- Ion Dragalina
Infobox Military Person
name=Ion Dragalina
lived=December 16 ,1860 —November 9 ,1916
caption=
nickname=
placeofbirth=Caransebeş ,Austria-Hungary
placeofdeath=Bucharest ,Kingdom of Romania
allegiance=Romanian Army
branch=
serviceyears=1887-1916
rank=General
unit=
commands=1st Army
battles=World War I -Romanian Campaign
awards=
relations=
laterwork=Ion Dragalina (
December 16 ,1860 –November 9 ,1916 ) was aRomania n General.Born in
Caransebeş (then inAustria-Hungary ), he studied at a primary school and military school in his home town. He completed his military studies inTimişoara and at the War Academy inVienna . In 1887, he crossed the border to Romania and joined the Romanian Army.In 1916, before Romania's entry in
World War I on the Allied side, he was appointed commander of the 1st Division, located in Turnu Severin. His division fought courageously in August 1916 atOrşova and in theCerna River valley.Very popular among the troops (he was nicknamed "Father Dragalina" by his men), the General was appointed commander of the 1st Army on
October 24 ,1916 , during the German offensive in theJiu River valley, led by GeneralPaul von Kneussl , the commander of the elite 11th Bavarian Division. The next day he started inspecting his front-line troops; betweenBumbeşti-Jiu andLainici his car was ambushed by a German patrol and Dragalina was severely wounded in the right arm. Evacuated toTârgu Jiu ,Craiova and then toBucharest , he was operated on too late and died of complications onNovember 9 , in the military hospital set up inside the Royal Palace in Bucharest.Family
He was the father of future
Romanian Army GeneralCorneliu Dragalina , who was also born in Caransebeş.References
*Constantin Kiriţescu, "Istoria războiului pentru întregirea României: 1916-1919", 1922
External links
*ro icon [http://www.caransebes.ro/cultura/personalitati/Ioan_Dragalina.htm "Generalul Ioan Drăgălina"]
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