Antoine Béthouart

Who was Antoine Béthouart?

Marie Émile Antoine Béthouart was a French Army general who served during World War I and World War II.

Born in Dole, Jura in the Jura Mountains, Béthouart graduated from Saint-Cyr military academy and served as a platoon leader in the 159th Alpine Infantry Regiment during World War I. After the First World War, he served as an advisor to the Yugoslavian Army and was named an instructor at the French Center for Mountain Warfare Tactics.

Promoted to Colonel in 1937, Béthouart was made a brevet Brigadier in January 1940. This promotion was made permanent in April 1941 and was followed by promotion to Major General#France in December 1942. Béthouart was promoted again to Lieutenant General in November 1943, and then to general in 1948.

Béthouart commanded the French 1st Division of Chasseurs in the Norwegian campaign in 1940, serving in the area of Narvik.

Subsequently, Béthouart commanded the Casablanca Division of French forces in Morocco and assisted the Allies in rallying the French troops in Morocco to the Allied cause in November 1942. Arrested by Vichy French officials on 10 November 1942, Béthouart was liberated by the Allies on 14 November.