Marshal Franchet d’Esperey
Louis FRANCHET d'ESPÈREY (1856-1942) Politician, soldier Born in Mostaganem (Algeria), May 25, 1856.
Son of a cavalry officer of the African hunters, Louis Franchet d'Espèrey in turn embraced a military career. After his studies at Saint-Cyr, from which he left in 1876 in the infantry, he rose through the ranks of the hierarchy: captain in 1885, colonel in 1903, brigadier general in 1908, to obtain his stars as divisional general in 1912. This handsome soldier, who had participated in several colonial campaigns (in Indochina, China and Morocco), distinguished himself during the First World War through his action in the army. head of the 1st army corps. Having led his troops at the Battle of Charleroi, he led the counterattack against the German army and was victorious at the Battle of Guise.
He participated in the Battle of the Marne at the head of the 5th Army, then was successively named chief of the armies of the East in 1916, and of the armies of the North in 1917. In the summer of 1918, he took over from General Guillaumat in general command of the allied armies of the East.
For these feats, he received his marshal's baton on February 21, 1921.
He held the military medal and the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.
Author of Memoirs and studies on Bugeaud and the Duke of Aumale, we owe him above all the second volume of Military History, included in The History of the French Nation by Hanotaux.
Marshal Franchet d'Espèrey was elected to the French Academy on November 15, 1934. His election did not deviate from the tradition of "marshal elections", since he succeeded Marshal Lyautey by 29 votes and a blank ballot.
It was Abel Bonnard who received him on June 20, 1935, welcoming under the dome “one of those who [had] contributed the most to saving the order where French letters can flourish. Died July 3, 1942.
Son of a cavalry officer of the African hunters, Louis Franchet d'Espèrey in turn embraced a military career. After his studies at Saint-Cyr, from which he left in 1876 in the infantry, he rose through the ranks of the hierarchy: captain in 1885, colonel in 1903, brigadier general in 1908, to obtain his stars as divisional general in 1912. This handsome soldier, who had participated in several colonial campaigns (in Indochina, China and Morocco), distinguished himself during the First World War through his action in the army. head of the 1st army corps. Having led his troops at the Battle of Charleroi, he led the counterattack against the German army and was victorious at the Battle of Guise.
He participated in the Battle of the Marne at the head of the 5th Army, then was successively named chief of the armies of the East in 1916, and of the armies of the North in 1917. In the summer of 1918, he took over from General Guillaumat in general command of the allied armies of the East.
For these feats, he received his marshal's baton on February 21, 1921.
He held the military medal and the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.
Author of Memoirs and studies on Bugeaud and the Duke of Aumale, we owe him above all the second volume of Military History, included in The History of the French Nation by Hanotaux.
Marshal Franchet d'Espèrey was elected to the French Academy on November 15, 1934. His election did not deviate from the tradition of "marshal elections", since he succeeded Marshal Lyautey by 29 votes and a blank ballot.
It was Abel Bonnard who received him on June 20, 1935, welcoming under the dome “one of those who [had] contributed the most to saving the order where French letters can flourish. Died July 3, 1942.