Identity of crashed French aeroplane 1916

[bobpike]

Can anyone identify, please, "a French aeroplane which fell just inside our lines near Bully Grenay April 1st. 1916"? Extract from a letter by an officer in the 18th Hussars who witnessed it,

Many thanks,

Bob

[Dolphin]

Bob

Only a guess, but two Farmans of Escadrille MF 54 were involved in fighting that day. Sgt Louis Paoli and Lt Alfred Braut were killed when shot down, probably by Oblt Rudolf Berthod of KeK Vaux; the aeroplane fell near Lihons. Lt Marie Barbot of the same unit was injured on the same day.

Other fatal casualties on 1 April were Adj Achille Degon and S/Lt Madelin of MF 62 and MdL Lucien Prevost of MF 2. Adj Rene Pelisser of C 53 was wounded - locations unknown.

I hope that this helps you.

Gareth

[bobpike]

Gareth,

Thank you very much. As far as I can gather frpm the French site, it must be Paoli and Braut who were shot down at Aix-Noulette and Paoli has a war grave in Aubigny CCE. Degon and Medalin were killed in the Somme departement, possibly at Warvillers (exact place difficult to read).

The reason I'm interested is that enclosed with the letter is a piece of canvas - 'the enclosed blue is off the macine we saw fall last Sunday. It is a piece of the underwing which has the coloured rings on it. I have got a bit of the wood work too as a curio. I wish it had been a Bosch.'

Bob

[bobpike]

Interestingly there are two records for Braut on the SGA site identical except for one stating he died at Aix-Noulette; the other at Bully-Grenet in Artois. Both fit in with the letter's location, but Lihons is too far way. Could it mean Lievin?

Would the plane involved be a Maurice Farman F40?

Has anyone any further information, please, on Escadrille MF54?

Bob

[Dolphin]

Bob

Lihons appears in a couple of references but, of course, they could be repeating an earlier error.

There were lots of F.40s serving in French units on the Western Front in 1916, including MF54, so there's a good chance that the aeroplane that came down on 1 April was one.

Cheers

Gareth

[bobpike]

Thanks, Gareth, it is not mine, but do you think there is any value in the piece of fabric with its provenance?

Bob

[Dolphin]

Bob

I don't know, but I would imagine that to a relative to the French crew, it might be priceless (on the other hand, perhaps they wouldn't be at all interested). As for anyone else, I'd think that it must have a value, but I've no idea what that might be.

Perhaps a French museum would be interested.

Regards

Gareth

[¤Bruno¤]

Bonsoir

Adj Achille degon and S/Lt madelin were shot down and killed at Vauvillers 5 km NW of Lihons (Somme)

by Ace Rudolf Berthold for his fourth victory

The farman downed at Bully- les -mines (2 km north od Aix Noulette) is almost certainly the plane you

search to identify (Adj Braut and Mdl Paoli KIA)-By the way ,Bully les mines is the actual name

for Bully-Grenay -In 1 April 1916 the escadrille was equipped with maurice farman MF11 and MF 11(bis)

The Farman F40's ariived only at the end of 1916.

Cordialement

Bruno

[bobpike]

Gareth my gratitude for your help. If I can get you any photos in return I am often in France etc.

Merci, Bruno, that's very kind of you. It is strange and rather poignant holding part of a plane in which two men lost their lives,

Bob