FRENCH MARSHALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 17 (Supplement)

FRENCH MARSHALS.

last of old line. history dating back to MIDDLE AGES. PREDECESSORS OF JOFFRE, PETAIN, LYAUTEY. Marshal of France, the highest military title a French soldier can attain, is to be allowed to disappear again, according to a decision of the French Cabinet. The rank was not conferred between 1870 "end 1910- Four generals received the title from the late war—Foche, JoiTre, Petain, and Lyautey, the last for his distinguished services as administrator in Morocco. When these men have disappeared from tlie« scene there will be no more Marshals. Focb has already been removed by death. Joffre is 77 years old, Petain 73 and Lyautey 75, Though the office of marshal (in French Marechal) has long been a highly coveted post, carrying with it not only signal honours but valuable emoluments, jtwasin the beginning filled by a cavalry officer— technically a cavalry officer with twelve horses under his charge. In early days the chief command under the King was that of constable, and the marshal was second in rank to the constable. But in the twelfth century, or possibly a little later, the marshal began to emerge as commander of the royal forces. Still nominally below the constable in rank, he was nevertheless entrusted with inci easingly difficult and delicate tasks. The importance of the cavalry in medieval warfare naturally brought the marshal into military command and as armies grew larger and nations more powerful the office gained in prestige. From keeping order in court and camp and settling questions of chivalry, a marshal's duties led on to further executive powers, both civil and military. In time he became a great officer.of State. First Appointment in 1185. The first marshal of record in France was Alberic Clement I. Seigneur de Met;:. This was in the year 1185. From that date to 1870, when the office was temporarily abolished, there were 324 ■marshals. Starting with- one, before the time of St. Louis, the number increased as successive monarchs made appointments from the royal forces or from the ranks of favourite courtiers. After ...the Norman Conquest the title in England w ; us hereditary. In France it Was for life only. Under Francis 1., two officers enjoyed the dignity and the emoluments of the office. But this number was raised to twenty about the time of Louis XV. By a decree of March 4, 1791", during the revolution, the number was suddenly lowered to six, and two years later the title was suppressed. But the old title was not to die at this time. With the coming of Napoleon I. to the throne of France it was revived, and the history of Napoleon's marshals furnishes many dramatic chapters in Frcnch memoirs. Napoleon himself has ■left intimate glimpses of the men whom he entrusted with the responsibilites of this high office. Lannes, Ney, Berthier, Soult and Moreau were of that brilliant company. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, marshals of lesser rank appeared in the army. The "Marechal des logis," for instance, travelled ahead of the army, selected places for the troops to camp and on their arrival allotted the fields to the different majors of brigade. In each army contingent, the "Marechal de camp" w : as second in command, bding of the rank of brigadier-general. Under the old regime the Marshal of France was addressed as inonseigueur, and after the restoration as his excellency. A marshal's salary was '40,000 francs a year, with 30,000 per annum for expenses. ."■ Through the old regime and the First Empire, through the Restoration and the Second Empire, French records tjace the history of the marshals of France from the first Almeric Clement down to Marshal Leboeiif. with whom the title lapsed in IS7O. Napoleon's Marshals. The sixteen marshals of 1651 were increased to twenty with the big promotion of 1-703. From 1703 to 1788 the number varied from fifteen to: sixteen, and during the Revolution there were none. Instead- of • "Marshal of France," Napoleon conferred : the title "Marshal of the Empire," and stipulated that to gain the rank, an officer must have won a battle or taken two strongholds. Each private in Napoleon's army was'reminded that he carried the Marshal's baton in. his knapsack; that is, that he might win the very highest rank. In 1804 there took place the first promotion of eighteen Marshals. This number was reduced to fifteen in 1832 and to twelve iu 1835. Under a law enacted in 1839, the number of Marshals was still further reduced to six iu peace time, with a proviso for twelve in time of war.

Between 1870 and 1916 there were no officers raised to rank of Marshal, in the third year of the World War, 5916, General joffre received the honorary dignity when lie was succeeded by General Nevle as commander of French lorees, the first- to receive it after a lapse of nearly fifty years.