April 1915: Aimé on the Champagne front

In April 1915, Aimé, who was less than 18 years old, had enlisted by anticipation: he was already a Sergeant, when he was sent to the front, amongst the 1st Batalion of the 8th "Régiment de Marche des Zouaves", the same batalion as his brother, and almost on the very location where Jean-Baptiste had been wounded, seven months earlier.

Photography annotated by Henri Baudiment: "Sillery (Marne) April 1915 - In reserve of the front line, 600 meters East of Prunay sur Vesle" (Aimé stands 3rd from the left).

Henri, who had been a military for fifteen years, and who was entering his ninth month of war, got immediately anxious about Aimé.

On the 7th April 1915, he wrote to his parents and his sisters:

"...I just got the news that Aimé was on the front. Send him as many recommendations as possible, to be extremely careful. Brain has to operate more often than the rest of the person...".