Fernand Henri Chavannes was the son of renowned sinologist and Chinese scholar Édouard Chavannes.^[2] The younger Chavannes was born on 16 April 1897 in Paris. He began his military service on 12 January 1916; on 29 February, he went for pilot training. On 21 December 1916, he received Military Pilot's Brevet No. 5074. After advanced training, he was posted to Escadrille 112 on 24 April 1917.^[3] Chavannes and his friend Lionel de Marmier were chosen to share a new "cannon Spad", the SPAD XII, when it came out in mid-1917. The letters "M" and "C", representing their last names, were intertwined in paint on the side of its fuselage.^[4]

Chavannes's string of seven confirmed victories began on 8 February 1918. After his fifth victory, he was commissioned as a temporary Sous lieutenant on 1 April 1918. He ended the war with seven victories.^[3]

• Légion d'Honneur

"Pursuit pilot of exceptional audacity and skill. Entitled to eight citations and seven victories." Légion d'Honneur citation^[1]

• Médaille Militaire

"First class pursuit pilot, courageous and with accomplished skill. He reported his fourth victory by attacking an enemy two-seater and forcing it to land behind our lines." Médaille Militaire citation, 13 April 1918^[1]

• Chavannes also won the Croix de Guerre with seven palmes and an etoile de bronze.

• Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918. Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank. Grub Street Publishing, 1993. ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.
• SPAD XII/XIII aces of World War I. Jon Guttman. Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1841763160, 9781841763163.