Paroni1

August 23 Armand's Diary Big news! We change aerodrome today closer to the front. Aerodrome name is Savy.About 13km further east.

August 12-22 Armand's Diary Everyday patrols to Arras and Vimy Ridge. Loos front is now familiar too.Enemy air activity quiet.Few battles but are unconclusives. Peaceful sky but how long? Rumours that Boche had a new deadly single-seater makes me nervous!

August 12 Armand's Diary Offensive patrol ,Vimy Ridge A battle against Aviatiks.AA was extremely hard.The patrol outing was unfortunate.After struggle we noticed Adjutant Schneider was missing. We circled as long as there was fuel left but no sign them. Luckily a truck arrived late that night and Schneider and Saillard arrived okay.They had suffered an engine failure and had to make a forced landing.Fortunately for own side!

August 11 Armand's Diary Back to Bryas again! Mission offensive patrol Vimy Ridge again. Near St.Vith we encaged two Aviatiks.We get good position and after 150 rounds,EA make half-split and almost collide us.Pilot hit sure! Schneider saw plane smashed near railway station.Le Sort claimed another plane. Mon Dieu! The first confirmed victory! I joked to Jean that she was on a shooting range on vacation. His response was that I had probably taken flight lessons!

August Armand's Diary My home city Rouen Mama and Papa working in the field.They repeatly asked when the war would end.Their endurance was to the extreme. I replied it can take years.Neither side showed any sign of surrender.They said nothing more. I helped those winery work for those few days. Some evenings,the wind brought cannon thunder from the east.The front line was frighteningly close. I wondered if it came Ypres or Arras. My little brother Louie.I'm glad he is too young for the madness of war!

Before returning home, I decided to visit my old regiment that had been staying on the outskirts of Paris. It was a pleasure to meet the former platoon leader. He was one of the few acquaintances. I was reminded of the cavalry's suicide attacks on German's machine guns. Even our Capitaine went in half for a shrapnell hit. I got to follow the cavalry exercises and finally there was a parade. The show was as handsome as ever, but I knew that the days of glory of the cavalry were already gone.

Nicely done Albrecht! I had no success add a own photo... But my characters background: Karl von Tabbert= Tabbert is famous caravan brand.This brand we had when i was a little boy! Armand Bouchant:A cartoon published in Finland,which was the main character Armand Bouchant,22 victory ace!

After February 1915 when Armand went an aviator school ,he had not been given any leave. Now he was granted a two-week vacation.And Jean has too.He was from Auxerre.They decided first go to Paris and spend there two days before they continued to homes.

July 29-31 Every day patrol over the front. Almost always rare enemy crafts are too far. One exception was force landing Aviatik,may be a technical problem. After all German side they could save it!

Agreed lederhosen! Especially word "Victory" fit an early war period where chivarly still existed. 1918 air war so cruel that "kill" feels better.

Same here Mfair621! Everything is rather easy till begin "Fokker Scourge"!

Aviatik crashed! At least one Boche less!Viva la France! Jean spend about 200 rounds of it.Two witnesses,Jailler and Le Sort. 27 July Claim to get credit Aviatik rejected. The staff found the evidence to be unreliable. In their opinion, the machine could have a technical fault. Sacre Bleu! What a disappointing! I don't know what proof must give them that they believe it! Jean and I decided to still show them. 27-28 July Patrol own area and enemys area .Both ineffective.No sign of enemy.

Continue... So close that you can smell sauerkraut!

July 26 Armand's Diary Offensive patrol Over the trenches,near St.Vith.Notice German Drachen ! Combat began! Should be a easy prey...

Congratulations Seb_Toombs! Quite Dynamic Duo,Andrews and Davies! Boches have tough time yet,i suppose.

