Jean Navarre
Encyclopedia
Jean Marie Dominique Navarre (8 August 1895–10 July 1919) was a French
aviator
during World War I. As one of the pioneer flying ace
s, he was credited with twelve confirmed aerial victories and fifteen unconfirmed ones.
, Navarre turned out to be a difficult child
who challenged his teachers and frequently played truant
with his younger brother.
Navarre earned Civil Pilot's Brevet No. 581 on 22 August 1911. This earned him immediate entry into French military aviation in August 1914, when World War began.
aircraft). He then joined the MS12 reconnaissance
squadron, flying Morane-Saulnier L aircraft, nicknamed ‘parasol’ due to the large upper wing covering most of its narrow fuselage. Shortly thereafter, on 1 April 1915, Navarre was the pilot when his observer shot down a German Aviatik
north of Fismes
. Navarre's first victory earned him a Medaille Military, awarded just five days later, to join his Croix de Guerre. On 13 April 1915, Navarre again scored while flying with a different gunner. On 2 August 1915, he was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, with the citation based as much on secretive special missions as on aerial victory. He would score once more, on 26 October 1915, before reassignment to Escadrille 67 to fly a Nieuport
.
When he received his new fighter plane, a Nieuport 11
, he deliberately painted it all red to challenge and intimidate the enemy in the skies over Verdun
, well before his German
counterpart would gain notoriety as the 'Red Baron
'. Navarre began his victory string with his new unit by scoring one of the first "doubles" of the war, downing a Fokker E.III
and a German two-seater on 26 February 1916, and becoming one of the first flying aces in history. He tallied half a dozen more wins during the next three months. Then, on 17 June 1916, Navarre teamed with Georges Pelletier d'Oisy
for Navarre's twelfth win. In the process, Navarre was shot down and sustained severe head injuries from which he never fully recovered. The news of the death of his brother affected him even more, and he was removed from active duty and sent to a sanatorium to convalesce.
In the early days of the war, flyers mainly flew reconnaissance missions, and their planes were not armed. Flyers would sometimes wave at their opponents when meeting in the air. Navarre felt strongly that combatants should kill their enemies; there was no room for fraternizing
gestures. He later became one of the first flying aces.
Navarre continuously experimented with ways to improve his plane's armament, at one point even installing rockets
. By this time, Navarre had achieved 12 victories despite his technical handicap.
Navarre became close friends with fellow ace Charles Nungesser
, who was as reckless and insubordinate as himself. In addition to their growing reputation as flying aces, Navarre and Nungesser also became extremely popular in Paris
ian nightlife for a number of colorful and unorthodox stunts.
. Navarre, as the first among the aces
, was considered the ideal choice despite his injuries. Tragically, however, while practicing for this stunt, Navarre crashed his plane and died at Villacoublay aerodrome on 10 July. He was only 23 years old. Fellow ace Charles Godefroy
would eventually perform the historic flight through the Arc de Triomphe a few weeks later.
"Sergent pilot of Escadrille MS12 of remarkable skill and audacity. He has battled two enemy planes in one week, meeting them and attacking from a few meters in spite of the enemy observer's fire. He forced one of them to land behind our lines, allowing the pilot and observer, both of whom had been wounded by his observer's fire, to be taken prisoner."
Légion d'Honneur
"Adjudant pilot of Escadrille MS12, remarkably adroit and devoted, he has had several aerial combats, one of which permitted the capture of two enemy officers and an enemy plane. He volunteers for all the delicate missions, and has executed special and particularly perilous missions with complete success."
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
during World War I. As one of the pioneer flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
s, he was credited with twelve confirmed aerial victories and fifteen unconfirmed ones.
Early life
Born on 8 August 1895 in Jouy-sur-MorinJouy-sur-Morin
Jouy-sur-Morin is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
, Navarre turned out to be a difficult child
Oppositional defiant disorder
Oppositional defiant disorder is a diagnosis described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior toward authority figures which goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood behavior...
who challenged his teachers and frequently played truant
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
with his younger brother.
Navarre earned Civil Pilot's Brevet No. 581 on 22 August 1911. This earned him immediate entry into French military aviation in August 1914, when World War began.
