Georges Guynemer

Georges Guynemer , born the December 24th 1894 with Paris, dead the September 11th 1917 with Poelkapelle (Belgium), is the French fighter pilot most famous of the First World War, although it is not the ace of the ace. He is former student of the Collège Stanislas.

Captain in French aviation, it gained 53 victories approved and more one about thirty probable victories in aerial combat. Flying on various types of Morane-Saulnier, Nieuport and SPAD (VII, XII gun, but never on the XIII as opposed to what affirms several sources), he knew success and defeats (he was cut down seven times), affected lasting all his career with the N.3 Flotilla, said " Flotilla of Cigognes", the unit of the most victorious hunting of the French wings in 1914-1918.

The marshal Franchet d' Espérey gave to him the cross of officer of the Légion of Honor in July 1917.

Showing of a courage and an ardor without equal to each one of its flights, never not seeking to preserve, it was killed in aerial combat the September 11th 1917 with Poelkapelle in Belgium. The German S declared that its winner was Kurt Wisserman. Its skin, fallen in full No man' S Land, was pulverized by a British shooting of stopping, just like the remainders of its plane, and it could not be buried.

In the years 1920, the five Belgian aces (Jacquet, Willy Coppens de Houthulst, Edmond Thieffry, Andre de Meulemeester and Jan Olieslagers) set up to him a stele commemorative near its place of fall supposed in Poelcapelle.

The Flying school of Living room-of-Provence endorsed the currency of Georges Guynemer “To face” and the Air force evokes its memory all the September 11th by a catch of weapons on its air bases of which two carry its name, Paris (staff) and Dijon. With this occasion the last quotation of Guynemer is read:

" Died with the field of honor on September 11th, 1917. Legendary hero, fallen in full sky from glory, after three years of burning fight. Will remain the purest symbol of qualities of the race: untameable tenacity, savage energy, sublime courage. Animated faith more inébranlable in the victory, it bequeaths to the French soldier an imperishable memory which will exaltera the spirit of sacrifice and will cause the noblest emulations. "

The academician Henry Bordeaux will devote a largely diffused biography to him. Jules Roy, former officer of the Air force will write of it a news, Guynemer, the angel of dead the which caused contrasted reactions.

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