Charles de Gaulle was born on November 22, 1890 in Lille, The French Empire. He came from a rich merchant family and had a good upbringing. In 1905 he joined the Imperial army as a private and served in North Africa (1905 - 1908). On his return to France in 1908 he was promoted to Sergeant and was posted to the garrison at Metz, where he spent the next six years. In 1911 he was promoted to Sergeant Major and in 1913 he was promoted to Adjutant. When war came in 1914 he was posted to the army of the Rhine served there until 1915. In January 1915 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and two weeks later Lieutenant. He was wounded in March and was posted to Metz to recover. However, following the Prussian breakout Metz was besieged. He served in Metz for the next three months before he and less t