Capitaine Jean Marie Émile Derode was a French

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with seven aerial victories.The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved on 28 March 2010.L'Aʹerophile: revue technique et pratique de la locomotion aʹerienne Georges Besançon, Union aérophile de France, Aéro-club de France - 1917 Volume 25 - Page 138 "Lieutenant Jean-Marie-Émile DERODE"

Biography

Jean Marie Émile Derode was born in Saint-Jacques par Lisieux, France, on 16 September 1887.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 147. Derode began the war as a

dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...

, but switched to aviation in 1915. He transferred to aviation, underwent pilot's training, and received his Military Pilot's Brevet on 26 February 1916. He was posted to ''Escadrille 67'' to pilot a

Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...

.''Nieuport Aces of World War 1'', p. 58 He staked an unconfirmed claim on 16 October 1916, and followed it up with official ones on 15 November and 27 December 1916. He was given command of ''Escadrille 102'', and began scoring with it on 23 April 1917. He brought home a badly damaged machine from this

sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warf ...

, and was honored for his effort with the ''

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

''. He continued to score with his squadron, reaching six confirmed and three unconfirmed victories by 6 March 1918. His command was then switched to ''Escadrille 99''. He used one of their Spads to shoot down his seventh victim on 4 June 1918, only to be promptly shot down himself and

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

Honors and awards

Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (awarded 5 May 1917) "Temporary capitaine, commanding escadrille N102; excellent squadron commander who, in his competitive spirit with his pilots, never ceases to display the greatest intrepidity. He has had numerous combats during the course of which he has downed three enemy planes. He particularly distinguished himself on 23 April 1917 by his energy and coolness, in succeeding to land normally in our lines after his plane was severely damaged during combat with an enemy plane. Already cited three times in orders." He also had been awarded the ''

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

'' with nine palms.

Sources of information

References

* Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (1993). ''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'' London, UK: Grub Street Publishing. . * Franks, Norman (2000).''Nieuport Aces of World War 1.'' Norman Franks. Oxford UK: Osprey Publishing. , . 1887 births 1918 deaths French World War I flying aces French military personnel killed in World War I {{france-mil-bio-stub