World War I service
In September 1914, Navarre earned Military Pilot's Brevet No. 601. He was originally assigned to Escadrille MF8 (the "MF" designating the unit's use of Maurice FarmanMaurice Farman
Maurice Alain Farman was a French Grand Prix motor racing champion, an aviator, and an aircraft manufacturer and designer.-Biography:...
aircraft). He then joined the MS12 reconnaissance
Surveillance aircraft
A surveillance aircraft is an aircraft used for surveillance — collecting information over time. They are operated by military forces and other government agencies in roles such as intelligence gathering, battlefield surveillance, airspace surveillance, observation , border patrol and fishery...
squadron, flying Morane-Saulnier L aircraft, nicknamed ‘parasol’ due to the large upper wing covering most of its narrow fuselage. Shortly thereafter, on 1 April 1915, Navarre was the pilot when his observer shot down a German Aviatik
Aviatik
Automobil und Aviatik AG was a German aircraft manufacturer during World War I. The company was established at Mülhausen in 1910 and soon became one of the country's leading producers of aircraft, relocating to Freiburg in 1914 and establishing a subsidiary in Vienna as Österreichisch-Ungarische...
north of Fismes
Fismes
Fismes is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.- Economy :Many agricultural zones of the region may soon become a section of the zone for production of Champagne.- Antiquity :...
. Navarre's first victory earned him a Medaille Military, awarded just five days later, to join his Croix de Guerre. On 13 April 1915, Navarre again scored while flying with a different gunner. On 2 August 1915, he was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, with the citation based as much on secretive special missions as on aerial victory. He would score once more, on 26 October 1915, before reassignment to Escadrille 67 to fly a Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
.
When he received his new fighter plane, a Nieuport 11
Nieuport 11
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Angelucci, Enzio, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. New York: The Military Press, 1983. ISBN 0-517-41021-4....
, he deliberately painted it all red to challenge and intimidate the enemy in the skies over Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
, well before his German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
counterpart would gain notoriety as the 'Red Baron
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
'. Navarre began his victory string with his new unit by scoring one of the first "doubles" of the war, downing a Fokker E.III
Fokker E.III
|-See also:...
and a German two-seater on 26 February 1916, and becoming one of the first flying aces in history. He tallied half a dozen more wins during the next three months. Then, on 17 June 1916, Navarre teamed with Georges Pelletier d'Oisy
Georges Pelletier d'Oisy
Capitaine Georges Pelletier d'Oisy was a French aviator and World War I ace. He attempted a circumnavigation of the world in 1924.Pelletier d'Oisy began his aviation career as a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories....
for Navarre's twelfth win. In the process, Navarre was shot down and sustained severe head injuries from which he never fully recovered. The news of the death of his brother affected him even more, and he was removed from active duty and sent to a sanatorium to convalesce.
Personal life during World War I
Fraternization
Fraternization is "turning people into brothers"—conducting social relations with people who are actually unrelated and/or of a different class as though they were siblings, family members, personal friends or lovers....
gestures. He later became one of the first flying aces.
Navarre continuously experimented with ways to improve his plane's armament, at one point even installing rockets
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
. By this time, Navarre had achieved 12 victories despite his technical handicap.
Navarre became close friends with fellow ace Charles Nungesser
Charles Nungesser
Charles Eugène Jules Marie Nungesser, MC was a French ace pilot and adventurer, best remembered as a rival of Charles Lindbergh...
, who was as reckless and insubordinate as himself. In addition to their growing reputation as flying aces, Navarre and Nungesser also became extremely popular in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian nightlife for a number of colorful and unorthodox stunts.
Post World War I
After the end of hostilities, a victory parade was planned on the Champs Élysées on 14 July 1919. However, the high command ordered airmen to participate on foot rather than flying their aircraft. The headstrong 'heroes of the air' took this as an insult. At a meeting in the 'Fouquet' bar on the Champs Élysées, they decided to respond to this affront by selecting one of their number to fly through the Arc de TriompheArc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
. Navarre, as the first among the aces
Primus inter pares
Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
, was considered the ideal choice despite his injuries. Tragically, however, while practicing for this stunt, Navarre crashed his plane and died at Villacoublay aerodrome on 10 July. He was only 23 years old. Fellow ace Charles Godefroy
Charles Godefroy
Charles Godefroy was a French aviator who became famous by his spectacular flight passing through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1919....
would eventually perform the historic flight through the Arc de Triomphe a few weeks later.
Honors and awards
Médaille Militaire"Sergent pilot of Escadrille MS12 of remarkable skill and audacity. He has battled two enemy planes in one week, meeting them and attacking from a few meters in spite of the enemy observer's fire. He forced one of them to land behind our lines, allowing the pilot and observer, both of whom had been wounded by his observer's fire, to be taken prisoner."
Légion d'Honneur
"Adjudant pilot of Escadrille MS12, remarkably adroit and devoted, he has had several aerial combats, one of which permitted the capture of two enemy officers and an enemy plane. He volunteers for all the delicate missions, and has executed special and particularly perilous missions with complete success."
Sources
- 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, 9780948817540.
- Jean Marie Dominique Navarre (1895-1919)
- Jean Navarre the Ace of WW1