The Declaration of War

When the War broke out, ...

... Henri was serving as a Warrant Officer, in the 90th Infantry Regiment, in Châteauroux (Indre).

On the very day following his eighteenth birthday, on the 28th July 1899, he volonteered and got enlisted as a simple private, into this professionnal regiment, quartered very nearby his father's birth-place.

He had married, on the 5th September 1908, Angèle Trochard, two years older than himself, and the daughter of a late Paris jeweller.

... Jean-Baptiste was belonging, on his side, to the 1st Batalion of the 1st Regiment of Zouaves, from Algiers, detached to the "Régiment de Marche de Zouaves" of the Mixt Brigade, and quartered in Chaouïa.

Enlisted as a volonteer in the 90th Infantry Regiment, on the 17th November 1902, when he was, too, eighteen, he had, then, made the choice to renew his engagement five years later, into the "Sovereignty Units" and the 1st Zouaves.

He had fought for the first time, during spring 1908, along the Southern border between Algeria and Morocco, then taken part, in January 1913, to the Moroccan battles. Due to his merits, he had been awarded the very rare Alaouite Ouissam, and promoted as a Warrant Officer, on the 3rd May 1913.

The 1st Batalion of the 1st Zouaves was, then, integrated, in August 1914, into the 8th "Régiment de Marche de Zouaves", recently created, and Jean-Baptiste was then promoted (Temporary) Second-Lieutenant on the 4th September 1914.

... Aimé, 16 years old, was still staying in Algiers, tenderly and wisely cocooned by his three sisters.

Family picture, Algiers beach, Summer 1913 - From left to right: Charlotte, Euphrasie and her son Marc, Aimé, Augustine.

Family picture, Algiers beach, Summer 1913 - From left to right: Aimé, Euphrasie and his son Marc, Augustine, Charlotte.