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Subject:
Verdun
Elbandeedo
9/17/2004 9:30:43 AM
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| I've been doing a lot of reading lately on WWI, in particular the battles in and around Verdun.
While I'm still testy about the French stance on Iraq, I have to give credit to brave men, and am having some sympathy for the French/Euorpean view of war - the loss of several generations in two major wars would cause anyone to have pause and take serious any consideration of war.
All that aside, one of the more heroic battles in the Verdun sector which I am finding fascinating, is Lt. Col. Emile Driants' last stand and those battles some of his light infantry fought.
Driant was a soldier who retired from service (or resigned) due to being passed over for a promotion. He went into politics, forming strong political ties to powerful men in the French government. At the advent of WWI, he joined back up, and was assigned command of two battalions of Chassuers or light infantry.
He was assigned to the Verdun sector and immediately discovered that it had been stripped by the high command of personnel and equipment, and defenses were sorely lacking. He shot a message up through political channels which drew significant flak, and a sarcastic response from Petaine, who said that the sector was secure. Of course, it wasn't. Driant used his own money and that of wealthy locals to reinforce the area by building concrete bunkers - using private funds and his men.
When the attack finally came, it started with the largest bombardment ever in the history of warfare. approximately 80,000 shells fell in an area smaller than 1 sq. kilometre. the woods were decimated, the trenches nearly disappeared. As the remnants of his command dug out, one trooper claimed that only 1 in five men were unharmed, 2 in five were alive.
initially, units held strong, but fell back after suffering more losses. Lt. Col. Driant rallied his men and shocked the Germans with a ferocious counterattack, retaking several key positions.
His men continued to hold for another day, but finally on February 22, they had to fall back. Driant and his commanders burned their papers and began to retreat - but Driant saw a wounded trooper and stopped to give aid - and was himself killed.
He gave of his personal assets selflessly to secure his beloved homeland and he paid the final price of freedom defending her. A true hero, and an example of leadership.
Elbandeedo |
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