Jacques Louis Ehrlich

Name:

Country:

France

Rank:

Sous Lieutenant

Service:

French Air Service

Units:

N154, Spa154

Victories:

Born:

25 October 1893

Place of Birth:

Paris

Died:

10 August 1953

Place of Death:

Paris

In May 1913, Ehrlich joined the army and served with the infantry until his transfer to the French Air Service in December 1916. He received a Pilot's Brevet in May 1917 and was assigned to N154. Cited for actions against the enemy on 10 August 1917, he was badly wounded while strafing the German lines. Promoted to Sergent, he returned to duty in November 1917. On the evening of 18 September 1918, three days after he was recommended for the Légion d'Honneur, Ehrlich was shot down and captured after scoring his 19th victory. The following day, his promotion to Sous Lieutenant was announced. In all, Ehrlich destroyed 18 balloons and shot down an Albatros scout in less than three months.

Médaille Militaire

"Remarkable pursuit pilot who has distinguished himself by his exceptional audacity and tenacity which have earned him twelve victories in one month. He flamed three balloons in a few minutes. One wound. Three citations." Médaille Militaire citation, 10 September 1918

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	30 Jun 1918	0650	Spa154		Balloon ¹	Beauvardes
2	01 Jul 1918	1715	Spa154		Balloon ²	Courmont
3	05 Jul 1918	0548	Spa154		Balloon ³	Courcelles
4	12 Jul 1918	0655	Spa154		Albatros ⁴	Sapincourt
5	15 Jul 1918	1905	Spa154		Balloon ⁵	S of Le Charmel
6	16 Jul 1918	1345	Spa154		Balloon	Anthenay
7	17 Jul 1918	0530	Spa154		Balloon ⁶	Moronvillers
8	17 Jul 1918	0535	Spa154		Balloon ⁶	Moronvillers
9	18 Jul 1918	1915	Spa154		Balloon ⁷	Foret de Ris
10	24 Jul 1918	0735	Spa154		Balloon	Pouilion
11	01 Aug 1918	0900	Spa154		Balloon ⁷	N of Somme-Py
12	01 Aug 1918	0902	Spa154		Balloon ⁷	N of Somme-Py
13	01 Aug 1918	0905	Spa154		Balloon ⁷	N of Somme-Py
14	10 Aug 1918	1630	Spa154		Balloon	Brimont
15	11 Aug 1918	1945	Spa154		Balloon ⁷	Beine
16	15 Sep 1918	1230	Spa154		Balloon ⁸	Brimont
17	15 Sep 1918	1231	Spa154		Balloon ⁸	Cormicy
18	15 Sep 1918	1232	Spa154		Balloon ⁸	Gernicourt
19	18 Sep 1918	1805	Spa154		Balloon ⁹	Brimont

1	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, MdL Barbreau
2	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, S/Lt Louis Gros, Adj Paul Petit
3	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, Adj Paul Petit
4	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, S/Lt Paul Waddington
5	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, S/Lt Louis Gros
6	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, MdL Hubert
7	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard
8	Shared with S/Lt Michel Coiffard, S/Lt Theophile Condemine
9	Shared with Adj Paul Petit, Sgt Peillard

Books

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