La Bonne Maison Aerodrome was a temporary
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
airfield in France, located near the city of
Fismes
Fismes () is a Communes of France, commune in the Marne (department), Marne Departments of France, department in the Grand Est region of north-eastern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Fismois'' or ''Fismoises''
The commune h ...
, in the
Marne Marne can refer to:
Places France
*Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine
*Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river
* La Marne, a commune in western France
*Marne, a legislative constituency (France)
Nethe ...
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
, on the plateau above the village of Courville, east of the farm "La Bonne Maison".
[Series "D", Volume 2, Squadron histories,. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]
It was built some time in early 1917, with the "Groupe de Combat no 12" arriving on 26 March, in support of the French 6th Army. It saw activity until spring 1918, and the last unit to be stationed here was Air Service
103rd Aero Squadron
The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One ...
, 10 to 30 April. Earlier in February, the squadron had arrived from training with 3rd AIC on
Issoudun Aerodrome
Issoudun Aerodrome was a complex of military airfields in the vicinity of Issoudun, Centre, France. They were used during World War I as part of the Third Air Instructional Center, American Expeditionary Forces for training United States airmen ...
at "La Noblette" aerodrome where the American pilots of the "Escadrille Lafayette" joined it, operating as part of the "Groupe de Combat no 21" in support of the French 4th Army.
After the start of the German Spring offensives, 103rd Aero Squadron left GC no 21 and flew to La Bonne Maison, with the French 6th Army, then moved to Flanders on 30 April with French "Détachement d'Armée du Nord" during the Battle of the Lys (1918), Battle of the Lys.
Operations
On 11 April, the squadron flew a patrol of two aircraft. During the patrol, Lt. Baer attacked a German biplane, firing 50 rounds. The enemy aircraft spun out of control and was lost in the clouds near Bouvancourt.
[Series "N", Volume 16, History of the 103d Aero Squadron, Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]
On 12 April, the squadron carried out four patrols, During the first patrol, Capt. Biddle attacked a German aircraft, firing about 100 rounds, causing the aircraft to spew white smoke as it fell out of the sky about 500 meters southeast of Forbury. Combat was made twice more during the day, causing the Germans to turn back to their own lines.
Due to rain, no patrols were flown until 20 April when four patrols were carried out, one of which shot down an enemy observation balloon about 18:00. Two German aircraft were also shot down during the day. Again, poor flying conditions were encountered and no patrols were flown for the next ten days.
On 30 April, with the battle ended, the squadron again moved by train to Bray-Dunes aerodrome, near Dunkerque for operations in the Flanders area with the French "Détachement d'Armée du Nord".
[Series "N", Volume 13, First Army Operations History, Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]
Subsequent use
The airfield was perhaps used by the Germans during their drive towards the river Marne in late Spring 1918, as the nearby aerodrome of "La Cense" was until the end of July, then no use is known, as the battle front quickly moved towards NE, making the airfield redundant. With the end of the war, its buildings were dismantled and the fields returned to the local farmers for agricultural use. Today not any traces of it remain.
See also
* List of Air Service American Expeditionary Force aerodromes in France
References
External links
{{authority control
World War I sites of the United States
World War I airfields in France