Achille Pierre Deffontaines

Achille Pierre Deffontaines (16 February 1858 – 26 August 1914) was a French general. He served in various metropolitan infantry regiments before becoming a staff officer in several divisions and army corps. Deffontaines became the youngest general in France on his promotion to général de brigade in 1913. He led the 24th Infantry Division into action in Belgium in one of the opening battles of the First World War. Deffontaines was shot in the head while commanding his troops in the field on 22 August and died in hospital four days later. He was the youngest French general to die during the war.

Early career Born on 16 February 1858 at Bouvines, Deffontaines was from a family of farmers from the northern region. He joined the Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr as an officer cadet on 30 October 1878. He was promoted to cadet first class on 22 December 1879 and to corporal on 21 March 1880. His graduation class was named for the Zulu race, which had recently fought in the Anglo-Zulu War, and he was commissioned into the 28th Infantry Regiment as a sous lieutenant (second lieutenant) on 10 October 1880.

Deffontaines saw active service on campaign in Africa from 9 October to 15 December 1882. Promoted to lieutenant in the 87th Infantry Regiment on 12 July 1884, he transferred to the 101st Infantry Regiment on 29 February 1888. He died there on 26 August and would be the youngest French general to die in the war.

His son, Officer Cadet Jean Deffontaines, was also killed in action fighting with the 8th Infantry Division on 10 June 1915.

A rough interpretation of Le Souvenir français's article on his commemoration notes the sad irony of his early passing: "One could also call him 'General Forgotten.' Killed in action too early to be in the annals of the great war and yet what a man, what a career and what a temperament. Fate, the mission and example symbolized in this general who is a tribute to all sacrificed in the First World War."