The Aerodrome Home Page
Aces of WWI
Aircraft of WWI
Books and Videos
The Aerodrome Forum
Help
Medals & Decorations
Search The Aerodrome
Today in History



Name: Marcel Robert Leopold Bloch Balloon-Buster
Légion d'Honneur
Médaille Militaire
Croix de Guerre with 7 palms
Marcel Bloch Order of St. George, 4th Class
Order of St. Anne, 4th Class
Country: France
Rank: Sous Lieutenant
Service: French Air Service
Units: N3, N62
Victories: 5
Born: 21 July 1890
Place of Birth: La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland
Died: 29 March 1938
Place of Death: Czechoslovakia
 
 
Bloch joined the army on 7 September 1914. After receiving a Pilot's Brevet on 12 October 1915, he was posted to Escadrille N3 in January 1916 but scored no victories with this unit. On 25 May 1916, he was reassigned to N62 where he was severely wounded while scoring his third victory on 3 July. After returning to duty, he downed two more observation balloons in the fall of 1916. Transferred to the Russian Front on 23 March 1917, he was badly injured in a flying accident on 8 May and was in and out of hospitals for months. On 10 September 1918, he served with the French Mission to the United States before returning to France on 1 March 1919. During the war, Bloch accumulated 405 hours of flight time in combat.
 
Médaille Militaire
"Remarkable pilot having a high point of perception and duty. His bravery proven to all, he has distinguished himself during the course of combats, by attacks on balloons on 26 and 29 June, 1 and 3 July 1916, returning each time with his plane riddled by bullets. On 3 July 1916, charged with destruction of a balloon, he accomplished his mission after having received two severe wounds." Médaille Militaire citation, 14 August 1916
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 26 Jun 1916 N62   Balloon  
2 01 Jul 1916 N62   Balloon  
3 03 Jul 1916 N62   Balloon N of Frise
4 30 Sep 1916 N62   Balloon Longuavesnes
5 01 Oct 1916 N62   Balloon E of Bapaume
 
Books
Over the Front
by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992)
 
Aces · Aircraft · Books · Forum · Help · Medals · Search · Today