Théophile Marie Brébant (24 May 1889 – 20 February 1965) was a

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

officer 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 ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He ended his career in 1946 with the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Career

Brébant served from 23 July 1908 to 14 June 1946 in the French Army. During his career he belonged to the following regiments: * 48th line infantry regiment *

1st Foreign Regiment The 1st Foreign Regiment () is a depot regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is located at Aubagne. The regiment is also responsible for running special institutions of the Legion. These include the magazine ''Képi Blanc'', the ...

3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana. Its mission includes the protection of the Guiana Space Centre, a European Space Agency (ESA) f ...

* 41st Infantry Regiment * 146th Infantry Regiment fortress * 117th Infantry Regiment During

, Brébant participated in the

First Battle of the Marne The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...

and the

Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun ( ; ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in French Third Republic, France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

from 1939 to 1940, he participated in the

Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...

. Then he was a prisoner in Germany in Oflag IV-D (

Hoyerswerda Hoyerswerda () or Wojerecy () is a major district town in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in the Sorbian settlement area of Upper Lusatia, in which the Upper Sorbian language is spoken in addition to German. ...

Lower Silesia Lower Silesia ( ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ) is a historical and geographical region mostly located in Poland with small portions in the Czech Republic and Germany. It is the western part of the region of Silesia. Its largest city is Wrocław. The first ...

Honour

A street of

Guingamp Guingamp (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. With a population of 7,115 as of 2020, Guingamp is one of the smallest towns in Europe to have a top-tier professional football team: En Avant Guin ...

(

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

) is now called ''"Col. Brébant"'' to honour him. It is planned to name a street where a green space in his name at

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

(

Awards

* Commander of the Légion d'honneur ''on 17 January 1952'' **''Officer of the on 13 December 1938'' **''Knight of the on 24 July 1918'' * French Croix de guerre 1914-1918 ( 1 bronze palm, 1 gilt star, 1 silver star, 1 bronze star) * French Croix de guerre 1939-1945 ( 2 bronze palms) * French Croix de guerre des TOE ( 1 silver star) *'' French Croix du combattant'' *

Colonial Medal The Colonial Medal () was a French decoration created by the "loi de finances" of 26 July 1893 (article 75) to reward "military services in the colonies, resulting from participation in military operations, in a colony or a protectorate". A decr ...

with bar "Morocco" *''Medal commemorating the war 1914–1918'' * World War I Victory Medal *''Medal commemorating the war of 1939–1945 with staple France'' *''Wounded military insignia'' with two red stars (wounded twice) *''Medal of La Marne'' *''Medal of Verdun'' *''Medal commemorating the Battle of the Somme (1940)'' File:Colonel Brébant.jpg, Colonel Brébant 1939, 117th Infantry Regiment at Le Mans. File:DCB.JPG, Medals of Colonel Brébant. File:Médaille de la Marne.jpg, 6 September 1914 Battle of the Marne. "A troop that can no longer move at all costs will keep the land conquered and killed on the spot rather than retreat." Signer

General Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general, Marshal of France and a member of the Académie Française and Académie des Sciences. He distinguished himself as Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front during ...

. File:Diplome de Verdun du lieutenant Brébant.jpg, For chefs.

Officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

Soldiers A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word ...

. "To all the heroes known and anonymous, living and dead, who have triumphed over the avalanche of barbaric and immortalized his name in the world and for future centuries, the city of

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

, inviolable and stand on its ruins, dedicate this medal as a sign of his gratitude." Verdun, 20 November 1916. {{DEFAULTSORT:Brebant, Theophile Marie 1889 births 1965 deaths People from Guingamp French Army officers French military personnel of the Rif War French military personnel of World War I French Army personnel of World War II French prisoners of war in World War II World War II prisoners of war held by Germany Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Commanders of the Legion of Honour Officers of the French Foreign Legion Officers of the Legion of Honour Knights of the Legion of Honour