Edouard Charlet

Edouard Charlet , born in 1873 with Lyon, dead the September 23rd 1915 in Champagne, was a French soldier and officer military cadet. He in particular illustrated himself with the the Sahara where he occupied various stations from 1896 to 1913, then during the Champagne First World War, where he was killed on the face.

Djanet, an oasis of the south-east of the Sahara, changed the name of Fort-Charlet of 1915 to 1962, in remembering its action in the Sahara.

First years

Edouard Charlet was born in within a Lyons family to which there will remain very close all his life. He will make it benefit from an abundant correspondence, which constitutes a mine of information on its military life and the context in which it is held. He meets in the Sahara of the personalities like François-Henry Laperrine, Lyautey, Charles de Foucauld and well of others, which marked the life of the Algérie at the beginning of the 20th century. Edouard Charlet integrates Saint-Cyr military school in 1893 (promotion Jeanne d' Arc) and out of spring officer of infantry. After two years of garrison in province, with Gap, it embarks for Algeria where, initially, it joined the 1st regiment of zouaves in Algiers.

Indigenous businesses of 1899 to 1907: Boghar, Marnia, Ghardaïa, El Abiod

After two years of garrison life in Algiers, Charlet joined the “Service of the indigenous businesses”, which took the continuation of the Arab Offices of the conquest. Its agents, officers placed in position except framework of their body, have the role of managing the vast territories which were not entrusted yet to the civil authority. In these various stations it is in turn and at the same time, Justice of the Peace, police officer, soldier, agricultural engineer, builder, collector taxes, etc

At the end of 1901, about fifteen years after the Father Charles de Foucauld, Charlet saw the same adventure to travel to the Morocco, still prohibited, for a mission half exploration, half information. This forwarding, without the knowledge of its superiors, is worth to him to be shut down, then transferred to Ghardaïa. Charlet carries out to it tasks of administration and contacts with the local leaders. It leaves its mark to Ghardaïa because it built there the markets. Charlet is then named, in 1904, chief of station of El Abiod Sidi Sheik, in the Oranian south, with again the mission of managing and of arranging. It builds a stopping, a hospital, a palm plantation, kitchen gardens. It has also the task to traverse the great Eastern erg, with the head of its Méhariste S, to protect the caravans, regularly attacked and plundered by the Morrocans and the dissenting tribes. He knows on this occasion the life with the desert, very testing, organizing himself around the wells, in a choking atmosphere the day and icy the night. He and about fifty men who follow it are not never safe from a ambush, a raid and shots.

Indigenous businesses of 1907 to 1913: Algiers, Morocco, Tidikelt

After eight years of Saharan adventures, Charlet “recivilise” (letter with his/her parents) by taking a post of head of office of the indigenous Businesses in Algiers, which it will occupy 4 years. It is in charge of all the Moroccan political question, and the province of Oran. It takes part in two military operations, under cover of pacification, with the head of goums. From December 1907 in February 1908, it goes on Eastern Morocco under the orders of Lyautey, then in June 1908, it unloads with Casablanca for four months of countryside and enters the town of Azemmour. In these circumstances, its knowledge of the men, their language, of Morocco, fact wonder to advance in the most peaceful possible way. At this point in time the Charlet captain is named at a prestigious station: he takes the head of the Saharan Company of the Tidikelt (they were founded in 1902 by the Commander François-Henry Laperrine), of which the ambitions go until the Tassili Ajjer, zone also coveted by the Othomans of the Fezzan. It orders approximately 400 Arabic of the tribe of Chaamba, sworn enemies of the Touaregs, like 50 graded French of which the Lehuraux captain (at the time still warrant officer), author of his biography, and lieutenants Ardaillon, Boize, Depommier, Gardel, etc All are covered with “the white gandourah, black burnous, pants of blue cotton fabric, red leather charger cross-belts and belts, barefeet…” (letter with his/her father). With In Salah, Charlet is also seized by the desire to always also build, undertaking and active. It irrigates, cleanses the grounds, improves the wells, plants with heat. But he traverses also his territory and is even brought to make a round of 6400 km, almost entirely with foot beside its will mehara.

The return in France: the 3rd regiment of zouaves

In July 1913, Edouard Charlet returns to France, garrison with Sathonay, where it ensures the command of the 5th battalion of the 3rd regiment of zouaves. One year later, it is the declaration of war. Very quickly, the battalion embarks in Lyon bound for the Belgian border. The commander Charlet is wounded first once and joined his regiment in the trenches of Wood-Saint-Mard, where he will live months in trenches, carrying out several offensives. Charlet is wounded second once. September 25th, 1915, the battalion is in first line in an attack which the marshal Joffre wants decisive out of Champagne. Charlet is killed. From the 1000 men of its battalion, it returned only 120 from there. The 2600 men of the 3rd regiment of zouaves were reduced to 685.

Decorations

colonial Medal (Sahara staples) 1901
agricultural Merit (knight August 1906)
Officer of academy (November 1908)
Legion of honor (Knight December 1908. Officer November 1914)
Military Cross, 3 palms
Black Star of Benign the
Médaille of Morocco (Casablanca, Oudjda) element has
colonial Médaille (staples AOF)
Officier of Nichan Ifthikar

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