Joseph

Alfred Micheler

Born 23 September 1861

Died 17 March 1931 (aged 69)

Allegiance Armée française

Years of service 1880–1919

Rank Général de division

Commands held 53rd Infantry Division

38th Army Corps

Tenth Army

First Army

Fifth Army

Awards Légion d'honneur

Croix de guerre

Joseph Alfred Micheler (23 September 1861 Phalsbourg – 17 March 1931 Nice)
was a French general in the First World War.

Contents

1 Life

2 References
3 Further reading

4 External links

Life

Born in Phalsbourg, Moselle from a Lorrainian family which preferred to be

French than German when the city was annexed by the Kaiser in 1871. He
entered St. Cyr in October 1880, and was appointed a sub-lieutenant on the
completion of his course in 1882. He was promoted lieutenant in 1886, captain
in 1891, major in 1901 and lieutenant-colonel in 1909. Three years later he was
made a colonel.[1]

At the outbreak of World War I he served as chief-of-staff to VI Corps. In

October 1914, he was promoted brigadier, and in January 1915 was transferred
as chief-of-staff to the First Army.

On 3 August 1915, he took over command of the 53rd Infantry Division, being
later (25 March 1916) promoted a temporary General of Division and appointed
to command XXXVIII Army Corps.

Ten days later he was placed in command of Tenth Army. On 22 June 1916, he
was confirmed in his rank as General of Division. He commanded Tenth Army
during the Battle of the Somme, and was then promoted to command a new
Army Group (known as G.A.R. – Army Group "reserve" or "rupture") formed
behind the centre for the exploitation of the victory counted upon in General
Nivelle's Aisne scheme.[1] He was thus involved very deeply in the
controversies which centred upon that scheme both before and after that
offensive. It was principally his criticisms that initiated the internal crisis, and
led to the council of war, in which, however, he seems not to have followed up
his objections. He also enjoyed strained relations with his subordinate Mangin as
well as with Nivelle; Mangin sought afterwards to saddle him with part of the
responsibility for the relative failure of the offensive.


After his Army Group had been broken up he was demoted back to command of
an Army. He briefly commanded First Army, then Fifth Army for a year, until
June 1918, before being removed after the near debacle of the Third Battle of the
Aisne. He was made a commander of the Legion of Honour on 30 September
1916.[1]

He was buried at Saint Roch Cemetery.