Jean Théveney

Who is Jean Théveney?

General Jean Baptiste Philippe Théveney was a French army officer. His father was a cavalry officer and Théveney was educated at the Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Infanterie before being commissioned as an infantry officer. He served in a number of staff and regimental appointments in France before joining the 1st Foreign Regiment of the French Foreign Legion and seeing active service in Algeria. Théveney followed the regiment to Morocco where it was involved in the Zaian War against the Berbers.

Théveney spent much of his military career in Morocco, fighting in many battles and being mentioned in dispatches several times. He served briefly against the German Army on the Western Front before returning to Morocco within a year. He led the operation that brought to an end the Zaian War in 1921 and remained in Morocco, participating in the Rif War in 1926. Théveney was a grand-officer of the Legion of Honour and holder of the Croix de Guerre and the Spanish Moroccan Peace Medal.