Charles Rondony

Charles Rondony (6 March 1856 – 22 August 1914) was a French general. Joining the metropolitan army as a private soldier in 1875 he rapidly rose through the ranks and was commissioned into the Troupes de marine (colonial army) in 1880. Serving in the Tonkin War in command of indigenous troops he was wounded during an attack on a fort, he was posted briefly to Senegal before returning to Tonkin in 1890. During the Pacification of Tonkin Rondony distinguished himself, being wounded twice in action, being cited in the order of the day, receiving the Tonkin and Colonial Medals and being appointed a commander of the Order of the Dragon of Annam. Returning to France in 1897 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and saw service in the Boxer Rebellion of 1900–01. Furthers postings in Tonkin and Madagascar followed before Rondony was promoted to général de brigade in France. Holding command of the 3rd Colonial Brigade upon the start of the First World War he led it in defeat at the Battle of Rossignol on 22 August 1914. Rondony and his divisional commander, Léon Amédée François Raffenel, were killed in action, the first French generals to die during the war.

Early life and non-commissioned career Born on 6 March 1856 at Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, Pyrénées-Orientales, to Bonaventure and Julie Tardey Rondony, Rondony enlisted in the French Army's 22nd Line Infantry Regiment as a 2nd class private on 5 November 1875. Rondony soon received promotion, first to corporal on 7 May 1876 and to quartermaster-sergeant on 11 November the same year. He was demoted to sergeant on 26 February 1877 but reappointed quartermaster-sergeant on 26 May. He was appointed to the senior non-commissioned rank of sergeant-major on 14 October 1877 and to adjutant on 6 November 1879. He was wounded in the left shoulder whilst attacking a fort at Dong Lai on 15 May. Remaining in Senegal he was promoted to captain in the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment on 21 February 1888 before leaving for France on 2 March 1889. He was transferred to the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment on 11 April 1890 and to the 3rd Tonkinese Rifles on 16 February 1891, prior to his return to Tonkin on 15 March that year. Rondony's brigade crossed the Semois River to enter Belgium and confront the invading German army. Engaged at the Battle of Rossignol on 22 August 1914, the 3rd Colonial Division was defeated with heavy losses. Although Rondony's troops fared better than other elements of the division, which ceased to exist as a formed unit, the 3rd Colonial Infantry Regiment lost 2,085 men killed, wounded or missing and the 7th Colonial Infantry Regiment some 1,500. Rondony and Raffenel were amongst those killed, becoming the first French generals to lose their lives during the war. Rondony was cited in a general order of 19 September 1914 for his "glorious death".