 Although the family had no military tradition, Röhm entered the Royal Bavarian 10th Infantry Regiment Prinz Ludwig at Ingolstadt as a cadet on 23 July 1906 and was commissioned on 12 March 1908.At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, he was adjutant of the 1st Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment König.The following month, he was seriously wounded in the face at Chanot Wood in Lorraine and carried the scars for the rest of his life.