Pierre Préaud

Général de Corps d'Armée Marie Henri Pierre Préaud (1 April 1891 - 21 October 1955) was a French military officer who served in World War I and World War II. A graduate of the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr class of 1913, he commanded the 1st Divisional Reconnaisance Group during the Battle of France. Under the Vichy regime, Préaud served as the Commandant of Saint-Cyr before joining the ORA resistance organization in 1943. From September 1944 he commanded several military regions before retiring from the armed forces in 1950.

Military career Pierre Préaud attended Saint-Cyr from 1910-1913, graduating with the "de la Moskowa" promotion. He participated in World War I as a cavalry officer. In 1920, while a captain at the École d'Application de Cavalerie in Saumur, he was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

Following the signature of the June 1940 Armistice, Préaud was named Commandant of Saint-Cyr, a post he would hold until September 1942. With instruction relocated to the south of France due to the German occupation, he also oversaw the l’Ecole Militaire de l’Infanterie et des Chars de Combat (Military School for Infantry and Tanks) in Aix-en-Provence. He was promoted to Brigadier-General in 1941.

Following the allied victory in 1945, Préaud would hold a number of territorial commands. He was named a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1947. He was promoted to Général de Corps d'Armée in 1949 and retired in 1950. He was killed in a car accident in 1955.

Honours and decorations Commander of the Legion of Honor Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) Croix de Guerre 1914-18 Croix de Guerre 1939-45