Marie Joseph Francis Garnier was born on 25th July 1839 in Saint Etienne, France, and he died on 21st December 1873 (aged 34 years) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Francis was a French officer and became famous for being the person to conceive the idea and to explore the valley of the Mekong River region. He undertook the major work of surveying and observing the positions fixed by astronomical observations in the area which was unknown to the Europeans exploring the area. Francis assumed command of the expedition after the leader Lagree had died. He wrote an anonymous account of his experiences during the siege; his experiences were published later on.
Do you know: Francis Garnier took over Hanoi, died in that battle and was later awarded for his feat of bravery.
