Nicolas Lebel
Encyclopedia
Colonel Nicolas Lebel after whom the French military's Lebel rifle was named.
. Interested by the prospects of a military career he enrolled in the Saint-Cyr Military Academy
in 1855.
In 1857, he joined the 58th Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant. During the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71, when he was a captain and company commander, he fought with great personal courage. Unfortunately, in September 1870, he was captured after the Sedan
encirclement and suffered captivity in Germany.
Released from captivity after the Treaty of Frankfurt
, he found a command in Tours, during the years of intense reorganization of the French Army
which followed the 1871 defeat. He was appointed major in 1876, and dedicated himself to the improvement of infantry weaponry. His competence was soon recognized and in 1883, the Minister for War (General Thibaudin) entrusted him to direct the army's École Normale de Tir. The E.N.T. was the army's training center dedicated to improve shooting performance and recommend small arms improvements.
In March 1884 he was made a member of the Commission des Armes à Répétition or Commission for repeating firearms. This commission was presided at the time by general Tramond and included Colonel Basile Gras, Colonel Bonnet, Lt-Colonel Lebel, Castan, de Tristan, Captain Desaleux and last but not least Paul Vieille, the inventor of smokeless powder
. It is this commission which formulated and supervised the execution of the fusil mle 1886 infantry rifle prototype. This project was carried out within slightly more than one year, between January 1886 and the date of formal adoption: April 1887. Lt-colonel Lebel's direct contribution was the full-metal-jacket bullet or balle Lebel which had been formulated and extensively tested at the École Normale de Tir under his direction. He had been inspired by the promising results obtained somewhat earlier by a major Eduard Rubin
of the Swiss Army who had invented the first copper jacketed rifle bullets in 1882. Without the jacketed "Balle Lebel" ( "Lebel bullet") the new Mle 1886 rifle's performance with Paul Vieille's smokeless powder, which imparted much higher velocities than black powder, would have been impossible to achieve.
The new Fusil Mle 1886 was soon and informally designated as Fusil Lebel (Lebel rifle) "against the protestations of the Commission, including colonel Lebel himself" as quoted verbatim from Challeat's classic Histoire Technique de l'Artillerie de Terre en France pendant un siècle, published in 1935. The historical record shows that the Lebel rifle was the result of teamwork carried out against time and under great pressure exerted from above by War Minister general Boulanger. The original bullet or "Balle M" designed under Colonel Lebel's direction had a lead core and a cupro-nickel jacket. Its weight was 232 gr. Its muzzle velocity was 2000 ft/s (609.6 m/s). Its maximum range was 3500 yards (3,200.4 m). It was propelled by 46 gr of the new smokeless "poudre B
". Its ballistic properties were superior to anything else in existence at the time (1887).
Lebel was promoted to the rank of full colonel in 1887 but, because of cardiac problems, he took early retirement in 1890 and died on May 6, 1891.
He was decorated with the rank of Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honor.
Biography
Nicolas Lebel was born in Saint-Mihiel (Meuse) near VerdunVerdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
. Interested by the prospects of a military career he enrolled in the Saint-Cyr Military Academy
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...
in 1855.
In 1857, he joined the 58th Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant. During the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870-71, when he was a captain and company commander, he fought with great personal courage. Unfortunately, in September 1870, he was captured after the Sedan
Battle of Sedan
The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War on 1 September 1870. It resulted in the capture of Emperor Napoleon III and large numbers of his troops and for all intents and purposes decided the war in favour of Prussia and its allies, though fighting continued under a new French...
encirclement and suffered captivity in Germany.
Released from captivity after the Treaty of Frankfurt
Treaty of Frankfurt
The Treaty of Frankfurt may refer to one of three treaties signed at Frankfurt, as follows:*Treaty of Frankfurt - Treaty between Maximilian of Austria and the envoys of King Charles VIII of France...
, he found a command in Tours, during the years of intense reorganization of the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
which followed the 1871 defeat. He was appointed major in 1876, and dedicated himself to the improvement of infantry weaponry. His competence was soon recognized and in 1883, the Minister for War (General Thibaudin) entrusted him to direct the army's École Normale de Tir. The E.N.T. was the army's training center dedicated to improve shooting performance and recommend small arms improvements.
In March 1884 he was made a member of the Commission des Armes à Répétition or Commission for repeating firearms. This commission was presided at the time by general Tramond and included Colonel Basile Gras, Colonel Bonnet, Lt-Colonel Lebel, Castan, de Tristan, Captain Desaleux and last but not least Paul Vieille, the inventor of smokeless powder
Smokeless powder
Smokeless powder is the name given to a number of propellants used in firearms and artillery which produce negligible smoke when fired, unlike the older gunpowder which they replaced...
. It is this commission which formulated and supervised the execution of the fusil mle 1886 infantry rifle prototype. This project was carried out within slightly more than one year, between January 1886 and the date of formal adoption: April 1887. Lt-colonel Lebel's direct contribution was the full-metal-jacket bullet or balle Lebel which had been formulated and extensively tested at the École Normale de Tir under his direction. He had been inspired by the promising results obtained somewhat earlier by a major Eduard Rubin
Eduard Rubin
Lieutenant Colonel Eduard Rubin was a Swiss firearm designer who is most notable for inventing the full metal jacket bullet in 1882. His most famous cartridge was the 7.5x55mm Swiss. He served as director of the Swiss Federal Ammunition Factory and Research Center in Thun.-References:...
of the Swiss Army who had invented the first copper jacketed rifle bullets in 1882. Without the jacketed "Balle Lebel" ( "Lebel bullet") the new Mle 1886 rifle's performance with Paul Vieille's smokeless powder, which imparted much higher velocities than black powder, would have been impossible to achieve.
The new Fusil Mle 1886 was soon and informally designated as Fusil Lebel (Lebel rifle) "against the protestations of the Commission, including colonel Lebel himself" as quoted verbatim from Challeat's classic Histoire Technique de l'Artillerie de Terre en France pendant un siècle, published in 1935. The historical record shows that the Lebel rifle was the result of teamwork carried out against time and under great pressure exerted from above by War Minister general Boulanger. The original bullet or "Balle M" designed under Colonel Lebel's direction had a lead core and a cupro-nickel jacket. Its weight was 232 gr. Its muzzle velocity was 2000 ft/s (609.6 m/s). Its maximum range was 3500 yards (3,200.4 m). It was propelled by 46 gr of the new smokeless "poudre B
Poudre B
Poudre B : was the first practical smokeless gunpowder. Originally called "Poudre V" from the name of the inventor, Paul Vieille, it was later renamed "Poudre B" to distract German espionage...
". Its ballistic properties were superior to anything else in existence at the time (1887).
Lebel was promoted to the rank of full colonel in 1887 but, because of cardiac problems, he took early retirement in 1890 and died on May 6, 1891.
He was decorated with the rank of Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honor.