Forum Eerste Wereldoorlog

[love4history]

Te koop bij http://www.jagermedals.com/ Staat nog niet op hun website. Lijkt me een héél interessant item alleen een beetje prijzig.....

3) INCREDIBLY RARE ALBUM TO MEMBER OF ONE OF THE ONLY THREE BELGIUM FIGHTER SQUDARONS OF WW1! Although clearly this album shows pilots and aircraft of Groupe de Chasse it appears more angled to 9ème Escadrille de Chasse which was originally the 1ère Escadrille de

Chasse, which was founded in February 1916 as the first dedicated fighter squadron of the Aviation Militaire Belge. On 1 March 1918, while stationed at Les Moëres aerodrome

near Veurne, it would be reorganized into the 9ème Escadrille and become part of Belgium 's first fighter wing, the Groupe de Chasse and it is certainly the latter period of

1917-18 that the aviation part of this album focuses on. 9ème Escadrille inherited the "Thistle" symbol and motto “Nemo me impune lacessit” or “No-one can challenge me

unpunished” which was worn on the fuselage of their aircraft. The squadron's fleet consisted largely of Hanriot-Dupont 1s, supplemented by some Sopwith Camels. The 10ème Escadrille and 11ème Escadrille were the other squadrons of the Group and are also pictured as can be seen by squadron members but more particularly the Spads they

used. The album itself, which is a large and heavy 36 x 25 cm, consists of 173 photos, all of which are taken at the Front. 62 photos are of aircraft and pilots, the rest Belgium

troops at the front, in trenches (some really good shots), damaged towns and buildings. Aviation wise there are some really fantastic fighter and ace shots; Hanriots, Camels

and Spads, as well as some earlier Farnhan’s, Strutters etc, the latter of which seemed to be used with fighters prior to Groupe de Chasse. Ace wise you couldn’t ask for

more, all the top Belgium Aces are pictured, most like Coppen’s, Jacquet, Olieslagers, de Meulemeester and Thieffry, multiple times and to state such an album is rare is an

understatement. At its biggest there were just 3 fighter squadrons in Belgium Air Corps. When this is compared to 58 British, 80 French, 19 Italian and 16 US it really puts

this into perspective. Even Australia had 4 of their own squadrons!

Aces or pilots pictured include: Willy Coppens - 37 victories and 5 more unconfirmed Carlo Verbessem – Coppens wingman Jan Olieslagers – 6 victories and 17 more unconfirmed André de Meulemeester - 11 victories and 17 more unconfirmed Fernand Jacquet – 7 victories and 9 more unconfirmed Edmond Thieffry - 10 victories and 5 more unconfirmed Kervyn de Lettenhove – 4 victories and 9 more unconfirmed Other unidentified fighter pilots are in photos, along with Prince Albert who took several trips with the squadrons. Outstanding and incredibly rare album

Price £2875
_________________
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
Eric Hoffer

"Flandria dulce solum, super omnes terra beata......mando remando vale, mea Flandria terra meorum"