After several months of hospital care, he returned to the front and participated in the First Battle of Champagne (20 December 1914–17 March 1915), the Second Battle of Champagne (25 September–6 November 1915), and the early stages of the Battle of Verdun, which began in February 1916. He was promoted to "capitaine" (captain) on 18 May 1916 and participated in the Battle of the Somme (1 July–18 November 1916), during which he was taken prisoner on 15 November 1916 in Saint-Pierre-Waast. While a prisoner-of-war, he made three unsuccessful escape attempts. He finally succeeded in escaping on his fourth attempt on 16 October 1918.