THE HIGHER RANKS
So far as the rank and file of the French Army are concerned, no
officer above the rank of colonel is of consequence, for the man in
the ranks is not likely to come in contact with a general officer once
in a twelvemonth. The colonel is the head of the regiment, whether of
artillery, cavalry, or infantry, and his authority extends in every
direction over the men he commands. With the help of the Conseil
d'Administration he directs the administration of his regiment, and he
is responsible for discipline and instruction, all forms of military
education, sanitation, and police control, while, needless to say,
he is held responsible for the efficiency of the regiment and the
appearance of its men. He has absolute power as regards the appointment
of all non-commissioned officers and corporals, who, in the French
Army, do not rank as non-commissioned officers.
Corresponding very nearly with the "second-in-command" common to
British units, the lieutenant-colonel of a French regiment acts
on behalf of the colonel, and is the intermediary of the latter
in every branch of the service. In the absence of the colonel the
lieutenant-colonel is empowered to issue orders in his name, and he is
also especially charged with the discipline and conduct of the officers
of the regiment. He keeps the report books concerning the officers, and
is responsible for the entering up of reports as regards their military
and private conduct and their efficiency. The colonel, however,
countersigns the reports, adding whatever notes he may think desirable.
The French equivalent of the major of English cavalry is the Chef
d'Escadron, of whom there are two to each regiment, each in command of
two service squadrons. One is specially appointed to presidency over
the Commission des Ordinaires or arrangements for the food supply of
the regiment, while the other presides over the Commission d'Abattage,
which, in addition to the actual killing of horses, when such a step is
necessary, is concerned with arrangements for forage and all matters
connected with equine supplies. Each of the Chefs d'Escadron is
responsible for the culinary arrangements of his two squadrons, and the
management of canteens is also under his supervision. The two chefs are
in charge of the barrack police and transmit their orders with regard
to this duty through a captain and an adjutant.
The officer known in the British service as quartermaster is termed
major in the French Army, but the French major has more definite
authority than the British quartermaster. Under his charge are placed
the regulation of pay and accounts, the making of purchases, the
supervision of equipment and barrack furniture, etc. The French major,
in addition to these head-quarters duties which concern the well-being
of the whole regiment, has definite command of the fifth squadron,
which forms the depot for the regiment in case of war.
From the major the Capitaine Trésorier receives the pay and monies
which have to be distributed to the regiment. He is a member of the
Conseil d'Administration, from which he receives his authorisation
to make payment. The pay of the men is handed to them every fifth
day, when the Capitaine Trésorier or paymaster hands over to the
sergeant-major of each squadron, or to the captain commanding, the
pay of the squadron for distribution among the men. He also makes
all payments and issues demands for supplies for the horses of the
regiment, and a lieutenant or sub-lieutenant is appointed to assist the
paymaster in his duties.
The Capitaine d'Habillement is the head of the regimental workshops
of every description; he is held responsible for the well-being
of the armoury, clothing stores, and barrack furniture, of which
establishments he keeps the accounts. He has in addition to superintend
all the regimental workshops, including those of the tailor,
boot-maker, saddler, etc. His assistant is a lieutenant known as the
Porte Étendard, who carries the colours of the regiment on parade--for
in French armies the colours are still carried on parade and into
action, unlike the rule of the British Army, which has abandoned the
carrying of colours into action for many years.
The Capitaine-Instructeur is deputed to attend to the instruction of
the non-commissioned officers of the regiment, and is held responsible
for their efficiency in matters of drill and discipline. He also
lectures junior officers on their duties with regard to drill,
shooting, veterinary matters, topography, etc., and he is specially
responsible that the adjutants of the regiment perform their duties
properly.
Of officers of the rank of captain, two are appointed to each squadron,
the senior being the Capitaine Commandant and the junior the Capitaine
en second, or junior captain. The senior captain is in charge of the
squadron, which in peace time has a strength of about 120 officers
and men, but for active service has its strength raised considerably.
