Jean-Baptiste Piron

Jean-Baptiste Piron
Piron, photographed c.1945
Born	(1896-04-10)10 April 1896 Couvin, Namur Province, Belgium
Died	4 September 1974(1974-09-04) (aged 78) Uccle, Brussels, Belgium
Allegiance	Belgium
Service/branch	Belgian Army Free Belgian Forces
Years of service	1914–1957
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	1st Belgian Infantry Brigade Belgian Army in Germany
Battles/wars	World War I Yser Front World War II Battle of Belgium Liberation of Belgium

Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Piron DSO (10 April 1896 – 4 September 1974) was a Belgian military officer, best known for his role in the Free Belgian forces during World War II as commander of the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, widely known as the "Piron Brigade", between 1942 and 1944.

Piron entered the Belgian Army and served during World War I as both a junior infantry officer and, briefly, in the Belgian Air Force. He rose through the ranks during the interwar period and held the rank of major at the time of the German invasion of Belgium in World War II. He subsequently escaped from German-occupied Belgium and reached the United Kingdom, where he led a re-organisation of the Free Belgian military. Promoted to the head of the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, he led the unit from 1942 to 1944, including on the Western Front in late 1944. He commanded the Belgian army of occupation in Germany in 1946–1947 and was aide de camp to Prince-Regent Charles and, later, to King Baudouin. He ended his career as lieutenant general and retired in 1957. He died in 1974.