July 20-25 Armand's Diary Flights are now every day. Photo recon and escort missions. Jean and i take off from Bryas. Escort mission.Far little spots are Moranes from Esc 57.They have no guns,camera equipment instead. Another screen from Flanders

July 17 Armand's Diary Patrol over the Vimy Ridge.German activity increased in the region. Drive off enemy recon and artillery spotting planes. Jean once again ready to shoot the enemy but with meager results!Enemy slipped from us. The fight took place south of Lens,near Douai aerodrome,Flanders. Bryas aerodrome ,just landing.Truck columns on the way the front.On the horizon from there the city of St.Pol.

July 8 Armand's Diary Navigation training and knowledging of landmarks on the flat land of Flanders. It was peaceful day although rainy. July 11 Offensive patrol to Haubordin aerodrome(Boches!) Weather very nice,no clouds. Engage against several Aviatiks but result was unsatisfactory for us.All ammo used but claim went Adjutant Le Sort. July 13 Capitaine Fauvre and his observer made crash landing and hospitalised. July 14 Patrol on your side,destination La Gourge railway junction. Thunderstorms,our plane was like a kite in that weather! No enemies sighted.

July 7 Armand's Diary Jean and I were called to the commander's room.He was not in good mood. He shouted so loud that our hair fluttered backwards. "It is not enough for you to fly a fruitless flight far to the enemy side but to lose your plane intact to the enemy!" "Boches dropped this picture our field yesterday.Now they get all info from it. The next time you get captured you can stay there! Dismiss and get out!"

Hey Hasse Wind! It was such a 50-50 situation whether Armand’s adventures continue!

July 1 1915 Very rainy day Capitaine Fauvre lead us. Mission patrol between Arras-St.Vith. Artillery barrage continually at the front. No enemies in sight. July 4 1915 Capitaine Fauvre's claim went through and now he is our "ace".And generally the only one to have received air victories! Mission patrol between Arras-Lens.Destroy enemy planes. I working as a flight leader. Very nice day.No clouds. Near Arras ,over the front we saw enemy.The wind drove us to the side of enemy.It does not scare us because we noticed there are only two enemies. And those are Aviatik B1.No armed,piece of cake! We catch them and flew between them.Jean peppered them and EA disappeared somewhere. The second EA was very low.When we were close,we saw that the propeller had stopped.We gave her coup- de- crace! Aviatik made forced landing. Our ammo was empty and not much the fuel ,so we headed home. Boche made forced landing The anti-aircraft fire intensified when we got over the front.Suddenly strike hit an engine. Mon Dieu!The fuel handler fell in instant. Eventually the engine stopped and it was clear that we would have to make a forced landing on the enemy side. My biggest concern was getting the bird down intact.It is not easy due to trenches and barbed wire. Somehow we did it and we were that we live.Shouts were heard up close and we have not even matches that we could destroy the machine. So we became prisoners! Luckily Jean and i had to work in the clothing store.After 3 days in prison dressed as Germans,we managed to escape. The joy was great when we arrived in Bryas.Bad news was that our victory claims rejected! The guys of the same squadron demanded those machines for themselves!The end result was that no one get the credit.

June 30 Armand's Diary Lovely place this Bryas.I was well received.Maybe it was because i brought a box of champagne! No much time to get acquainted with the new machine.Tomorrow is the first combat flight. My observer is Lieutenant Jean Perron.Our craft is Morane Saulnier L. Observer uses the only weapon. Bryas July 1915

The story of a pilot Sous Lieutenant Armand Bertil Bouchant Born in Rouen 8\6 1896.Son of a winery ,he expected to continue his father's work. But then came a summer 1914 and everything changed.He served in the cavalry and took part of Plan XVII. The end result was so murderous and terrifying that Armand decided to join Aeronautique Militaire. After a long training and many crash landings Armand was commanded to Escadrille MS 15 at Bryas Aerodrome.

I thought the same thing as the Morane fighters approached Verdun above!

We have suffered a great loss:Feldwebel von Tabbert and Leutnant Steeger died when their Aviatik crashed to the woods North of Verdun. it is not yet clear whether the collision was caused by damage done by the enemy or was it due to the inexperience of the pilot.