KIA on, in scale of deaths, prob. the most catastrophic day for the French Army during the #FWW, 105 years ago #OTD 25 Sept 1915:

Capt. Alfred DEVERNOIS from Rosiéres sur Mance, Haute Saône who died at the south extremity of the 1st day of the battles of 2e Champagne/3e Artois

Voluntarily enlisting in to the 21e régt d’infanterie in Oct 1908, he was rapidly promoted through the ranks and was an attendee of the Ecole Spècial Militaire 1909-10 before being commissioned into the 26e RI in October 1911...

He was transferred as a lieutenant to the 167e RI in April 1913 and went to war with this regiment in August 1914, first seeing action at Bois Brûlè on 7 Sept 1914

Wounded in action near Mamey on 20 Sept 1914, & again, in Bois de Prêtre on 21 Nov, he received 2 mentions in dispatches before the end of the year ... followed by a further 6 whilst in action on the Wöevre between Jan & Jun 1915. ..

... and was awarded the Légion d'honneur in May 1915 for actions at the Croix de Carmes, followed by promotion, in July, to capitaine.

July – Aug1915, he was around St.Thomas & La Harazée in the Argonne & received yet another mention...

Here, leaning on his cane at La Neuville-au-Pont in July 1915 is the (newly promoted) capitaine Alfred Devernois wearing his newly awarded Lègion d’Honneur ...

Sadly, he didn't have long to live after that photo was taken as he was killed in action on the Créte de Servon (Sector St. Thomas) during the opening day of 3e Champagne ...

No known grave, Alfred is possibly buried in the ossuaire de la Grurie...

Awards:

Lègion d’Honneur (Chevalier),

Croix de Guerre with 10 citations (ribbon devices - ètoile en bronze X1, ètoile en argent X1, ètoile en vermeil X1, palme en argent X1)

Alfred Devernois, 28 June 1890 - 25 September 1915