Jacques Raphaël Roques

Name:

Country:

Switzerland

Rank:

Adjudant

Service:

French Air Service

Unit:

Spa48

Victories:

Born:

02 August 1897

Place of Birth:

Paris

Died:

May 1988

Place of Death:

Although born in Paris, Roques was a Swiss national whose mother was Venezuelan and whose father was Swiss. Having earned a Civil Pilot's License on 10 September 1915, he joined the Foreign Legion on 17 November 1915. In 1916, he transferred to the Aviation Militaire and was posted to Escadrille 48 on 2 January 1917. With this unit he scored five victories and two probable victories. Roques became a French citizen in 1919 and served as a capitaine during World War II. When France surrendered to Germany in June 1940, Roques worked with the Resistance for the remainder of the war.

Médaille Militaire

"Excellent, energetic and brave pilot, he has distinguished himself during the course of his latest offensives by strafing with extreme boldness. On 10 August [1918] from several meters off the ground he persistently attacked a machine-gun nest that was holding up our cavalry. He also pointed out the obstacle and allowed our soldiers to turn and capture the post. Three citations." Médaille Militaire citation, 9 September 1918

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	26 Apr 1917	1740	Spa48	SPAD VII	Albatros ¹	Loivre
2	27 Jul 1917		Spa48	SPAD VII	Fokker ²	Foret de Houthulst
3	19 Feb 1918		Spa48	SPAD XIII	Rumpler C ³	Nogent l'Abbesse
u/c	17 May 1918		Spa48	SPAD XIII	EA ⁴
u/c	11 Jun 1918		Spa48	SPAD XIII	Two-seater ⁵
4	12 Jun 1918	1840	Spa48	SPAD XIII	Fokker D.VII ⁶	Resson-sur-Matz
5	17 Jun 1918		Spa48	SPAD XIII	Halberstadt CL.II ⁷	Chaudun

1	Shared with Sgt Robert Bajac
2	Shared with Adjudant Robert Bajac, Lt Jacques Ortoli
3	Shared with S/Lt Robert Bajac, Adj Edmond Caillaux
4	Shared with Adj Quiles
5	Shared with Adj Montrion, Adj Edmond Caillaux
6	Shared with S/Lt Bajac
7	Shared with S/Lt Gilbert de Guingand

Books

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