About this episode

This episode explores the dramatic opening moments of the Battle of Verdun, focusing on Lieutenant Colonel Émile Driant's stand against the German offensive.

In this episode of The Old Front Line, we explore the dramatic opening moments of the Battle of Verdun, focusing on the heroic stand of Lieutenant Colonel Émile Driant and his men in the Bois des Caures on 21st/22nd February 1916. Commanding the 56th and 59th Battalions of Chasseurs à Pied, Driant faced the full force of the German offensive as it erupted with one of the most intense artillery bombardments of the First World War. Outnumbered and under relentless pressure, his lightly fortifie...

People in this episode

Host: Paul Reed

Topics covered

• Battle of Verdun
• World War I
• military history
• artillery bombardment
• heroic stand

Keywords

• Verdun
• Driant
• Chasseurs à Pied
• World War I
• artillery
• military strategy
• February 1916

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Chasseurs à Pied

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