Georges Guynemer

Georges Guynemer
Le meilleur pilote français de la première guerre mondiale, un habitant de Compiègne...

Georges Guynemer (24 Décembre 1894 – 11 Septembre 1917) fut un as français du combat aérien très renommé pendant la première guerre mondiale. Il est devenu un héros national français car jusqu’à sa mort, il multiplia les combats, les victoires et les médailles (il obtint  53 victoires entre 1915 et 1917). Mais comment un homme aussi fragile que lui est devenu un héro national français ? Voyons voir…

Georges Marie Ludovic Jules Guynemer est né dans une riche famille d’aristocrates, à Paris, la veille de Noël 1894. Pendant son enfance, Georges aimait et avait un don pour la musique (il jouait déjà du violon il avait à peine 4 ans !). Mais il souffrait de sa fragilité, et son enfance fut une succession de maladies. C’est pour cela que son père aimant mais strict essayait de l’endurcir. Neuf ans après la naissance de leur troisième enfant (qui était leur premier garçon), Georges, les Guynemer s’installèrent à Compiègne. Malgré sa fragilité et ses maladies, Georges obtint son bac grâce à une très grande confiance en lui et ses efforts. Quand son père lui demanda la voie de son choix, il répondit qu’il voulait devenir aviateur.

En Aout 1914, sa décision fut prise: il allait s’engager. Mais ce n’est que six mois plus tard, après avoir été refusé deux fois à cause de sa santé fragile, qu’il fut enfin accepté grâce à sa persévérance. Après sa formation, il rejoignit l’escadrille N.3 en tant que caporal (le 8 Juin 1915). Le 19 Juillet 1915 Georges Guynemer tire sur son premier avion. Volant sur les avions les plus efficaces, il devint rapidement un des meilleurs pilotes militaires français. Il devint un as après sa cinquième victoire en février 1916, et fut promu au rang de capitaine et de commandant de l’escadrille N.3. Le 8 février 1917, Guynemer fut le premier pilote des Alliés à avoir largué une grosse bombe. Deux mois après, il abattit sept points de contrôle allemand. Et fin juillet 1917, il devint le premier as français à atteindre 50 victoires. Malheureusement, le 11 Septembre 1917, le héros français ne reviendra pas de sa mission à Poelkapelle (Belgique), il est âgé alors de 22 ans.

Georges Marie Ludovic Jules Guynemer was born to a wealthy and aristocratic family, in Paris, on Christmas Eve 1894. In his childhood, Georges Guynemer loved and had a talent for music (he already played the violin before he was 4 years old!). But he was very frail and he experienced an often sickly childhood. That’s why, his kind but strict father tried to toughen him. Nine years after the birth of their third child (who was their first boy) Georges, the Guynemers settled down in Compiegne. In spite of his frailty and his diseases, Georges passed his High School Diploma thanks to his enormous self-confidence and tireless efforts. When his father asked him what he wanted to do, he answered that he wanted to become an airman.

In August 1914,he had made up his mind: he wanted to volunteer. But he was accepted only 6 month later, after being refused twice because of his frail health. After his training, he joined squadron N.3 as a corporal (It was on 8 June 1915). On 19 July 1915 Georges Guynemer shot down his first plane. Flying the most effective planes, he quickly established himself as one of France’s best fighter pilot. He became an ace thanks to his fifth victory in February 1916, and was promoted to captain and commander of squadron N.3. On 8 February 1917, Guynemer became the first Allied pilot to shoot down a German heavy bomber. Two months later, he shot down seven German aircrafts. At the end of July 1917, he became the first French ace to win 50 victories. Unfortunately, on the 11 September 1917, the French hero failed to return from a mission in Poelkapelle(Belgium), aged 22 years old then.

Georges Guynemer (24 December 1894 - 11 September 1917) was a top fighter ace for France during WWI. He became a French national hero, because until his death, he multiplied battles, victories and medals (he got 53 victories between 1915 and 1917). But how did a man as frail as he was became a French national hero? Let’s see…

Georges Marie Ludovic Jules Guynemer was born to a wealthy and aristocratic family, in Paris, on Christmas Eve 1894. In his childhood, Georges Guynemer loved and had a talent for music (he already played the violin before he was 4 years old!). But he was very frail and he experienced an often sickly childhood. That’s why, his kind but strict father tried to toughen him. Nine years after the birth of their third child (who was their first boy) Georges, the Guynemers settled down in Compiegne. In spite of his frailty and his diseases, Georges passed his High School Diploma thanks to his enormous self-confidence and tireless efforts. When his father asked him what he wanted to do, he answered that he wanted to become an airman.

In August 1914,he had made up his mind: he wanted to volunteer. But he was accepted only 6 month later, after being refused twice because of his frail health. After his training, he joined squadron N.3 as a corporal (It was on 8 June 1915). On 19 July 1915 Georges Guynemer shot down his first plane. Flying the most effective planes, he quickly established himself as one of France’s best fighter pilot. He became an ace thanks to his fifth victory in February 1916, and was promoted to captain and commander of squadron N.3. On 8 February 1917, Guynemer became the first Allied pilot to shoot down a German heavy bomber. Two months later, he shot down seven German aircrafts. At the end of July 1917, he became the first French ace to win 50 victories. Unfortunately, on the 11 September 1917, the French hero failed to return from a mission in Poelkapelle(Belgium), aged 22 years old then.

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