You can help expand this article with text translated from
the corresponding article in French. (April 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Paul François Grossetti | |
---|---|
Born | Paris, Second French Empire | 10 September 1861
Died | 7 January 1918 Paris, French Third Republic | (aged 56)
Buried | |
Allegiance | France |
Service/ | French Army |
Rank | Army General |
Battles/wars | World War I |
Paul François Grossetti (French pronunciation: [pɔl fʁɑ̃swa ɡʁoseti]; Paris, 10 September 1861 – Paris, 7 January 1918) was a French Army general during World War I.
Grossetti was born in Paris, the son of Paul François Grossetti (born in
Grosseto-Prugna). His father was a captain in the 44th Infantry Regiment, based in Paris. His mother was Anna Félicité Colonna. Both were of
Corsican descent.
Paul studied at the
Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr and graduated 3rd of 357 in his class.
Once in the army, he was first stationed in Africa, where he fought against Algerian insurgents in 1881-1882. Later, he was stationed in Asia, where he participated in the Tonkin Campaign (1885-1887). After this campaign, he returned to Africa (1887-1890).
At the outbreak of World War I, as a general, he received command of the 42nd Infantry Division.
He participated in the
Battle of the Ardennes on 21–25 August. Then the division was transported west, where it contributed to the victory of the
First Battle of the Marne. On 21 October 1914, the division arrived in Flanders, to support the hard-pressed Belgian Army during the
Battle of the Yser.
For his notable leadership, Grossetti was given command of the
16th Army Corps on 7 November 1914, in the midst of the
First Battle of Ypres.
In 1915-1916, he fought with his Army Corps in the Battles of Champagne and the
Battle of Verdun.
On 1 February 1917, Grossetti became the new commander of the
French Army of the Orient in Macedonia.
After the unsuccessful
Battle of the Crna Bend (1917), Grossetti was infected by
dysentery and was repatriated to France in September 1917. There he died from the disease in January 1918 and was buried in the
Père Lachaise Cemetery.
King Albert I of Belgium had a statue erected in Ajaccio, in gratitude for the intervention by Grossetti's 42nd Division during the Battle of the Yser.