Paul Flatters

Paul Flatters , (born the September 10th 1832 with Laval, dead the February 16th 1881 with Bir el-Garama, in the the Sahara), soldier and explorer.

Biography

Wire of a distinguished sculptor, it is orphan when it is allowed in 1845 with the Lycée of Laval. It made brilliant studies there, bound durable friendships, and later married to it Miss Legros, girl of one as of the her school-fellows. Receipt 5th with Saint-Cyr military school in 1851, it left there to the same row.

The massacre of the Flatters mission

With 39 people, it starts from Ouargla, the March 5th 1880. It goes down then towards the south, but a lack of vivres and the threats of the populations force it to turn back. It returns to Ouargla the May 17th without to have completely fulfilled its mission, but bringing back invaluable information. In spite of the threats uttered by the Amenokal Tuareg Ahitarel Ag Mohamed Biska which categorically refuses the passage of a troop armed on its field, Flatters decides to set out again.

The December 4th, it takes again the road of the the Sahara for the one second forwarding of 93 men including seven scientific and military members: Misters Béringer, Rock, Santin, the medical officer Guyard, the Masson captain, lieutenant de Dianous of Perrotine, two warrant officers Misters Dennery and Pobéguin, two ordinances Slab and Marjolet, forty seven riflemen indigenous and thirty and one Arabic of the tribes, seven guides Chaamba and Iforas, the Mokadem about Tidjani. They leave with nearly 280 animals (camels, cheveaux, asses) and an important gold sum. For two months, the column progresses without major difficulty. Their way stops with Bir el-Garama. It will be killed by the Tuaregs.

A monument pointing out this event was set up in the Parc Montsouris in Paris. The municipal council of Laval gave the name of Flatters to the one of the streets of his city. An inscription on marble in the village hall of the College points out its glorious death.

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