AN ÉLITE COMPANY BONNAL (Henri, 1844-1917, French General, Head of the École Supérieure de Guerre, Writer on Warfare)

Holograph Article Signed, in French with translation, headed "The Conditions of Modern Warfare: The Blue Devils", about "a fine feat of arms in Haute Alsace, from the 14th to the 21st June, accomplished by the 6th Company of the 7th Battalion of Light Infantry (chasseurs à pied)" which has prompted "the Officer Commanding the Army of the Vosges" (General Maud'huy) to rename "the company in question ... the Sidi-Brahim Company, in memory of the heroism shown in 1844 by the company of chasseurs which had taken refuge in the marabout [chapel containing the tomb of a devotee frontiersman] of Sidi-Brahim", the 6th Company in aiming to take "the height of Hilsenfürst, south of Metzeral ... having pierced the line of the German avant-garde, found itself hemmed in for four days, during which it was able to resist victoriously all enemy attacks", he describes the Captain's laying out a square of trenches, communicating in Provençal with the bulk of the 7th Battalion so that the latter could give warning of supporting fire, and many individual incidents, adding "one would like to know the name of its Captain", and referring to "the anonymous war waged by our army for the past eleven months ... during the four days of the siege ... our brave [chasseurs] had but two killed and three wounded. The detachment did not leave a single man in enemy hands, inflicted severe losses on him, took ten prisoners, captured one machine-gun, several rifles and 4,000 cartridges ... Napoleon, an incomparable psychologist, foresaw the increase in power that would come from setting up élite companies, when, at the beginning of the campaign of 1805, he ordered a company of Voltigeurs [quick response light infantry] to be formed in each battalion ... The ordinary person can form no idea of the advantage which good officers can draw from such differences of name and dress", many original alterations, 5 sides folio, no place, no date but July

After service in Algeria, the war of 1870, and Indo-China, in 1887 Bonnal was appointed Professor of Military History, Strategy and Tactics at the École Supérieure de Guerre. Foch succeeded him there in 1896. In 1901 Bonnal returned as Commandant, earning respect for his authority, his courses and his writings. However in June 1902 there was an inquiry into "a matter of private order", no pronouncement against him was made, but the Minister of War removed him for political reasons. Bonnal continued writing for the reviews. See also his 'Military Psychology of Napoleon' (1909) and 'Military Life of Marshal Ney' (1911).
In the present sector of the Vosges, each side concentrated on holding a line near such summits as Hilsenfürst - easier for the Germans, who had the Rhine valley behind them, than for the French, who had to bring everything up mule tracks. After December 1915 there was virtual stalemate, as the French government forbade wasteful attempts to gain ground.

Item Date:  1915

Stock No:  18880      £225

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