[1] He was the son of Émile Siméon Humbert, a gendarme and Nathalie Augustine Eulalie Breton.

On 9 March 1915, he received the command of the Eighth Army until 24 July of the same year, when he took over the command over the six divisions of the Third Army, which he held until the Armistice.

General Humbert played a key role for General Pétain in sealing the breach on the Western Front during the German spring offensive.

Humbert was one of the most appreciated French generals of World War I.

His son Jacques followed in his footsteps and was a general during World War II.