Charles Rondony

Charles Rondony
Charles Rondony pictured in L'Illustration in 1914
Born	(1856-03-06)6 March 1856 Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, Pyrénées-Orientales
Died	22 August 1914(1914-08-22) (aged 58) Rossignol, Belgium
Allegiance	France
Service/branch	French Army
Years of service	1875–1914
Rank	Général de brigade
Battles/wars	Tonkin War (1884–5) Pacification of Tonkin (1891–7) Boxer Rebellion (1900–1) First World War (1914)
Awards	Commander of the Legion of Honour Commander of the Order of the Dragon of Annam Colonial Medal Tonkin Expedition commemorative medal Twice cited in the Order of the Day

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.