Henri Alain-Fournier

Henri-Alban Fournier

(Born October 3, 1886 in La Chapelle-d'Angillon in the Cher and killed in action on September 22, 1914 in Saint-Remy-la-Calonne)

Henri-Alban Fournier, born in La Chapelle-d'Angillon, spent part of his childhood in Epineuil-le-Fleuriel where his parents were teachers. At the age of twelve, he entered the Lycée Voltaire in Paris, then the Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux. After his military service, he gave up the idea of entering the Ecole Normale, and returned, thanks to Charle Morice, to Paris-Journal and wrote a literary column for several years. He also gives poems, essays and short stories to several magazines. But Alain-Fournier devotes most of his time to writing a novel, the Great Meaulnes. First published in serial form, in La NRF, it was edited in volume, by Emile-Paul Frères, in September 1913. It was an immediate success and just missed out on the Goncourt prize. In 1914, Alain-Fournier begins a new novel, Northern Dove and a play. But the war stops him. He is mobilized on August 2nd and joins the 288th infantry regiment which takes part in the Battle of the Marne. Sent on reconnaissance near Saint-Remy, he crossed the Calonne trench with his company and fell into an ambush. He was killed instantly. He was 28 years old.