Général Ernest Barbot

Ernest Jacques Barbot was born on the 19th August 1855 at Toulouse. He graduated as a Second Lieutenant on the 1st October 1877 and slowly climbed the ranks. In September 1912 he became the Colonel of the 159e RIA (Régiment d'Infanterie Alpin) known to all as the 15-9. (159e = 159th etc.)

At 57 he had lost both his wife and son and would devote the rest of his life to his Grelus as people from the high Alps are called.

Once Italy had declared its neutrality the 159e RI was transferred from that frontier to Alsace and their accomplishments soon brought Barbot to attention. Having already taken over command of his own Brigade he was made Général de Brigade on the 8th September 1914. He was given a second Brigade to bring the Division Barbot up to strength.

Having saved Arras in 1914 he was mortally wounded in 1915 only a couple of hundred metres away from where his statue stands today.

His citation recalled the Knight Bayard (1473-1524) who was noted for his fearlessness and chivalry - to the extent that his name has become synonymous for these attributes. To this day Ernest Barbot is known to the French as the Bayard of the Great War.

Soldat sans peur et sans reproche; après avoir pris une part glorieuse à tous les combats livrés devant Arras, depuis 7 mois, a trouvé le 10 mai, une mort héroïque, (à la tête de ses troupes victorieuses.

Soldier without fear or reproach; having for 7 months taken a glorious share in the battles before Arras, found on May 10, a heroic death, at the head of his victorious troops.

If you visit the cemetery at Notre Dame de Lorette you will find his grave is the first on the left, next to the main entrance of the cemetery.

The saviour of Arras

The battle for Arras (Or 1st Battle of Artois) opened in earnest on the 2nd October 1914. The French defence of the town was entrusted to the newly formed 10e Armée under Général Louis de Maud'huy.

The French plan was to stop the Germans with a newly constituted Corps d'Armée under Général d'Urbal comprising the 77e DI, the 70e DI of Général Fayolle and later the 45e DI. The Germans would then be turned from the south by the 10e CA of Général Desforges.

Général Barbot's 77e DI (Division d'Infanterie), was made up of a Brigade of Chasseurs à Pieds (Light Infantry) and two Regiments of Alpine infantry (97e RIA and his own 159e RIA). They had fought hard in Alsace and only detrained in Arras on the 30th September.

(On the night of the 1st October the British Expeditionary Force began its move from the Aisne towards Ieper)

Far from encountering a feeble cavalry screen the 10e Armée found itself confronted by three Corps newly arrived on the front. On the left Général Fayolle's 70e DI were roughly handled and forced back, on the right, the attack by the 10e CA was severely repulsed and would also in turn be forced back.

In the centre of the line Barbot's men hung on for grim death at Feuchy (Scene of much fighting by the British in 1917).

Barbot was cited in Army Orders on 10th October 1914.

In the combat of 2nd October this Général, by his energy and fine conduct under fire, held his troops under violent fire and restored the situation under difficult circumstances.

The next two days brought more French reverses as the Germans occupied Lens and pushed ever closer to the southern outskirts of Arras. Still fighting it out at Feuchy, Barbot realised that he was in real danger of being encircled and withdrew into the streets of the suburbs.

To the north of him Général Fayolle's men were beaten back village by village. By the 4th October the 70e DI had been pushed back to Vimy Ridge and disaster struck the French the following morning when they were pushed off it. Givenchy, Thélus, Souchez all fell to the advancing Germans.

Barbot's Army Commander: Général de Maud'huy had already started to issue the orders to abandon Arras when Général Ferdinand Foch arrived at de Maud'huy's HQ at Aubigny on the 5th October.

Foch was in command of the northern group of armies and had been given the task of stopping the rot, by any means. This was the time of The race to the sea and there was a real necessity for the French to hang on. Foch spoke plainly.

I know only three methods of combat: Attack, Resist, Bugger Off. The latter is forbidden, so decide between the other two.

Général Foch

We do not retreat

Readying his men for a hard battle Barbot had already made up his mind to ignore any orders to retire.

Whilst I am alive we do not retreat. So, Gentlemen of the Staff go to the men. Raise their hearts! Repeat everywhere: we stand fast, we will not let Arras go!

Temporarily halted by the French stubbornness in refusing to give Arras up, the Germans waited for their heavy artillery. On the streets of Arras the French prepared for the coming storm and waited.

On the afternoon of 20th October the storm broke. 210 and 280 mm shells crashed into the city. By the following day the town centre was in ruins.

On the 22nd as the great Belfry of Arras crumbled under artillery fire, the Germans attacked the eastern suburb of St Laurent, held by Barbot's Alpine Chasseurs. They fought until exhausted before being relieved by Senegalese troops of the 45e DI whom Barbot threw into a counter-attack supported by Zouaves and Chasseurs.

Their bravado and spirit carried the day. The Germans were halted in front of the town.

Barbot and his Division had saved Arras.

Mortally wounded at Souchez

As the German line continued to encircle Arras to the north, Barbot and his Division found themselves transferred to the area in front of Souchez - their Corps was now officially designated the 33e CA and was commanded by Général Philippe Pétain.

In the spring of 1915 they took part in the 2nd Battle of Artois, the opening offensive on the 9th May 1915 brought renown and glory to the Corps.

On its right the Moroccan Division had stormed across the plain and taken Vimy Ridge, four kilometres away, in a single rush. In the centre Général Barbot's men had made superb gains getting as far as Hill 119, Givenchy and the outskirts of Souchez.

Hill 119 became known as The Pimple to the Canadians in 1917 and is the steep hill immediately opposite the site of Barbot's monument.

Unfortunately the speed of their advance proved to be the 77e DI's undoing and under violent bombardment they were forced to retire from Givenchy, back as far as the Cabaret Rouge on the hill above Souchez. (Near the site of the CWGC Cemetery).

Barbot installed his HQ in a rough trench at Cabaret Rouge despite the fact that the position was still under bombardment. On the 10th May 1915 at about 1100 hours whilst dashing across the open ground to talk to one of his colonels Barbot was hit by shrapnel.

With a severe chest wound and a broken arm, he was carried back to Berthonval Wood and from there transported by car to the Dressing Station at Villers-Châtel. The surgeons could do nothing for him. Général d'Urbal dispatched a staff office to award Barbot the Cross of a Commander of the Legion of Honour.

He died a short time later. His last words were recorded as:

Glorious Day. Victory!

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The Monument
2nd Battle of Artois