Baron Léon Alphonse Ernest Bruno de Witte de Haelen, born Léon de Witte (12 January 1857 – 15 July 1933) was a Belgian army officer and
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
who served during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. He is particularly known for commanding the Belgian Cavalry Division at the
Battle of Haelen in 1914.
Military career
De Witte entered the
Royal Military Academy in 1874. He was promoted to sous-lieutenant in 1878. In 1880, he requested a transfer to the cavalry and was posted to the
2nd Chasseurs à Cheval. He received his
Brevet d'état-major (BEM) in 1887, and between 1906 and 1910 served as commander of the
1st Guides Regiment.
He held command of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade between 1910 and 1913 and was in command of the newly created cavalry division when Belgium
was invaded by Germany in 1914. He was promoted to lieutenant-general in August 1914, just 6 days before commanding his division at the
Battle of Haelen. The Belgian victory at the battle, nicknamed the "Battle of the Silver Helmets" after the cavalry helmets left on the battlefield after the fighting, was an important incident of the campaign.
In 1915, he was named inspector-general of the cavalry, which he held until 1919.
Honours
* Belgium: Grand Cordon
Order of Leopold, RD 1924.
* Belgium: Grand Officer
Order of the Crown
* Belgium:
War Cross
*
Royal Order of the Sword, Sweden
*
Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (France)
* Grand officer
Military Order of the Bath, UK
* Jubilee medal HM George V
References
External links
De Witte de Haelen at ''Ars Morendi''
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Witte De Haelen, Leon
1857 births
1933 deaths
People from Ixelles
Belgian barons
Belgian Army generals of World War I
Commanders of the Legion of Honour
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Recipients of the Order of St. Anna
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Commanders of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Royal Military Academy (Belgium) alumni
Cavalry commanders
19th-century Belgian military personnel