''Escadrille Spa.88'' (also known as ''Escadrille N.88'') was a French fighter squadron active for the final 20 months of the First World War. It spent 1918 as part of ''Groupe de Combat 13'', being

Mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

three times, granted the Fourragere of the ''

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''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 awa ...

'', and credited with 32 enemy airplanes and four

observation balloon An observation balloon is a type of balloon that is employed as an aerial platform for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Use of observation balloons began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War ...

s destroyed.

History

''Escadrille Spa.88'' was founded as ''Escadrille N.88'' in late March 1917, as its original airplanes were Nieuport fighters. While formed in the French ''VII Armee'', on 30 June 1917 it was transferred to ''VI Armee''.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', p. 100 On 26 September 1917, the squadron was

. four days later, it was refitted with SPAD S.7 and

SPAD S.13 The SPAD S.XIII is a French biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War, developed by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) from the earlier and highly successful SPAD S.VII. During early 1917, the French designer Louis Béc ...

fighters and redesignated as ''Escadrille Spa.88''. This was a prelude to being incorporated, along with three other squadrons, into '' Groupe de Combat 13'' the next day, 1 October. From 5 December 1917 to 15 January 1918, ''Escadrille Spa.88'' was detached from the ''Groupe''. After rejoining ''Groupe de Combat 13'', the ''Groupe'' was one of those incorporated into ''Escadre de Combat No. 2'' on 26 February. In turn, the ''Escadre'' was gathered into the ''Division Aerienne'' on 14 May 1918, as part of the French accretion of airpower. The ''Division Aerienne'' was tasked to the U.S. 1st Army for the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...

. On 10 September, as part of ''Groupe de Combat 13'', the squadron was again Mentioned in dispatches. By war's end, ''Escadrille Spa.88'' was credited with destroying 32 German airplanes and four

s. On 19 November 1918, eight days after the ceasefire, the squadron was once again Mentioned in dispatches. It was also granted the right for its members to wear the fourragere of the ''

''.

Commanding officers

* ''Capitaine'' Francois d'Astier de la Vigerie: Late March 1917 - wounded in action 1 October 1917 * ''Capitaine'' Louis Sejourne: 1 October 1917 - 24 January 1918 * ''Capitaine'' Rene Doumer: 24 January 1918 - missing in action 28 June 1918 * Lieutenant

Gabriel Thomas Gabriel-Jules Thomas (10 September 1824 – 8 March 1905) was a French sculptor, born in Paris. Thomas attended the École des Beaux-Arts and in 1848 he won the Prix de Rome in the sculpture category with his ''Philoctète partant pour le siè ...

: 28 June 1918 - 7 July 1918 * Lieutenant Marcel Guerin: 7 July 1918 - accidental death 1 August 1918 * Lieutenant Gabriel Thomas: 1 August 1918 - wounded in action 2 September 1918 * ''

Sous lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 19 ...

Arthur Coadou ''Sous lieutenant'' Arthur Marie Marcel Coadou was a French World War I flying ace credited with nine confirmed aerial victories out of his fifteen combat claims. Early life Arthur Marie Marcel Coadou was born in St. Brieuc on 7 February 1894. ...

: 2 September 1918 - 7 October 1918 * Lieutenant Paul Rozoy: 7 October 1918 - 11 November 1918 Armistice

Notable members

* Lieutenant

* ''

Adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

François DelzenneThe Aerodrome website page on Delzenn

Retrieved 28 August 2020

Aircraft

* Nieuport fighters: Late March 1917 - 30 September 1917 * SPAD S.7 fighters: 30 September 1917 - war's end *

fighters: 30 September 1917 - war's end

Notes

References

* Norman Franks, 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. . * {{wwi-air Fighter squadrons of the French Air and Space Force Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 Military units and formations of France in World War I Military aviation units and formations in World War I