injury sustained during an attack at Bône. In 1958, he alongside others founded "Jeanne d'Arc", subversive warfare training academy, near Philippeville. In 1959, he was transferred to the Military Headquarters in Algiers. From August 24, 1960, to May 8, 1961, he was the commander of the 8th RPIMa.

Colonel Albert Lenoir retired in May 1961. Member of the Rhine and Danube Association and the National Union of Parachutists, Albert Lenoir died on December 30, 2009, at the hospital. He was 94. His funeral took place on January 7, 2010, at the Saint Pierre Chanel church, Bourg en Bresse. 

Commander of the Legion of Honour, having had his tie knotted (event exception!) on September 7, 1959, by the Head of State, high in the Djebel, during an operation in Algeria, Albert Lenoir had accomplished an outstanding military career that spanned three wars: the 2nd World War, the Indochina war and the Algerian war.

Four times wounded at the front, holder of fifteen commendations including six in the Army order, two war crosses (Second World War, Overseas Operations), military valour cross, volunteer servicemen cross and a series of other decorations, this great soldier leaves behind the image of an elite officer and a bold hot-blooded leader.