Appreciation of Maréehal Joffre
Vol. 5, No. 6 Published Quarterly April, 1931
By Brigadier-General Sir J. E. Edmonds, C.B., C.M.G.
MARÉCHAL JOFFRE rose from the people. His father was a cooper in a
village in the Eastern Pyrenees. Born with a mathematical brain and
profiting by the real education provided in French elementary schools, he
passed the very stiff entrance examination to the Ecole Polytechnique, Paristhe
equivalent of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwichat the first attempt and at
the lowest possible age, and entered it in the year 1869. The Franco-German
war interrupted his studies, and lie received a commission in the Engineers in 1872
after a shortened course. He married young, and, on his wife's death soon
afterwards, sought consolation in foreign service. He had the career of a British
officer rather than of a 'Continental one, seeing much service abroad, in Tonkin,
the French Sudan and Madagascar. A piece of luck brought him, as a major, the
command of a column which successfully occupied Timbuktoo, after complete
disaster had fallen upon another column. This secured him promotion to
lieutenant-colonel, and, coupled with already high standing for his age, ensured
him promotion to General of Brigade at the age of 49. Before 1911 he had
commanded a division and a corps; his mobilization appointment, however, was not
a command, but what we call Inspector-General of Communications. In 1911,
because he was a safe man politically rather than on account of outstanding military
talents, he was appointed Chief of the Staff and Vice-President of the Committee
of Defence, which carried with it the chief command in France in case of war.
Heavily built, short-legged, and careless about his dress, usually without a
belt, a man of few words, with a thin voice contrasting strangely with his bulk of
body, he was not an impressive figure as he stood to see troops march past him.
Seated a^ his writing table, his head of white hair uncovered, he gave the idea of
physical and intellectual force, and when one stood close in front of him and felt
the power of his wonderful blue eyes, one knew one was in the presence of a great
personality. His contemporaries speak of his persistence and determination to
master a subject rather than any brilliancy, and of his faith in himself and in his luck.
His great asset was, as one of his A.D.Cs. has written, his perfect equilibrium
of temperament" at all times; bad fortune or good fortune, nothing disturbed his
sleep and his appetite. He had an excellent memory, firmness of character without
obstinacy, and a love of order. His method of work as Commander-in-Chief was
not to make plans himself, but to direct his Staff to put forward proposals. On
these he cogitated for hours before coming to a decision; but once that was made
