Louis Dartige du Fournet
Louis Dartige du Fournet (Putanges-Pont-Écrepin, 2 March 1856 – Périgueux, 16 February 1940) was a French admiral during World War I.
Life
He entered the French Navy in 1872 and fought in 1893 as commander of the Comète in the Paknam incident against Siam. During the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) he was as vice-Admiral commander of the French fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. During World War I, he is appointed in February 1915 head of the 3rd French squadron. Based in Syria, its task is to impose a blockade of the Turkish fleet .
In September 1915, he is alerted to the desperate situation of the Armenians on Musa Dagh and he organizes the evacuation of 4,080 Armenians on the Foudre, D’Estrées, Guichen, Amiral Charner and Desaix.
On 10 October 1915, he replaces Augustin Boué de Lapeyrère as allied commander in the Mediterranean Sea.
In November 1916, his troops tried to occupy Athens, but had to withdraw two days later after unexpected armed resistance by royalist Greek troops. For this failure Vice-admiral Dartige du Fournet was relieved of his command, and replaced by Dominique-Marie Gauchet.
He was rehabilitated by the end of the war, but retired in his Périgueux villa Paknam. He is buried in Saint-Chamassy. Louis Dartige du Fournet is still seen as a hero by Armenians for his action in 1915.