Pierre-Étienne de Perier
Pierre-Étienne de Perier in colonel's uniform, 1941
Birth nameAntoine Pierre-Étienne de Perier
Nickname(s)General de Perier
BornOctober 31, 1893
Laghouat, French Algeria
DiedJune 22, 1968
Paris, France
Buried
Allier
AllegianceFrance
Service/branchFrench Army
Years of service1912–1950
RankDivisional general
UnitTroupes de marine
Battles/wars
Awards
Alma materÉcole spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr
Spouse(s)Alix de Place-Bisseret
RelationsMaxime Weygand
Signature

Pierre-Étienne de Perier (31 October 1893 – 22 June 1968) was a French divisional general,[1][2] Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and magazine editor.[3][4]

Early life

Origins

Antoine Léonor de Perier (1842–1908), commander of the 2nd BILA

Antoine Pierre-Étienne de Perier came from a family from Normandy.[5] Its coat of arms bears "Silver, a fess of vert accompanied by four cinquefoils of the same laid one to each canton of the shield".[6]

He was born on 31 October 1893 in Laghouat, French Algeria, to Antoine Léonor de Perier (1842–1908), commander of the 2nd Battalion of African Light Infantry and Officer of the Legion of Honour,[7] and Louise Loubère (1862–1939), daughter of colonel Jean-Louis Loubère, governor of French Guiana.

Antoine Léonor de Perier, born in Pressagny-l'Orgueilleux where his father Antoine René de Perier (1800-1880), the mayor of the village, owned the château of la Madeleine, enlisted as a private in 1859 before becoming an officer in 1867. General de Perier's great-grandfather, colonel Antoine Daniel de Perier d'Oudalle (1751–1844), commanded the first brigade of the sedentary National Guard of Rouen.

Education

De Perier entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, class of Montmirail (1912–1914),[8] and enlisted the same year, quickly being promoted to corporal.

Service during World War I

On 28 August 1914, in the battle of La Besace (Ardennes), he was seriously wounded in the jaw by a bullet while charging the Germans.[9] This action earned him a mention in the army order: "Well behaved in combat on 28 August 1914, brilliantly charged with the bayonet at the head of his section, was seriously wounded".[10] In 1916, he was posted to the Armée d'Orient, and became a captain in the Zouaves in 1917.[11][12][13]

Inter-war period

A regional topographer in Morocco from 1919 to 1921, he joined the colonial infantry.[14] He was sent to Germany, in the French army of the Rhineland, from 1921 to 1925.

Then a commander, he was aide-de-camp to General Franchet d'Esperey from 1932 to 1934.[15][16]

Service during World War II

In June 1940, the Third Army, of which he was sub-chief of staff, was surrounded in Lorraine by Guderian, who led Operation Tiger.[12][13] De Perier was captured by the Nazis but managed to escape: "was particularly noted for his initiative, energy and courage during the period from 1 June to 22 June 1940. Taken prisoner after the encirclement of his army, he escaped and managed to elude the horsemen in pursuit and reached the unoccupied zone of French territory after having circulated for eight days in the German lines".[17] He was awarded the Escapees' medal by decree in 1945.[18]

From September 1940 to May 1942, promoted to colonel, he became chief of staff to General Maxime Weygand.[19][20][21][22]

In 1941, the African Army had to be put in a position to enter the campaign. To this end, it was necessary to complete its units, create security formations to replace the garrisons and reconstitute their maintenance services. These objectives could only be achieved by mobilization, which colonel de Perier decided to do.

From 1942, he took part in the Tunisian campaign.

Service during First Indochina War

Arrival of General Blaizot in Saigon in 1948: from left to right, General de Perier, General Salan, General Blaizot and Admiral Battet

Inspector general of Colonial troops in October 1944, he was assistant to generals Valluy and Salan during the First Indochina War. He was cited in the army order in 1947.[23]

End of career

In 1948, de Perier was heard at Weygand's trial before the High Court. He gave a long deposition in which he defended the accused.[24]

He chaired the Revue Économique Française when it was reissued in 1952 under the Société de Géographie Commerciale. This journal dealt with economic issues and overseas territories.[25]

After his retirement in 1950, General de Perier died on 22 June 1968 in Paris and was buried in Allier.

