page_title: Noël Garnier-Duplessix
section_title: First World War
hierarchical_section_title: Noël Garnier-Duplessix / First World War
caption_attribution_description: Photographie Par Henri Goybet d'un détail d'une page du livre de famille du Général Mariano Goybet (1898-1931). Oeuvre artistique enluminée de 200 pages numérotées.Page consacrée au commandement de la 157 D.I. par Mariano constituée en partie d'Americains noirs. Citation pour la Distinguished Service Medal Commandement des forces americaines Cabinet du cdt en chef. Mon cher général, le président m'a délégué pour vous conférer la Distinguished Service Medal au nom du gouvernement des États-Unis. Comme commandant de la 157e DI,371 et 372e RI vous avez été l'un des facteurs importants de la victoire des allies par votre brillante conduite et votre haute technicité. Les officiers et les soldats de la 157e 371 et 372 RI considèrent comme un grand honneur d'avoir servi sous vos ordres dans les opérations que vous avez conduites en Champagne et dans les Vosges. Signé General Pershing
context_page_description: General Noël Marie Amédée Garnier-Duplessix or Duplessis was a French army officer. Whilst still a colonel he commanded the 2nd Infantry Division in the Allied victory at the First Battle of the Marne before seeing service in the Zaian War in the French protectorate of Morocco. Garnier-Duplessix returned to France in October 1916 and received command of the 37th Infantry Division for the 15 December offensive of the Battle of Verdun and the Nivelle Offensive of April 1917. He received command of the 9th Army Corps in June 1918 and led that unit to victory in the August Battle of Amiens and the autumn Meuse-Argonne Offensive. After the war he was posted to Cilicia in the Franco-Turkish War of 1918–21 where he argued against early withdrawal of troops following the March 1921 Cilicia Peace Treaty.
context_section_description: Garnier-Duplessix took over command of the 2nd Infantry Division from General Deligny on 8 September 1914.  This was whilst the division was engaged in the important First Battle of the Marne that thwarted the German Schlieffen Plan objective of quickly capturing Paris.  Garnier-Duplessix was subsequently posted to the French protectorate of Morocco where he came under the command of General Hubert Lyautey.  In Morocco he was placed in command of a groupe mobile, a mobile combined arms force, based at Sidi Lamine and participated in the Zaian War against the Berbers of the Middle Atlas.  After the French defeat at the Battle of El Herri left Khénifra threatened with capture, Garnier-Duplessix led his groupe mobile 30 miles (48 km) through continuous Berber ambushes to relieve the strategically important town within three days.  He was appointed an officer of the Legion of Honour on 3 December 1914.
  Garnier-Duplessix returned to the Western Front in October 1916, to command the 37th Infantry Division in the Battle of Verdun.  The division participated in the assault of 15 December 1916 when the Germans were pushed back 3 miles (4.8 km) and the French captured 11,000 prisoners (including 300 officers), 115 artillery pieces, hundreds of machine guns and many supply depots.  Garnier-Duplessix later led the 37th Division in the Nivelle Offensive of April 1917 where his troops included the 5th Regiment of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France.  On 6 October 1917 he was appointed a commander of the Legion of Honour.
  Garnier-Duplessix became commander of the 9th Army Corps in June 1918 and led the Corps in the decisive victory at the Battle of Amiens in August.  IX corps included the famous 157th Infantry Division, known as the "Red Hand Division".  This participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of September/October and though it was a unit of the French Army, contained some American units as reinforcements.  One such unit was the  372nd Infantry Regiment, a segregated African American regiment, which distinguished itself in the battle.  The 372nd advanced 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) through German lines, taking 600 prisoners, 15 heavy guns, 20 trench mortars and 150 machine guns.  They also captured important supplies of artillery ammunition and engineering material and downed three enemy aircraft.  Garnier-Duplessix wrote them a message of commendation to which the divisional commander, General Mariano Goybet, added: "the Red Hand sign of the division, has, thanks to you, become a bloody hand which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy. You have well avenged our glorious dead."
caption: Flag of the 157th Division
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