Michel Joseph Callixte Marie Coiffard

Name:

Country:

France

Rank:

Lieutenant

Service:

French Air Service

Units:

N154; Spa154

Victories:

Born:

16 July 1892

Place of Birth:

Nantes

Died:

29 October 1918

Place of Death:

No notes.

Médaille Militaire

"On 29 May 1915, as an artillery observer in the trenches under extemely violent bombardment by heavy artillery, he spontaneously offered himself to serve as a liaison between the infantry and artillery, the telephone connection with the artillery having been destroyed by enemy fire. When the infantry telephone network had been severed in its turn he carried it along the artillery line and made repairs in terrain attacked by 105 and 150 artillery projectiles. Non-commissioned officer of remarkable courage and sang-froid; the campaigns in Tunisia and Morocco, three wounds, three citations." Médaille Militaire citation

Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur

"A valiant officer and a model of courage, initiative and devotion. Wounded four times in the infantry, he entered the aviation service where he has proven his most brilliant military qualities. He downed his third enemy plane on 2 February 1918, during the course of a particularly difficult combat. Médaille Militaire for feats of war. Six citations." Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur citation

Officier de la Légion d'Honneur

"An officer of fierce energy and incomparable bravery. In Morocco he had already gained attention by his audacity. In the actual war he served successively in the artillery, infantry and air service attracting throughout amazement and admiration because of his scorn of death and his admirable spirit of sacrifice. In pursuit aviation his will to conquer allowed him to accomplish a series of exploits with regularity and speed which have never been equaled. He reported 32 official victories, of which 27 were gained in three months. Three wounds, Médaille Militaire and Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur for feats of war. Fifteen citations." Officier de la Légion d'Honneur

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	05 Sep 1917		N154		Albatros C	Le Catelet
2	03 Jan 1918		N154		EA	NE of St. Quentin
3	02 Feb 1918	1210	N154		Pfalz D.III	Arnoville
4	30 Jun 1918	0650	Spa154		Balloon ¹	Beauvardes
5	30 Jun 1918	1750	Spa154		Balloon ²	Courpoil
6	01 Jul 1918	1715	Spa154		Balloon ³	Courmont
7	05 Jul 1918	0548	Spa154		Balloon ⁴	Courcelles-Sapincourt
8	07 Jul 1918	0900	Spa154		Balloon	Courcelles-Sapincourt
9	12 Jul 1918	0655	Spa154		Albatros ⁵	Courcelles-Sapincourt
10	15 Jul 1918	1030	Spa154		Balloon ⁶	Goussancourt
11	15 Jul 1918		Spa154		Balloon ⁷	Goussancourt
12	15 Jul 1918	1905	Spa154		Balloon ⁸	S of Le Charmel
13	17 Jul 1918	0530	Spa154		Balloon ⁹	NE of Moronvillers
14	17 Jul 1918	0535	Spa154		Balloon ⁹	Moronvillers
15	18 Jul 1918	0915	Spa154		Rumpler C ¹⁰	E of Bois de Beine
16	18 Jul 1918	1915	Spa154		Balloon ¹¹	Foret de Ris
17	21 Jul 1918	1805	Spa154		Two-seater ¹⁰	Champlat
18	01 Aug 1918	0900	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁰	N of Somme-Py
19	01 Aug 1918		Spa154		Balloon ¹⁰	N of Somme-Py
20	01 Aug 1918		Spa154		Balloon ¹²	N of Somme-Py
21	03 Aug 1918	1935	Spa154		Balloon ¹²	N of Somme-Py
22	03 Aug 1918	1937	Spa154		Balloon	N of Somme-Py
23	11 Aug 1918	1930	Spa154		Fokker D.VII	W of Chenay-Berru
24	11 Aug 1918	1945	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁰	Caurel
25	11 Aug 1918	1955	Spa154		Fokker D.VII ¹³	Beine
26	07 Sep 1918		Spa154		Balloon ¹⁴
27	14 Sep 1918	1345	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁵	Gernicourt
28	14 Sep 1918	1350	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁵	Cormicy
29	15 Sep 1918	1230	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁶	Brimont
30	15 Sep 1918	1231	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁶	Cormicy
31	15 Sep 1918	1232	Spa154		Balloon ¹⁶	Gernicourt
32	28 Sep 1918	0900	Spa154		Balloon	SE of Semide
33	02 Oct 1918	1220	Spa154		Two-seater	SE of Atienne
34	28 Oct 1918		Spa154		Fokker D.VII	Rethel

1	Shared with MdL Paul Barbreau, MdL Jacques Ehrlich
2	Shared with S/Lt Louis Gros, Adj Paul Petit
3	Shared with S/Lt Louis Gros, Adj Paul Petit, MdL Jacques Ehrlich
4	Shared with Adj Paul Petit, MdL Jacques Ehrlich
5	Shared with S/Lt Paul Waddington, MdL Jacques Ehrlich
6	Shared with Capt Auguste Lahoulle, Adj Chevalier, Sgt Abbott
7	Shared with Capt Auguste Lahoulle, Adj Chevalier
8	Shared with S/Lt Louis Gros, Jacques MdL Ehrlich
9	Shared with MdL Jacques Ehrlich, Sgt Hubert
10	Shared with Adj Jacques Ehrlich
11	Shared with S/Lt Louis Gros, S/Lt Paul Waddington
12	Shared with S/Lt Paul Barbreau
13	Shared with Adj Paul Petit
14	Shared with S/Lt Theophile Condemine, Sgt Peillard
15	Shared with S/Lt Theophile Condemine, Cpl Lisle
16	Shared with S/Lt Theophile Condemine, Adj Jacques Ehrlich

Books

Over the Front: by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992)

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