He is responsible for the military education of his squadron, for the
discipline of the rank and file, and the condition of the horses and
stables, and he is also responsible for the pay and supplies of the
squadron handed over to him by the paymaster and others. He has control
of the promotion of non-commissioned officers and the leave granted
to non-commissioned officers and men. He is responsible to the Chef
d'Escadron for the efficient performance of his duties.
The second captain of each squadron is, as regards squadron duties,
under the orders of the captain commanding, and is especially concerned
with all matters affecting food supplies. In addition to his squadron
duties, he has to take his turn every fifth week as "captain of
the week," when he has to supervise roll calls and assemblies, and
the mounting and dismounting of guards. As captain of the week he
supervises the cleanliness and security of the barracks and the work of
the police.
Of lieutenants and sub-lieutenants, four are appointed to each
squadron, each being responsible for a _peloton_ or troop of men.
Responsible to the senior captain of the squadron for the performance
of his duties, the lieutenant is expected to instruct his men at drill,
supervise their work in stables, and see that their barrack rooms are
properly kept. The lieutenant is empowered to hold such inspections of
kit and clothes as he may think necessary.
To every regiment two doctors are appointed, holding the ranks of
captain and lieutenant respectively. Each regiment of cavalry and
artillery is also provided with two veterinary surgeons. As the
duties of these officers are of a non-combatant nature, they are not
materially concerned with the discipline or military efficiency of the
regiment to which they are attached.
Corresponding to the warrant-officer of the British Army and standing
as intermediary between officers and non-commissioned officers of the
French Army, the adjudants are appointed in the number of three to a
regiment. Two of these known simply as adjudants have different duties
from the third, to whom is given the title of Adjudant Vaguemestre.
The two adjudants assist the work of the captain-instructor in
immediately superintending the efficiency of non-commissioned officers.
All sergeants and corporals are subject to their authority, and, in
alternate weeks, each takes turn as "adjudant of the week" under the
captain of the week. In this orderly duty the adjudant of the week
keeps the rolls of sergeants and corporals, and arranges their turns
of duty. He keeps the register of punishments of non-commissioned
officers and the rank and file, and is responsible for the sounding of
all regimental calls; he transmits the orders of the colonel to the
sergeant-majors of the squadrons, and inspects the morning roll-call
of each squadron. He attends to the closing of canteens and sees that
"lights out" is obeyed in the barrack rooms. The position of adjudant
in the French Army is one of considerable authority, which, to the
credit of the service be it said, is seldom abused. The Adjudant
Vaguemestre is but a minor official by comparison with the other two.
He is generally a non-commissioned officer who has nearly finished his
period of service, and he acts as regimental postman and postmaster,
being, on the whole, a sort of handy man for all matters of business in
which responsibility is incurred.
The sergeant-major of each squadron has almost as much authority as the
adjudant. He is, among the non-commissioned officers, what the senior
captain is among commissioned officers; he stands as right-hand man to
the senior captain, and, in constant contact with the non-commissioned
officers and men of the squadron, is able very largely to influence the
judgment of the captain with regard to the rank and file. He gives
all the captain's orders to the squadron with regard to instruction,
discipline, dress, etc. He is responsible for the keeping of books
and registers, and for this work has appointed to him as assistants a
sergeant _fourrier_ and corporal _fourrier_. He is in charge of the
squadron stores and of all the _matériel_ of the squadron.
The sergeants are appointed in the number of one to a troop, and are
held responsible for the efficiency of the corporals and troopers.
They take turns as "sergeant of the week" for their squadrons, a duty
corresponding to that of the orderly-sergeant in the British Army.
Nominally, the sergeant of each troop is responsible to the lieutenant
or sub-lieutenant of the troop, but in reality the sergeant is more
under control of the squadron sergeant-major, and, through him, of the
captain. The sergeant drills the men of his troop; he is responsible
that the troop barrack room is properly kept; that kits and clothing
are kept clean and complete; that arms and saddlery, also, are kept in
order. As sergeant of the week, the sergeant inspects and reports to
the sergeant-major the correctness of morning and evening roll-call;
he keeps the roll of fatigue men, and also of men in the squadron for
guard; he parades the sick for inspection by the doctor and also
parades all men for fatigues and guards. The sergeant _fourrier_
holding the rank of sergeant is more of the nature of squadron clerk,
as his duties, with the exception of escorting men sent to hospital,
consist mainly in keeping books and accounts, in which he has the
corporal _fourrier_ to help him.