Military ranks

Decorations

French, French Colonial or Inter-Allied decorations

Foreign decorations

Works

  • Study on the landings by sea in the French Military Review

References

  1. ↑ Etienne, Delphine. SOUS-SÉRIE GR Y D OFFICIERS GÉNÉRAUX DE L'ARMÉE DE TERRE ET DES SERVICES (ANCIEN RÉGIME-2010) (PDF). p. 192.
  2. ↑ L'Intermédiaire des chercheurs et curieux, Volume 4, Numéros 34 à 45. 1954. p. 471.
  3. ↑ François de Lannoy and Max Schiavon (2023). Dictionnaire des officiers généraux de la Seconde guerre mondiale.
  4. ↑ Ammentorp, Steen. "Antoine Pierre-Etienne de Perier".
  5. ↑ Clément, Arnaud. La noblesse française (in French). Académia.edu. p. 313.
  6. ↑ Busquet de Caumont, Robert (2012). Busquet de Caumont: Histoire culturelle, sociologique et patrimoniale d'une ancienne famille. Publibook. ISBN 9782748397840.
  7. ↑ Base Léonore. "Dossier individuel de Antoine Léonor de Perier".
  8. ↑ Boÿ, Jean. Historique de la 97 promotion (1912-14), promotion de Montmirail (PDF).
  9. ↑ Plat, Armand (1960). Deux Français libres sur les traces de Paul Déroulède. Nouvelles éditions latines. p. 121.
  10. ↑ Ordre N° 54 du 63ème Régiment d'Infanterie du 17 février 1915.
  11. ↑ Service historique de l'Armée de terre (1984). La Guerre d'Indochine, 1945-1954: textes et documents, Volume 2. p. 154. ISBN 9782863230480.
  12. 1 2 "Notice biographique de Pierre-Etienne de Perier, sur Base Léonore".
  13. 1 2 Société de géographie commerciale de Paris (1968). Revue économique française, Volume 90. p. 71.
  14. ↑ "M. de Perier ( A.-P.-E. ), capitaine au 21° régiment . res indigènes du Maroc". Journal officiel de la République franc̜aise, Numéros 79 à 102: 1928. 1928.
  15. ↑ Institut archéologique liégeois (1931). Bulletin de L'Institut Archéologique Liégeois. p. 16.
  16. ↑ Azan, Paul (1949). Franchet d'Espérey. Flammarion. p. 269.
  17. ↑ Prételat, André Gaston (1950). Le destin tragique de la ligne Maginot. Berger-Levrault. pp. 241 and following.
  18. ↑ Décret du 21 mai 1945. Médaille des évadés. « de PERIER (Antoine-Pierre-Étienne) : Général de Brigade, Inspecteur des troupes coloniales, ministère de la guerre. Déjà cité pour le même motif par ordre général n*153c en date du 20 août 1940 du général commandant en chef ministre secrétaire d'État à la défense nationale : après avoir rempli avec autorité, depuis le début de la campagne les fonctions de sous-chef de l'État-major de la 3e armée, s'est particulièrement signalé par son initiative, son énergie et son courage pendant la période du 1er juin au 22 juin 1940. Fait prisonnier après l'encerclement de son armée, s'est évadé et a réussi à échapper aux cavaliers lancés à sa poursuite et a rejoint la zone non occupée du territoire français après avoir circulé huit jours dans les lignes allemandes.»
  19. ↑ Singer, Barnett (2008). Maxime Weygand: A Biography of the French General in Two World Wars. pp. 128 and 180. ISBN 9780786435715.
  20. ↑ Maxime Weygand (1950). Mémoires : rappelé au service. pp. 362, 399 and 407.
  21. ↑ Cantier, Jacques (2002). L'Algérie sous le régime de Vichy. Odile Jacob. p. 102.
  22. ↑ Faure, Claude (2004). Aux services de la République : du BCRA à la DGSE. pp. Chapitre 6 : renseignement et résistance en Afrique du Nord. ISBN 9782213660394.
  23. ↑ Raoul Salan (1971). Le Viêt-minh mon adversaire. Presses de la Cité. p. 128.
  24. ↑ Schmitt, Maurice (1995). Le Double Jeu du Maréchal : légende ou réalité. Presses de la Cité. ISBN 9782258128668.
  25. ↑ Chabot, Georges (1953). "Revue économique française". Bulletin trimestriel de la Société de Géographie: 78.

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