# Pierre Roques

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Pierre Auguste Roques Portrait published in L'Illustration during the First World War. Born (1856-12-28)28 December 1856 Marseillan, Hérault, France Died 26 February 1920(1920-02-26) (aged 63) Saint-Cloud, France Allegiance France Rank General Commands First Army Fourth Army Conflicts World War I Awards Grand cross of the Légion d'honneur Médaille militaire Minister of War of France In office 16 March – 12 December 1916 President Raymond Poincaré Prime Minister Aristide Briand Preceded by Joseph Gallieni Succeeded by Hubert Lyautey Commander of the 7th Infantry Division In office 9 April 1912 – 18 August 1913 President Armand Fallières Raymond Poincaré Minister of War Alexandre Millerand Albert Lebrun Eugène Étienne Chief of Staff Joseph Joffre Preceded by Tell Aristide Frédéric Antoine Chapel Succeeded by Edgard de Trentinian Commander of the 12th Army Corps In office 18 August 1913 – 5 January 1915 President Raymond Poincaré Minister of War Eugène Étienne Joseph Noulens Théophile Delcassé Adolphe Messimy Alexandre Millerand Chief of Staff Joseph Joffre Preceded by Auguste Charles Lucien Pelécier Succeeded by Henri Jean Descoings Commander of the 1st Army In office 5 January 1915 – 16 March 1916 President Raymond Poincaré Minister of War Alexandre Millerand Joseph Gallieni Chief of Staff Joseph Joffre Preceded by Auguste Dubail Succeeded by Olivier Mazel Commander of the 4th Army In office 31 December 1916 – 23 March 1917 President Raymond Poincaré Minister of War Hubert Lyautey Lucien Lacaze (as interim) Paul Painlevé Chief of Staff Joseph Joffre Robert Nivelle Preceded by Émile Fayolle Succeeded by François Anthoine

**Pierre Auguste Roques** (28 December 1856 – 26 February 1920) was a French general and creator of the French air force.

## Biography

Born to a modest family in [Marseillan, Hérault](/source/Marseillan%2C_H%C3%A9rault), his lively intelligence earned him a study grant that allowed him to prepare for the entrance examinations to the [École Polytechnique](/source/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique). He entered the École Polytechnique in 1877 and became a friend of [Joseph Joffre](/source/Joseph_Joffre). Having chosen the military engineering branch of the army he was commissioned as an officer in 1879 (at that time, more engineering than military). During his colonial campaigns, he created a vast number of structures (railways, bridges, roads) in [Tonkin](/source/Tonkin), [Algeria](/source/Algeria) and, above all, in [Madagascar](/source/Madagascar). According to historians, this island owes a large part of its infrastructure to Roques. By 1906, Roques had been promoted to the rank of [*général de brigade*](/source/Brigadier_general).

As Director of Engineering, Roques was preoccupied from 1906 with the management of the new air service. He was the founder and organiser of French military aviation, and was appointed the Permanent Inspector of Military Aeronautics in 1910. The 1911 aeroplane contest in [Reims](/source/Reims) - the world's first - was intended to allow the French military to evaluate and buy 'scientifically' its first aeroplanes. Roques decided the *établissements d'aéronautique* (aeronautical establishments) should be called *escadrilles* (squadrons) and *aéroplanes* should henceforth be called *avions*, after the name chosen by [Clément Ader](/source/Cl%C3%A9ment_Ader) for his own aircraft and in homage to this visionary engineer with whom he corresponded regularly. It was also Roques who initiated the *carnet de vol* (pilot's log book) system, still in use today. The names introduced by Roques quickly came to be generally accepted as part of the French [lexicon](/source/Lexicon).

At the outbreak of the [First World War](/source/First_World_War), he was the commanding general of the [12th Corps](/source/12th_Army_Corps_(France)). By January 1915 he had become the commander of the [First Army](/source/First_Army_(France)).

Roques was appointed Minister of War in March 1916 after it had been ensured that the Commander-in-Chief [Joffre](/source/Joseph_Joffre), who had been criticised by the previous incumbent [General Gallieni](/source/Joseph_Gallieni), had no objection to his appointment.[1] Roques was sent on a fact-finding mission to [Salonika](/source/Salonika_front) after Britain, Italy and Russia had pushed for the dismissal of [Sarrail](/source/Maurice_Sarrail), the theatre commander. To the surprise of Prime Minister [Briand](/source/Aristide_Briand) and Joffre, Roques returned recommending that Sarrail's forces be built up to thirty divisions ready for an attack on Bulgaria. He did not specifically praise Sarrail, but recommended that Sarrail no longer report to Joffre. Coming on the back of the disappointing results of the [Somme campaign](/source/Battle_of_the_Somme) and the [defeat of Romania](/source/Romania_during_World_War_I), Roques’ report further discredited Briand and Joffre and began the political manoeuvres which led to Joffre's removal.[2] On 13 December Briand formed a new government, replacing Roques with [Lyautey](/source/Louis_Hubert_Gonzalve_Lyautey).[3]

Subsequently, Roques served briefly as the commander of the [Fourth Army](/source/Fourth_Army_(France)) and then as the Inspector General of Works and Organization for the French Army until February 1919.

Statue of general Roques in Marseillan.

His war service exhausted him and he died at [Saint-Cloud](/source/Saint-Cloud) in 1920. Buried initially in his native Marseillan, his remains were transferred to the [Hôtel des Invalides](/source/H%C3%B4tel_des_Invalides) in [Paris](/source/Paris).

## Awards

- 1912 - Grand Officier de la Légion d'honneur

- 1916 - le Grand Croix de la Légion d'honneur

- 1920 - Médaille militaire - Épée d'honneur de la ville de Marseillan

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Doughty 2005, p285

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Doughty 2005, p318-20

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Doughty 2005, p320-1

## Books

- Doughty, Robert A. (2005). *Pyrrhic Victory*. Harvard University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-674-02726-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-02726-8).

- Krause, Jonathan; Philpott, William (2023). [*French Generals of the Great War: Leading the Way*](https://books.google.com/books?id=O9S4EAAAQBAJ). [Pen and Sword Books](/source/Pen_and_Sword_Books). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1781592526](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1781592526).

Military offices New title Post created Permanent Inspector of Military Aeronautics 8 November 1910 – 9 April 1912 Succeeded by Auguste Edouard Hirschauer Preceded by Tell Aristide Frédéric Antoine Chapel Commander of the Seventh Infantry Division 9 April 1912 – 18 August 1913 Succeeded by Edgard de Trentinian Preceded by Auguste Charles Lucien Pélecier Commander of the Twelfth Army Corps 18 August 1913 – 5 January 1915 Succeeded by Henri Jean Descoings Preceded by Auguste Dubail Commander of the First Army 5 January 1915 – 16 March 1916 Succeeded by Olivier Mazel Preceded by Émile Fayolle Commander of the Fourth Army 31 December 1916 – 23 March 1917 Succeeded by François Anthoine Political offices Preceded by Joseph Gallieni Minister of War 16 March 1916 – 12 December 1916 Succeeded by Hubert Lyautey

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Pierre Auguste Roques](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pierre_Auguste_Roques).

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