Jean-Marie Joseph Armand Brulard (1856-1923) was a French Général de Division who participated in World War I. He spent an extensive part of his military career in Tunisia, Tonkin, Algeria, Madagascar, Morocco and the Dardanelles. He was once told by a superior that: "Son nom est un drapeau." ("His name is a flag").[1] He was also known for being a recipient of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.

Jean-Marie Brulard
Born(1856-03-01)1 March 1856
Besançon, Doubs, France
Died19 November 1923(1923-11-19) (aged 67)
Nanterre, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Allegiance France
Branch French Army
Years of service1876 – 1919
Rank Général de Division
Battles/warsSino-French War
Second Madagascar expedition
World War I
Alma materÉcole spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr

Biography edit

Brulard was born on 1 March 1856 in Besançon, Doubs.[2] After graduating from the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr as a Lieutenant, he was assigned to the 24th Battalion of Alpine Chasseurs [fr], he was Captain of the 1st Foreign Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Tunisian Tirailleurs Regiment and a Colonel of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment. After being promoted to Brigadier General in 1912, he went on a business trip to Morocco to reorganize the army there.[3] Just after the French entry into World War I, on 19 September 1914, he was given command of the 2nd Infantry Division. He was promoted to Général de Division on 25 October 1914, and participated on the Gallipoli campaign.[3]

Brulard became available again on 16 July 1915, and was given command of the 17th Colonial Infantry Division [fr] and on 29 February 1916 he was available again. On 23 May 1916 he commanded the 157th Infantry Division and the 131st Infantry Division on 28 January 1917. After being placed on the reserves on 10 June 1917, Brulard was available again by 1 September 1918. On 6 November 1918 he was the military governor of the Russian base at Laval due to the ongoing Russian Civil War. He retired on 15 August 1919, and died on 19 November 1923 in Nanterre.

Legacy edit

Several streets bear his name, notably in Besançon, his home town, as well as in Lyon.[4]

Awards edit

Foreign Awards edit

References edit

  1. ^ Le Pays de France (no. 179), 21 March 1918, p. 3
  2. ^ "Ministre de la culture - Base Léonore".
  3. ^ a b "Annuaire militaire de 1919-1920: Maréchaux de France". genealogie.free.fr (in French). Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  4. ^ Vanario, Maurice; Henri Hours (2002). Editions lyonnaises d'art et d'histoire (ed.). Rues de Lyon à travers les siècles, XIVe – XXIe siècles (in French). Lyon. p. 48. ISBN 978-2-841-47126-3. OCLC 635579077.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ "Ministre de la culture - Base Léonore".