Léon Amédée François Raffenel was a general of the French army. Enlisting into the army in 1875 he quickly rose through the ranks and was accepted into the Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1876. He saw extensive active service with the French colonial army in the Pacification of Tonkin between 1887 and 1892, being cited in the order of the day for his adept command of columns of native infantry. Having married in 1893 Raffenel requested transfer to the France-based metropolitan army in 1894. This unusual move was complicated by the separate organisation of the two French armies but was approved by presidential decree. Raffenel spent 16 years in the metropolitan army and commanded the 27th Infantry Regiment and the elite 82nd Light Infantry Brigade. He was promoted to général de brigade in 1911 and received command of the 3rd Colonial Infantry Division, one of the finest divisions of the French Army. He fought with this unit at the Battle of Rossignol on 22 August 1914 and was killed in action in what was a heavy defeat for the French troops. Early life and non-commissioned career Raffenel was born at midday on 14 August 1856 at Saint-Servan, Ille-et-Vilaine. He was the son of Ame Jean Baptiste Raffenel, a marine commissioner and chevalier of the Legion of Honour; and of Hortense Marguerite Hoël, who lived in Saint-Servan. Raffenel enlisted in the army on 8 July 1875 for a five-year term and was posted to the 82nd Infantry Regiment as a 2nd class private. He was promoted to corporal on 15 January 1876 and to quartermaster-sergeant on 15 July that year. Colonial service Raffenel entered the Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr on 28 October 1876 as an officer-cadet, graduating on 1 October 1878 as a second lieutenant in the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment. Serving in Martinique from 16 March 1881, he received promotion to lieutenant on 16 April. Transferring to the 4th Marine Infantry on 25 May 1883, he returned to France on 9 July and was promoted captain on 8 December. Raffenel served as adjutant of the regiment from 31 March 1884. Raffenel transferred to the 4th Tonkinese Rifles on 10 September 1886 and took part in the Tonkin War from 18 January 1887. He fought at Muong-Vi on 10 April 1887 when he led the "Raffenel Column" and transferred to the 1st Tonkinese Rifles on 21 May 1887. He