Maurice Sarrail
Birth:April 6, 1856 Carcassonne, France
Died:March 23, 1929 (aged 73)Paris, France
Nationality:France France
Allegiance:French Army
Military rank:Major General
Service:1877 - 1925
Conflicts:First World War
Command:1914-1917:Commander of the Third Army, then Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Armies of the East
Achievements:Infantry Officer
Distinctions:Legion of Honor:Chevalier (December 26, 1894),
Officer (July 10, 1907),
Commander (December 31, 1913),
Grand Officer (November 20, 1914),
Grand Cross (January 11, 1916)
Military Medal (September 5, 1917)
War Cross 1914-1918 (August 7, 1915)
Maurice (Paul Emmanuel) Sarrail, born April 6, 1856 in Carcassonne, died March 23, 1929 in Paris, was a French soldier during the First World War.
Student at Saint-Cyr in 1875-1877, then at the École Supérieure de Guerre 1883-1885.
He commanded the School of Saint-Maixent and was orderly officer of the Minister of War 1900-1907. Associated with General André and a devoted Republican, he was Commander of the Military Guard of the Chamber of Deputies, then Director of the Infantry at the Ministry of War (March 7, 1907 - March 27, 1911).
He became commander of the 12th Infantry Division on March 27, 1911, then of the 4th Infantry Division on October 1, 1913.
However, he was appointed commander of the 8th army corps on November 1, 1913, then of the 6th army corps from April 24, 1914, which he commanded at the start of hostilities and at the battle of Vitron on August 22, 1914. He replaces General Ruffey, sacked by Joffre, at the head of the Third Army on August 30 of the same year before the Battle of the Marne in September 1914.
Very critical of General Joffre, he was sacked on July 22, 1915. On the strength of his political connections, he already received a new position on October 3, that of Commander-in-Chief of the French Army of the Orient. He commanded it during the Vardar offensive in October 1915 and became Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Armies in the East on August 11, 1916.
He launched the Monastir offensive in November 1916 but without much success. He played a key role in deposing King Constantine in 1917, but was replaced by General Guillaumat on December 14 of the same year.
He passed to the reserve framework on April 6, 1918, but after the victory of the Cartel des gauches in 1924 he was recalled to activity in August by the Herriot government. He became High Commissioner of the French Republic in Syria and Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Levant on November 29, 1924, but following the revolt of the Druze and his violent way of redressing the situation, he was recalled.
He was buried at the Invalides.
Grades
* Second Lieutenant (1877)
* Lieutenant (1882)
* Captain (1887)
*Colonel (1905)
* Brigadier General (March 25, 1908)
* Major General (March 27, 1911)
* General of division maintained in activity without age limit (August 2, 1924)
* Rank of army commander and designation of army general maintained in service without age limit (November 29, 1924)