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 fortified positions in the Bois des Caures became a crucial early line of resistance. Their determined defence helped delay the German advance at a critical moment, buying precious time for French reinforcements to move towards Verdun.

We examine who Émile Driant was: soldier, politician, and writer. And ask why his leadership became symbolic of French resistance. Through on-the-ground exploration, we also walk the battlefield today, visiting the woods where his battalions fought and fell, uncovering traces of trenches, shell holes, and memorials that still mark this desperate struggle and visiting his symbolic command post.

Books on Verdun:

Alastair Horne - The Price of Glory

Christina Holstein - Walking in the Footsteps of the Fallen: Verdun 1916

Christina Holstein - Walking Verdun

Jacques Pericard - Verdun 1914-1918

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