Academic Equitation

General Decarpentry was born in 1878 at Lambres near Douai. As the son and grandson of enthusiastic pupils of Baucher, he developed a keen interest in equitation and decided on a cavalry career. He served in the Cadre Noir at Saumur from 1904 to 1913 and again from 1925 to 1931 as the school's second-in-command, having been in command of the cavalry section at St Cyr for two years. During the First World War he was badly wounded at Verdun resulting in a stiff left elbow which, he used to say, left the arm bent in the right position for riding. General Decarpentry died in Paris in 1956.