Antoine Laplasse

Antoine Laplasse
Born 16 May 1883
Vernay, France
Died 22 August 1918
Saint Gobain, France
Allegiance France
Service/branch Aviation
Rank Adjutant-Chef
Unit Escadrille 461, Escadrille 75
Awards Medaille Militaire, Croix de Guerre

Adjutant-Chef Antoine Laplasse was a World War I balloon buster and flying ace credited with eight aerial victories, six of which were against observation balloons.

He was a pioneer aviator who earned his civilian pilot's license on the eve of World War I. As a result, he soon was assigned aviation duty, and defended his country throughout the war. He was killed in action less than three months before war's end.

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Early life and service

Antoine Laplasse was born on 16 May 1883 in Vernay, Rhône, France. He was a pioneer aviator, receiving his Civil Pilot's Brevet, No. 1655, on 11 July 1914. France's declaration of war on 3 August 1914 sparked Laplasse's entry into military service. He was initially assigned to clerical work.[1]

Aviation service

His civil pilot's license was noted, and he was quickly transferred into aviation service. He earned a military pilot's license on a Morane and was assigned to Escadrille 461. On 22 June 1916, he forced a German airplane into an involuntary landing. In May 1917, he repeated the feat. His distinguished service in Escadrille 461, earned him the Medaille Militaire; as the award citation said, he was noted for "...strafing the German trenches and batteries at a low altitude, and returning often with his plane riddled by bullets."[2]

He was "promoted" to flying Nieuport fighters with Escadrille 75, joining the squadron on 20 October 1917. Once the unit re-equipped with Spad XIIIs, he began to score his aerial victories. He downed two German two-seater reconnaissance planes; then, he began the highly hazardous practice of balloon busting.

On 22 August, with four wingmen flying top cover for him, he destroyed three enemy observation balloons. As he attacked a fourth one, a quintet of German Fokker D.VIIs attacked him and sent him down in flames, killing him.[3]

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically. Unconfirmed victories are denoted by "u/c" and may or may not be listed by date.

No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
u/c 22 June 1916 German airplane Forced to land
u/c May 1917 German airplane Forced to land[4]
1 15 December 1915 @ 1125 hours Spad XIII German reconnaissance airplane Destroyed Saint-Mards
2 13 March 1918 Spad XIII German reconnaissance airplane Destroyed Septvaux
3 18 June 1918 Spad XIII German observation balloon Destroyed Moulin-le-Comte
4 17 August 1918 Spad XIII German observation balloon Destroyed Blerancourt Victory shared with another French pilot
5 17 August 1918 Spad XIII German observation balloon Destroyed Cuts
6 22 August 1918 Spad XIII German observation balloon Destroyed Saint-Gobain
7 22 August 1918 Spad XIII German observation balloon Destroyed Saint-Gobain
8 22 August 1918 Spad XIII German observation balloon Destroyed Saint-Gobain Laplasse killed in action shortly thereafter[5]

Sources of information

Endnotes

  1. ^ Over the Front, p. 182.
  2. ^ Over the Front, p. 182. Note: Award of the Medaille Militaire automatically granted an accompanying award of the Croix de guerre.
  3. ^ Spad XII/XIII Aces, p. 66.
  4. ^ Over the Front, p. 182.
  5. ^ Over the Front, p. 182.