 Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Auguste Tilkens akaberekwa muna 1869 mumhuri huru muguta reFlemish remhenderekedzo yegungwa reOstend. Akapinda muRoyal Military Academy muna 1887 uye akava mukuru wemauto muBelgian Army. Pashure pokutanga kweHondo Yenyika I muna August 1914, mukati mokupinda kweGermany muBelgium, Tilkens akashanda mumauto eBelgium uye akagadziridzwa nokuda kwoushingi muHondo yeYser. Muna 1916, pakatanga hondo yemapako kuWestern Front, akazvipira kunoshanda kuBelgian Congo uko kurwa kwakanga kwatanga pamuganhu wekoloni neGerman East Africa. Akashanda ari pasi paCharles Tombeur panguva yehondo dzakazotevera muEast Africa. Muna 1917, akadzokera kuEurope kwaakava aide de camp kuna Mambo Albert I. Mushure mekupera kweHondo Yenyika I muna 1918, Tilkens akaramba ari muuto uye akakwira kuburikidza nematanho, achitora kutungamira kweBelgiums artillery uye, gare gare, Air Force yayo. Muna 1927, akakwidziridzwa kuva lieutenant general. 