Ion Dragalina

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Ion Dragalina (December 16, 1860 – November 9, 1916) was a Romanian General.

Born in Caransebeş (then in Austria-Hungary), he studied at a primary school and military school in his home town. He completed his military studies in Timişoara and at the War Academy in Vienna. In 1887, he crossed the border to Romania and joined the Romanian Army.

In 1916, before Romania's entry in the 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 at Orşova and in the Cerna 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 the Jiu valley, led by General Paul von Kneussl, the commander of the elite 11th Bavarian Division. The next day he started inspecting his front-line troops; between Bumbeşti-Jiu and Lainici his car was ambushed by a German patrol and Dragalina was severely wounded in his right arm. Evacuated to Târgu Jiu, Craiova and then to Bucharest, he was operated on too late and died of complications on November 9, in the military hospital set up inside the Royal Palace in Bucharest.