Capitaine Jean Marie Émile Derode was a French 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 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, 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, and was honored for his effort with the '']Médaille militaire
The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, 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.][
]
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'' 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
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