The grave of Lt-Colonel Driant
Émile Driant ( 1855 – 1916), French nationalist writer, politician, & army officer, was the first high ranking casualty of the Great War Battle of Verdun. Driant became an Army officer in 1877, joining the 4th Regiment of Zouaves in North Africa as a Captain in 1886. In 1888 Driant married the daughter of nationalist General Boulanger. He spent 1892–1896 as an instructor at the Saint-Cyr military academy, and from 1899–1905 commanded the 1st Battalion of Chasseurs. Resigning his commission in 1906, as he was banned from higher rank due to his controversial father-in-law & strong nationalist and Catholic ideas, he moved to journalism & politics & was elected to the Chamber of Deputies as representative for Nancy in 1910, working to strengthen France's defenses. In 1888 he began writing an imaginary war novel, under the pseudonym "Capitaine Danrit". This was La Guerre de demain ("The War of Tomorrow"), three stories comprising:"Fortress Warfare", "War in Open Country", & "Balloon Warfare". They open with a surprise German attack on France. Soon after the start of World War I in 1914 Driant returned to the Army as a captain. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel & given command of two infantry battalions. He kept his seat in Parliament In 1915 he criticised Joffre for removing artillery from fortresses around Toul & Verdun to strengthen other parts of the Western Front. Driant claimed the area was threatened; Joffre denied it Driant was proved right on 21 February 1916, when the German Army initiated a massive attack on French forces in the Verdun sector. As the French defences crumbled around them, Driant's two battalions – 1,200 men in total –began a desperate defence of the Bois des Caures in Flabas. Under him the battalions managed to resist the German onslaught until the afternoon of the next day. When his battalions were outflanked & the position untenable, Driant ordered the survivors to withdraw During the withdrawal, he was killed & is thought a hero
Size: 4436px × 5544px
Location: Bois des Caures Verdun Departement de la Meuse Lorraine, France
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1, 1914-18, army, battle, bois, capitaine, caures, danrit, deputy, des, driant, france, french, grave, great, hero, meuse, military, nancy, verdun, war, world
