Capitaine Gustave Victorin Daladier 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 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 Villedieu, France.

Early military service

Daladier volunteered for a three-year enlistment on 3 December 1907. He began his military career in the 4eme Regiment de

Chasseurs d'Afrique The ''Chasseurs d'Afrique'' were a light cavalry corps of chasseurs in the French Armée d'Afrique (Army of Africa). First raised in 1831 from regular French cavalry posted to Algeria, they numbered five regiments by World War II. For most of ...

as an enlisted soldier. On 5 June 1909, he was promoted to

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 ...

. He transferred to the 4eme Regiment de

Spahis Spahis () were light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now r ...

on 22 October 1909. On 6 January 1914, he was promoted to Maréchal-des-logis. On 23 March 1915, he was again promoted, to Maréchal des logis-chef. He then transferred to aviation.''Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918'', pp. 137–138.

Aviation service in World War I

On 22 September 1915, Daladier reported to 1er Groupe d'Aviation at

Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earlies ...

for pilot's training. He underwent advance training at Buc. On 20 January 1916, he received Military Pilot's Brevet No. 2289. On 28 April, he was assigned to Escadrille 73. On 16 July 1916, he was reassigned to Escadrille F14 (the 'F' denoting the use of

Farman Farman Aviation Works (french: Avions Farman) was a French aircraft company founded and run by the brothers Richard, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French national ...

aircraft). Daladier was then promoted to Adjutant on 25 October 1916. On 4 May 1917, he was awarded 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, ...

''; two days later, he was assigned to Escadrille N93 to fly 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 ...

. Between 14 April and 30 October 1917, he scored four victories, with one each being shared with Maurice Robert and Fernand Guyou.The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved on 29 March 2010. On 5 November 1917, Daladier was promoted to Adjutant-Chef. He then upgraded to a Spad. His last eight victories, between 29 May and 4 October 1918 were split equally between balloon busting German observation balloons and destroying enemy airplanes. He did share one of his last four victories over airplanes with Pierre Delage. He also was finally commissioned ''sous lieutenant'' on 17 June 1918. Shortly after that, on 27 July 1918, he was awarded the ''

Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...

''.

Post World War I

Daladier remained in French military aviation after the war, rising to ''capitaine'' in 1929. He was "promoted" within the Légion d'honneur, becoming an ''Officier'' in July 1926 and ''Commandeur'' in 1949. By the end of his career, in addition to the ''Légion d'honneur'' and ''Médaille militaire'', he had been awarded the ''Croix de Guerre'' with nine palmes, the ''Chevalier du

Order of Ouissam Alaouite Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

'', and the ''Officier du Nichan Iftikar''. Gustave Victorin Daladier died on 16 April 1974.

Honors and awards

Médaille militaire "Excellent non-commissioned officer having already given proof of high qualities in Algeria and Morocco. Transferred to aviation he has shown himself to be a pilot of utmost bravery. Has executed numerous reconnaissances of long distances and has had several combats. On 14 April 1917, he downed an enemy plane under particularly difficult circumstances Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur "Admirable pilot because of his spirit and initiative in combat. During two and a half years in aviation he has always given proof of his ability through numerous protection and pursuit missions entrusted to him with very heroic spirit and devotion. He recently brought the number of his victories to seven. Médaille militaire for feats of war. Four citations." * ''Chevalier du

'' * ''Officier du Nichan Iftikar''

Sources of information

References

* ''Nieuport Aces of World War 1.'' Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2000. , . * ''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. , .

External links

*
Biography, list of aerial victories, color profiles of his planes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daladier, Gustave 1888 births 1974 deaths Place of death missing Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France) French World War I flying aces