Sous Lieutenant Fernand Eugene Guyou was a World War I

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

credited with twelve aerial victories.

Early life

Fernand Eugene Guyou was born in

Champigny-sur-Marne Champigny-sur-Marne (, literally ''Champigny on Marne'') is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Name Champigny-sur-Marne was originally called simply Champigny. The name Champigny ul ...

, France on 7 January 1891.

World War I service

Infantry service

Guyou was serving as an enlisted

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...

in the cavalry reserves when war began. On 3 September 1914, he was assigned the duties of mounted scout for the 46eme Régiment d'Infanterie. On 12 October, he was promoted to Maréchal-des-logis. On 12 April 1915, he was transferred to 8eme Régiment de Chasseurs. On 20 December 1915, he was sent for pilot's training. He earned Military Pilot's Brevet No. 2697, awarded on 17 February 1916.

Flying service

His initial flying assignment on 26 May 1916 was with Escadrille N49 (the 'N' signifying the squadron operated

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 ...

s). He moved on to Escadrille N15 on 12 August; on 23 September, he was severely wounded in action. Upon his recovery, he reported for reassignment on 20 December 1916. On 17 January 1917, he was sent to Escadrille N463. On 13 August, he was again sent for reposting; this time, he went to Escadrille N93 on the 25th. Here he found momentary success, cooperating with

Gustave Daladier Capitaine Gustave Victorin Daladier was a French World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories. He would continue in his nation's military service after World War I. Early life Gustave Victorin Daladier was born on 23 March 1888 in ...

in shooting down a German two-seater reconnaissance plane on 30 October 1917. It would be seven more months before his second win, when he helped down an observation balloon on 30 May 1918. He would score twice more while with N93, and leave it when on the brink of acedom. With his new unit, Escadrille Spa37, he would use a Spad to tally eight more victories between 3 August 1918 and war's end, sharing them with fellow aces

Bernard Barny de Romanet Lieutenant Bernard Henri Barny de Romanet (28 January 1894 – 23 September 1921) was a French World War I flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories. Barny de Romanet was born in Saint-Maurice-de-Satonnay, Saône-et-Loire, and was educated ...

, Roger Poupon, and

Georges Lienhart Adjutant Georges Frederic Lienhart was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. Biography See also Aerial victory standards of World War I Georges Frederic Lienhart was born in Rougegoutte, France on 1 June 1886. He began ...

By the armistice, Guyou had logged over 431 hours flight time.The Aerodrome http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/barny.php Retrieved on 16 July 2010.

Promotions and awards

On 25 January 1918, Guyou was promoted to Adjutant. On 6 April, he was awarded the ''Médaille militaire'' to accompany his ''Croix de Guerre''. He received a temporary commission as a

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 ...

on 1 June 1918. His career as an ace was capped with the receipt of the ''Légion d'honneur'' on 16 October 1918.

Post World War I

Guyou flew as an airline pilot; he also flew for

Potez Potez (pronounced ) was a French aircraft manufacturer founded as Aéroplanes Henry Potez by Henry Potez at Aubervilliers in 1919 in aviation, 1919. The firm began by refurbishing war-surplus SEA IV aircraft, but was soon building new examples of ...

. He rejoined the service for World War II, and died in Morocco on 1 September 1944.

Endnotes

References

* ''Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918'' Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey. Grub Street, 1992. , . 1891 births 1944 deaths French World War I flying aces Commercial aviators French military personnel killed in World War II French Air Force personnel of World War II {{wwi-air