Julien Anatole Guertiau

Name:

Country:

France

Rank:

Lieutenant

Service:

French Air Service

Units:

C43, Spa97

Victories:

Born:

13 September 1885

Place of Birth:

Meunet-Planches

Died:

26 April 1954

Place of Death:

Guertiau joined the army in 1907. When war broke out, he was recalled to serve with 7^{^e} Regiment de Hussards before transferring to aviation on 4 November 1915. He received his Pilot's Brevet on 20 March 1916 and was assigned to Escadrille C43 on 23 June 1916. Having scored 4 victories as a two-seater pilot, he received additional training on fighters and joined Spa97 on 6 December 1917. The following year, he assumed command of this unit, scoring 4 more victories by the end of the war. In 1921, Guertiau served in Indochina.

Médaille Militaire

"Pilot with remarkable audacity, energy and sang-froid; always volunteers for perilous missions. On 25 June 1917, he had a combat with a German airplane which was attacking one of our balloons and downed it behind its lines; he returned with his airplane riddled by bullets. Already has to his credit two enemy planes downed. Cited in orders three times." Médaille Militaire citation, 14 July 1917

Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur

"Officer pilot of great merit and admirable courage. With aviation since 4 November 1915, he has always shown the greatest energy and a disdain for danger. On 22 January 1918, he downed his 5^{^th} airplane during the course of a particularly difficult combat. Médaille Militaire for feats of war. Five citations." Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur citation, 9 September 1918

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	29 Sep 1916		C43		EA
2	28 Apr 1917		C43		EA
3	30 May 1917		C43		EA
4	25 Jun 1917		C43		EA
5	22 Jan 1918		Spa97		Balloon
6	12 Apr 1918		Spa97		EA
7	28 Aug 1918		Spa97		EA
8	15 Sep 1918		Spa97		EA

Books

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