Dyhern
Character Profile[edit]
| Name: | Dyhern |
| Date of Birth: | |
| Service: | Prussian aviator service |
| Rank: | Captain |
| Nationality: | Prussian |
| Billets: | Eroica, Temeraire |
Biography[edit]
Plain-spoken and even-tempered, Captain Dyhern was captain of Eroica, a heavyweight Prussian dragon. They first met William Laurence and Temeraire in September 1806 near Dresden, where the Prussian army was encamped.
Dyhern was somewhat skeptical of the habits Temeraire had learned in China, such as having his food cooked, and raised the issue with Laurence, suggesting it was better to maintain discipline and order rather than indulging his dragon's whims.
Dyhern and Eroica instructed Temeraire and Laurence in Prussian formation-flying. They were reluctant to accept Temeraire's observations that the rigid Prussian formations, originally created by Frederick the Great (who had died two decades previously), created defensive weaknesses. After the Prussian defeat at the Battle of Saalfeld on October 10, Dyhern had the grace to admit that he had been wrong. With Dyhern's encouragement and even with some enthusiasm, the Prussian dragons and crews began practicing Temeraire's modifications, somewhat simplified by Laurence and Granby to make them more accessible to the less agile Western dragon breeds.
Alas, there was insufficient time to put the new formations into use at the Battle of Jena-Auerstadt on October 14. Eroica was boarded, and although Dyhern shot two French soldiers and killed another with a sabre-thrust, he was taken prisoner. Eroica surrendered when he saw the French hold a sword blade at his captain's throat. Laurence saw four other of the Prussian heavy-weights captured as well. By the end of the day, out of 14, none remained.
In December 1807, shortly after Napoleon's invasion of Britain, Laurence happened to meet a cousin of Dyhern's in the mess tent at British headquarters. He and another Prussian officer, Von Pfeil - whom Laurence recognized from the Siege of Danzig - had chosen exile and service in Britain in preference to accepting Napoleon's offer of parole. At the time, Laurence had been convicted of treason and condemned to death. Dyhern's cousin and Von Pfeil were among the few officers present who willingly greeted him.
Dyhern himself was imprisoned by the French, and Eroica was taken to the breeding grounds. Though Dyhern was able to escape his captivity, he was not able to locate Eroica after much searching. Instead, he ended up in exile in Russia, where he again met William Laurence and Temeraire. As their numbers had been depleted, and skilled aviators were in short supply, Laurence invited Dyhern to join Temeraire's crew, which he quickly accepted.
