author
Félix Chapuis
b. 1853
A French army officer who turned practical military experience into clear, accessible books for soldiers and their families. His work captures the everyday discipline, training, and moral education expected of the French military in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
1 Audiobook
L'Instruction Théorique du Soldat par lui-même (1914)
by Félix Chapuis
About the author
Born in Besançon on December 13, 1853, Félix Chapuis was a French officer and military writer. The Bibliothèque nationale de France identifies him as an author and military officer, and records his death at Villemomble on July 1, 1918.
His army career advanced over time: he is listed as an infantry lieutenant in 1885, a captain in 1893, and a commandant in 1909. Alongside his service, he wrote instructional and educational books for soldiers, including Catéchisme du soldat and Le Livre du soldat dans ses foyers.
Chapuis wrote in a practical, direct style aimed at helping soldiers understand military regulations, duties, and conduct. His surviving works suggest a writer focused less on memoir or literary flourish than on giving useful guidance to ordinary servicemen in a period of major change for the French army.