Baron Augustin Édouard Michel du Faing d'Aigremont, born Augustin Édouard Michel (14 May 1855 – 15 June 1931) was a Belgian army officer and general who served during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Career

Son of a mining engineer, he studied at the ''Athénée de Charleroi'', and in 1871 at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. He qualified in 1873 as an artillery officer, and rose through the ranks to become Inspector General of the Artillery in 1906. In 1912, he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and received the command of the 4th Army Division based on in the Fortified Position of Namur. In August 1914, he commanded the division during the Siege of Namur, retreating towards Antwerp. He took part in the

Battle of the Yser The Battle of the Yser (, ) was a battle of the First World War that took place in October 1914 between the towns of Nieuwpoort, Belgium, Nieuwpoort and Diksmuide, along a stretch of the Yser River and the Yperlee Canal, in Belgium. The front ...

, where the 4th Division occupied the front between Kaaskerke and Tervate along the Nieuwpoort-

Diksmuide (; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of proper and the former communes of Beerst, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, Nieuwkapelle, Oostkerke ...

railway line until its relief on 26 October 1914. From December 1914 to January 1917, the 4th Division remained in Wulpen. It participated on the general allied offensive in 1918 and crossed the

Scheldt The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...

river on 8 November 1918, reaching the city of

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

. After the war, Michel commanded the Belgian forces during the

Occupation of the Rhineland The Occupation of the Rhineland placed the region of Germany west of the Rhine river and four bridgeheads to its east under the control of the victorious Allies of World War I from 1December 1918 until 30June 1930. The occupation was imposed a ...

. He retired in 1920 in order to work with the

Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (; ), also known as the Royal Military Museum (; ), is a military museum that occupies the two northernmost halls of the historic complex in the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark in Br ...

in Brussels. In 1921, he was made Baron du Faing d'Aigremont. The barracks of the 17th Regiment of the Line in Mechelen was named after him, and numerous streets in different towns across the country are named in his honour.

Honours

* : 1919 : Grand Cordon in the

Order of Leopold Order of Leopold may refer to: * Order of Leopold (Austria), founded in 1808 by emperor Francis I of Austria and discontinued in 1918 * Order of Leopold (Belgium), founded in 1832 by king Leopold I of Belgium * Order of Leopold II, founded in Congo ...

References

External links

Michel du Faing d'Aigremont memorial in Namur
at Traces of World War I {{DEFAULTSORT:du Faing dAigremont, Augustin Edouard Michel 1855 births 1931 deaths Belgian barons People from Charleroi Belgian Army generals of World War I Royal Military Academy (Belgium) alumni 19th-century Belgian military personnel