Colonel Driant's Command Post
From The Old Front Line by Paul Reed
March 28, 2026 · 39 min · Season 9 · Episode 27
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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