Jean Dagnaux
Jean Dagnaux (born November 28, 1891 in Montbéliard ( Doubs ), † May 18, 1940 in action in La Vallée-au-Blé ( Aisne )) was a French pilot nicknamed "l'as à la jambe de bois" ( Ace with wooden leg).
Life
In June 1915, Dagnaux received his observer patent and from then on flew in a plane owned by Maurice Farman in Squadron 63 of the French Air Force . On February 6, 1916, his plane was riddled with bullets and Dagnaux had one leg amputated . He decided to keep flying. After recovering, he joined Season C11 in May 1917, then Season 12, where he flew in a Breguet XIV . On September 2, 1918, he passed his pilot's test.
In 1919 he flew an attack on Cairo , later (1920) on Timbuktu . In 1928 he founded the Trans-Africa company, Régie Air Afrique , which opened numerous air routes.
In 1939 he was called up as commander and promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 34th bomber squadron. On May 17, 1940, he went on a reconnaissance flight . His aircraft, an Amiot 354 , was hit by anti-aircraft guns in the Aisne department and crashed into the village of La Vallée-au-blé.
Among other things, he was temporarily president of the organization Les Ailes Brisées (The Broken Wings), founded in 1926 , which takes care of wounded Air Force members and their survivors to this day.
Awards
- around 1918: Knight of the Legion of Honor
- around 1918: Croix de guerre with 8 palm trees and 5 stars
- The air force base base aérienne 128 Metz-Frescaty south of Metz bears his name.
Web links
- Biographical notes on the French-language website of the Ministry of Defense
Individual evidence
- ↑ Les Ailes brisées , Ministère de la Défense de la Republique Francaise, accessed November 11, 2010
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Dagnaux, Jean |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French pilot |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 28, 1891 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Montbeliard |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 18, 1940 |
| Place of death | La Vallée-au-Blé |