Ernest Maunoury
| Ernest Joseph Jules Maunoury | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
20 November 1894 Saint-Clair-de-Halouze |
| Died |
21 September 1921 (aged 26) Cazaux |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/branch | Infantry; aviation |
| Rank | Sous lieutenant |
| Unit | 24e Regiment d'Infanterie, Escadrille 64, Escadrille 16, Escadrille 152 |
| Awards | Médaille militaire, Croix de Guerre with seven Palmes and one étoile de vermeil, twice Mentioned in Dispatches |
Sous Lieutenant Ernest Joseph Jules Maunoury was a French flying ace during World War I. He was credited with eleven confirmed aerial victories.
World War I
Manoury joined the French military on 7 September 1914, being assigned to the 24e Regiment d'Infanterie. On 19 February 1915, he was promoted to Sergeant; not quite a year later, on 16 February 1916, he was mentioned in his brigade's orders. He was seriously wounded in action and offered the opportunity to transfer out of combat; however, he elected to volunteer for aviation duty. On 2 June 1916, he transferred to flying service. His first assignment was to Escadrille 64 as a gunner/observer. On 26 September 1916, he downed a Fokker; this initial victory gained him another mention in dispatches, on 7 October.[1]
On 27 January 1917, he was transferred to Escadrille 16. He began pilot's training at Dijon on 20 March 1917, and was granted his Military Pilot's Brevet on 7 June 1917. He then joined a brand new squadron, Escadrille 152, as a Spad pilot. On 30 June 1918, he scored his second victory, destroying a German observation balloon. On 20 July, he shared a double win with Del Vial. Then he began a string of seven consecutive victories shared with premium balloon buster Léon Bourjade. Double victories on 15 September and 1 October 1918 brought his tally to eight enemy observation balloons destroyed, along with two German reconnaissance planes and a Fokker.[2]
Postwar
He lost a wing while flying over Cazaux on 21 September 1921. The subsequent impact was fatal.[1]
References
- Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey. Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-54-2, ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.