Franchet d'Esperey, Louis Félix Marie François (1856–1942)

French soldier. In World War I, he fought in the first Battle of the Marne September 1914, then held the Aisne bridgeheads. He was placed in command of the Armies of Eastern France April 1916, and of the Armies of the North January 1917. He was appointed supreme commander of the Allied armies in the East June 1918, accepting the surrender of Bulgaria September 1918. He commanded the Allied forces in Turkey until 1920 and was created Marshal of France 1921.