The corporal of the French Army is placed in charge of a squad of about
ten men; he sleeps in the same room with them, is responsible for their
personal cleanliness and the arrangement of their kits, and sees that
any men of his squad for guard or special duty turn out correctly.
He superintends the general cleaning of kit which the captain orders
weekly, and a rather curious duty which falls to his lot is to see
that the troopers of his squad change their linen once a week. This,
however, is not so curious as may appear at first sight, for it must
be borne in mind that the French Army sweeps up every class of citizen
into its net, and with some of the men personal cleanliness is so
little a habit that insistence on the point by one in authority is a
necessity.
In addition to these intimate matters the French corporal has to
superintend the drill of recruits, teach them to arrange their kit
and packs, and show them methods of cleaning arms and kit, and
grooming horses. He is empowered to inflict minor punishments which
he must report to the sergeant in charge of the troop. The corporal
is responsible for the maintenance of order in the barrack room, for
the proper serving of meals, and the compliance with the order for
"lights out"; he takes turn as corporal of the week with his fellows,
and in that capacity is deputy for and assistant to the sergeant of
the week. Altogether, the corporal of the French Army has a very busy
time, and in addition to this his position is not so secure as that of
the British corporal; the latter's rank counts as a definite promotion,
while the rank of the French corporal is only an appointment, and he
may find himself "reduced" much more quickly than the British man in an
equivalent position.
The conscript system, leading to a number of unwilling soldiers, is
much more provocative of punishments than the voluntary system. In the
latter, all men who enlist get the habit of making the best of their
service; they have joined the army of their own free will, and have
only themselves to blame if they do not like it. In a conscript army,
however, there are many who hate the limitations imposed on them by
service in time of peace, and enter only with a view to getting the
business over and getting back to their former positions in life;
it is a disagreeable necessity, the period of military service, and
they are there to do as little as possible, without any regard to the
welfare of the country, though a national emergency like the present
finds every man willing to do his part. Not that such an attitude
is the rule in time of peace, but, especially among the very lowest
classes, it is not unusual. Since it is impossible to make sheep and
goats of the men, but all must be treated alike, discipline is much
more rigid and severe than in the British Army--which is the only
voluntary European army from which comparisons can be drawn. The view
is taken--necessarily taken--that men must be compelled to do their
work and learn their lessons of drill and shooting; for those who give
trouble in any way, there is the _salle de police_, or guard-room,
the prison for worse offences, and, for hardened offenders, there is
service in the dreaded disciplinary battalions of Algeria. This last
form of punishment is resorted to only in the case of men who have
"committed one or several faults, the gravity of which makes any other
mode of repression inadequate."
Contrary to the rule of the British Army, in which only commanding and
company or squadron officers are empowered to inflict punishment, in
the French Army any man can be punished by any other man holding a
rank superior to his own, under all circumstances that may arise. As
an instance: if a private of a British regiment insulted a corporal
of another regiment, the case would be reported to the man's own
commanding officer, who in due time would investigate the case and
inflict the requisite punishment for the offence; in the French Army,
if a private were guilty of a similar offence, the injured corporal
would be at liberty to inflict the punishment on his own account; his
action would have to be confirmed by a superior officer, but, under the
rules governing the administration of punishment, there would be no
difficulty about that.
The officer in command of a regiment has power to increase, diminish,
or even cancel punishments inflicted by inferior officers, and the
captain in charge of a squadron has a like power over the subordinate
officers directly under his command and over the punishments they may
inflict.
