From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sous-lieutenant
Eugene Jules Emile Camplan
(10 October 1889-18 January 1944) was a French World War I
flying ace
credited with seven aerial victories.
[1]
Biography
[
edit
]
Camplan was born on 10 October 1889 in the city of
Nimes
,
France
to a wealthy family. His father worked as a merchant in the town of
Montpellier
. Camplan moved to
Gironde
as an adult and began medical studies. When
World War I
broke out, he was mobilized as a soldier in the 18e section d'infirmiers militaires, serving in
Lorraine
, on the
Marne
, and on the
Aisne
. He asked to move into a combat unit, a request that was granted on 25 April 1915, allowing him to become an
infantryman
in the
59e regiment d’infanterie
. During his time with the 59th Regiment, Camplan fought in
Champagne
. On 17 May 1915, a
shell
exploded near his trench, burying him alive and causing him injury. He was evacuated from the trench and transferred back to a nursing unit in
Flanders
after his recovery. He was wounded again on 24 August 1915, causing him to be deemed unfit for armed service for 11 months, until 2 August 1916, when he was accepted into the
French Air Service
. During his service in the air force, he scored seven confirmed aerial victories, with his final victory being on 1 August 1918, during an
aerial combat
with eight enemy aircraft. After being
demobilized
in early 1919, Camplan dedicated his life to aviation, joining the
CFRNA
as a pilot in 1920. He left the company in 1924 to open a school in
Bordeaux
. He sold the school in 1926, becoming a test pilot at the
Societe des Avions Bernard
, setting records for a number of their planes. He was mobilized at the beginning of
World War II
as a reserve
capitaine
. He was demobilized after the
Armistice of 22 June 1940
and became involved in the
French Resistance
. He was assassinated on 18 January 1944 in
Les Adjots
during a resistance meeting.
[1]
[2]
Honors and awards
[
edit
]
Chevalier de la
Legion d'Honneur
citation:
"Elite officer. Having been wounded twice in the infantry and rendered unfit for this service, he was trained as a pursuit pilot at his request, where for two years he has gained the admirations of all by his integrity, bravery and his absolute disdain of danger. He downed seven enemy planes and made numerous voluntary reconnaissances of long durations. Severely wounded while attacking eight enemy planes alone, he recovered and returned to his unit.
Medaille Militaire
for feats of war. Six citations."
[1]
[3]
Medaille Militaire
citation:
"Pursuit pilot of bravery and indescribable spirit of devotion. Constantly giving proof of the highest military qualities. He particularly distinguished himself during the course of the latest operations by strafing enemy troops at a very low altitude, by attacking balloons, several times, and making long distance solo reconnaissances under particularly perilous conditions. He recently downed his fourth enemy plane. Two wounds. Three citations."
[1]
[3]
Camplan also was awarded the
Croix de Guerre
with seven
palmes
.
[1]
[3]
Endnotes
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"Eugene Jules Emile Camplan"
.
www.theaerodrome.com
. Retrieved
2023-03-25
.
- ^
"Eugene Camplan"
.
www.as14-18.net
. Retrieved
2020-03-11
.
- ^
a
b
c
Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914?1918, pp. 127-128
References
[
edit
]
- Franks, Norman
; Bailey, Frank (1993).
Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914?1918.
London, UK: Grub Street Publishing.
ISBN
978-0-948817-54-0
.