Boris Drangov

Boris Drangov (1872–1917)

Boris Stoyanov Drangov (Bulgarian: Борис Стоянов Дрангов; 15 March 1872–26 May 1917) was a Bulgarian colonel and warfare pedagogue.

Drangov was born in Skopje in Ottoman-ruled Macedonia (today the capital of the Republic of Macedonia), to the family of a rich timber merchant. He graduated from the local Bulgarian Exarchate school or the Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki. In 1891, he enrolled in the Military School in Sofia in the Principality of Bulgaria. After a conflict with an officer, he was dispatched to Lom in 1894; in the town, Drangov met his future wife (also from Macedonia) and was promoted to second lieutenant in 1895. In 1899, he became a first lieutenant.

During the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising of 1903, Drangov left the Bulgarian Army to arrive in Macedonia. There, he assembled an armed detachment of 120 men which fought the Ottomans in the Kratovo region. After the uprising's suppression, Drangov returned to the army and was promoted to rotmistar (cavalry captain). He studied at the Imperial Russian General Staff Academy in Saint Petersburg; he graduated with honours in 1907 and returned to Bulgarian service. Promoted to major in 1910, he became a lecturer of military tactics at the Military School in Sofia.

During the First Balkan War of 1912–1913, Drangov headed a brigade on the Thracian front, defeating the Ottomans at Çatalca and during the Siege of Adrianople. During the Second Balkan War, Drangov fought the Serbs at Bublyak Peak. In February 1915, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel.

With the outbreak of World War I, Drangov was named as the head of a regiment consisting mainly of untrained Macedonian Bulgarian volunteers. Under his training, the regiment turned into an efficient unit and fought at Kalimanci, Kočani and Štip. He also fought at the Romanian front in Dobruja before he was dispatched back to Macedonia, where his unit guarded the River Crna meander. He was wounded during artillery shelling on 26 May 1917 and died of his wounds the same evening.

Boris Drangov was interred in the Saint Demetrius Church's yard in Skopje. His remains were later moved by the Serbian authorities to a common cemetery. Drangov was posthumously promoted to colonel by the Bulgarian Army.

Honours

Three villages in Bulgaria bear Boris Drangov's name: Drangovo, Kardzhali Province, Drangovo, Blagoevgrad Province and Drangovo, Plovdiv Province. Drangov Peak in the Breznik Heights on Greenwich Island, Antarctica, was also named after him.

References

• Шишков, К., Полковник Борис Дрангов — избрани произведения, Военно издателство, София, 1985.
• Шишков, К., Преподавателят майор Борис Дрангов., „Военнисторически сборник“, 1985, № 5.
• Недев, Светлозар, Командването на българската войска през войните за национално обединение, Военноиздателски комплекс „Свети Георги Победоносец“, София, 1993, стр. 181.
• Борис Дрангов. Сборник материали и научни изследвания. София, 1993.
• Карнфилов, Ефрем. Борис Дрангов в: Ефрем Каранфилов, „Българи“, София, 1980.
• Узунов, Христо. Полковник Борис Дрангов, „Армейски преглед“, 1986, №10.
• Sega newspaper of 8 November 2005

Bulgaria during World War I
Prelude	South-western front Serbian Campaign, Macedonian Front	Romanian front • Outcome • Others	Important persons
Balkan Wars 1912–1913 First Balkan War 1913 Treaty of London Second Balkan War Treaty of Bucharest Treaty of Constantinople Neutrality 1914 Ottoman–Bulgarian alliance 1915 Negotiations of Bulgaria with the Central Powers and the Entente Bulgarian–German treaty Secret Bulgarian–German agreement Military convention between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria Bulgarian–Ottoman convention Mobilization	Commanders  Bulgaria Nikola Zhekov • Kliment Boyadzhiev • Dimitar Geshov • Georgi Todorov • Ivan Lukov • Stefan Nerezov • Vladimir Vazov Entente:  Serbia: Radomir Putnik • Živojin Mišić • Stepa Stepanović • Petar Bojović • Pavle Jurišić Šturm;  France: Maurice Sarrail • Adolphe Guillaumat • Louis Franchet d'Espèrey;  United Kingdom: Bryan Mahon • George Milne;  Kingdom of Greece: Panagiotis Danglis Field Armies + Eleventh Army First Army Second Army Fourth Army Battles 1915 Morava Offensive • Ovče Pole Offensive • Kosovo Offensive (1915) • Battle of Krivolak 1916 First battle of Doiran • Battle of Florina (Lerin) • Struma operation • Monastir Offensive 1917 Second battle of Doiran • 2nd Crna Bend • Second battle of Monastir 1918 Battle of Skra-di-Legen • Battle of Dobro Pole • Third battle of Doiran	Commanders  Bulgaria Nikola Zhekov • Panteley Kiselov • Stefan Toshev • Todor Kantardzhiev • Ivan Kolev Entente:  Romania: Constantin Prezan • Alexandru Averescu;  Russia: Andrei Zayonchkovski • Vladimir Sakharov Field Armies Third Army Battles 1916 Battle of Turtucaia • Battle of Dobrich • First Cobadin • Flămânda Offensive • Second Cobadin • Battle of Bucharest Outcome 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Armistice of Focșani • Treaty of Bucharest • Protocol of Berlin Outcome Armistice of Salonica Vladaya revolt Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine Others Bulgarian administration in Kosovo Anti-military propaganda	Ferdinand Vasil Radoslavov Aleksandar Malinov Aleksandar Stamboliyski Aleksandar Protogerov August von Mackensen Boris Drangov Vladimir Vazov Georgi Todorov (general) Ivan Kolev Kliment Boyadzhiev Dimitar Geshov Ivan Lukov Konstantin Zhostov Krastyu Zlatarev Nikola Zhekov Panteley Kiselov Stefan Toshev Stefan Nerezov Todor Kantardzhiev