This system of giving so much power to all has more against it than in
its favour. Certainly, given a just junior officer or non-commissioned
officer, he is more likely to inflict a punishment that fits the crime
than the commanding officer to whom he may report the case--he knows
all the circumstances better than the man to whom he may tell them,
and, in direct contact with the offender at the time the offence was
committed, is not so likely to err on the side of undue severity or
that of undue leniency--and that is about all that can be said in
favour of the system. Against it must be said that it places in the
hands of very many men, of all ranks and grades, a tremendous power
which may easily be abused; under such a system a sergeant or corporal
who has a grudge against a particular man can make that man's life a
perfect misery to him, and, since in a conscript army authority must
be upheld at all costs, even more than in a volunteer army, the right
of complaint which belongs to the man is not often of much use to
them--discipline would be impaired if officers upheld their men against
their non-commissioned officers.
Further, officers are more liable to punishment in the French Army than
in the British. In the latter force, a court-martial on an officer
is a very rare thing, but in the French service the equivalent to a
court-martial is not an infrequent occurrence, and a certain percentage
of officers get "confined to room," "confined to fortress," suspended
from duty for varying periods, and cashiered (dismissed from the
service),--these things happening with considerably greater frequency
than in the British Army. It must be said, on the other hand, that
the French officer has more required of him in time of peace than
the British officer; he is required to be in closer contact with his
men, and to undertake more arduous duties, and, on the whole, French
officers are keen soldiers, intent on the performance of their duties,
taking themselves and their work very seriously. The lesson of Metz in
1870 has not been wasted on the modern French Army, and the knowledge
that some day the nation would again take up arms against its eastern
neighbour has led to a strict maintenance of efficiency on the part of
the officers of the Army, and to a keenness quite equal to that shown
in a voluntary force.
Non-commissioned officers are subject to punishments of a more severe
nature than those inflicted on their fellows in the British Army--the
constant comparison between the two, in matters of discipline, is
necessary in order to give a clear idea of conditions of service for
all ranks of the French Army. The British non-commissioned officer is
either reprimanded or reduced to the ranks; the French non-commissioned
officer may be confined to barracks after evening roll-call, confined
to his room for slight breaches of discipline, or sent to prison and
still retain his rank on his release, a thing impossible in the British
service. Only for repeated misdemeanours are non-commissioned officers
reduced to the ranks, while one offence is sufficient to ensure this
punishment in the British service. Privates are punished in various
ways according to the nature of the offence committed. The lightest
punishment of all consists of extra fatigue duty; next in order comes
inspection on guard parade, the man in question being compelled to
parade with the guard in full marching order for a definite number of
times; confinement to barracks for a stated period is inflicted for
still more serious but still light offences; being sent to the _salle
de police_ is a considerably severer form of punishment, and consists
in the offenders being kept at night in the guard-room, doing ordinary
duty during the day, and, in addition, doing all sorts of fatigues and
making themselves scavengers for the regiment. Prison and solitary
confinement in cells are two forms of punishment allotted to really
bad characters, on whom the previously named forms of punishment have
not sufficient effect. Finally, there are the Algerian disciplinary
battalions, and the man who is sent to one of these may be reckoned as
a criminal, as a rule. It is a curious fact that reading a newspaper
constitutes an offence against discipline in the French Army, and no
newspapers are permitted to be brought into barracks.
The list of officers given in this chapter has been taken from the
staff of a French cavalry regiment, but it applies almost identically
to artillery units, while, in the case of infantry units, it is
necessary only to delete all that refers to the care of horses, and the
staff of officers and non-commissioned officers is practically the same
as in the cavalry. The French "regiment" of artillery is a similar unit
of strength to that of most great continental armies, though it has no
equivalent in the British service, where the artillery is grouped in
units known as brigades, of not much more than half the strength of the
continental regiment. The French cavalry regiment also is considerably
stronger than the British cavalry unit, containing five squadrons to
the latter's four. This brings the cavalry regiment of the French Army
nearly up to the strength of the infantry unit.
The matter of punishments has been dwelt on at some length, owing to
the prominence given to punishment in the French Army. Made up as it
is of every class, the members of which are compelled to serve whether
they like it or no, punishment is a necessity, and a frequent one at
that, in the case of all ranks. It does not, however, alter the fact
that the great majority of French conscripts are keen and willing
soldiers, who make the best of their service and give a good account of
themselves.