Paul Sauvage (aviator)

Sergent Paul Joannes Sauvage (5 February 1897—7 January 1917) was a French World War I flying ace credited with 8 confirmed and 6 probable aerial victories. He was originally posted to fly a Nieuport for Escadrille N 65, and scored his first victory with them on 16 July 1916. He became the youngest French ace on 2 October at age 19 years and 239 days, and held that distinction until his death by anti-aircraft fire on 7 January 1917.[1]

Paul Sauvage
Birth namePaul Joannes Sauvage
Born5 February 1897
Villefranche-sur-Saône
Died7 January 1917
East of Maisonnette, France
AllegianceFrance
Service/branchAviation
RankSergeant
UnitEscadrille 65, Escadrille 38
AwardsMédaille militaire, Croix de Guerre

12 days later Pierre Marinovitch scored his 5th victory and became the youngest French ace until the end of the war, at the point of his 5th victory was Marinovith even younger than Savage on 2nd October by exactly 70 days (19 years and 169 days).

Early life

Paul Joannes Sauvage was born in Villefranche-sur-Saône, France on 5 February 1897.[2]

World War I military service
See also: Aerial victory standards of World War I

On 29 March 1916, Sauvage received Pilot's Brevet No. 3234. Once trained as a pilot, he ended up in Escadrille 65. By the time he claimed his first approved victory in July, he was ranked as a Caporal.[2] On 2 September 1916, after scoring his first three victories, Sauvage was one of the first pilots issued a new Spad VII.[3] By the time he shot down his fourth German opponent on 23 September 1916, he had been promoted to Sergent. His fifth aerial victory, on 2 October 1916, made him the youngest ace in French aviation. His sixth victory, on 3 November 1916, would soon be followed by award of the Médaille militaire on the 18th.[2]

A German postcard of a French Spad VII

Sauvage then flew a while with Escadrille 38, scoring two more confirmed victories during December 1916. However, he returned to Escadrille 65 at some date between 28 December 1916 and 8 January 1917. The French casualty list of the latter date lists Paul Joannes Sauvage; at 1520 hours 7 January 1917, his Spad and an antiaircraft shell intersected somewhere east of Maisonette, France. Sauvage died instantly.[2]

Honors and awards

The Médaille militaire (Awarded 18 November 1916)
"Sergent pilot of Escadrille N65. Young pursuit pilot who has rapidly been classed among the best, thanks to his strength and highly remarkable sense of duty. On 3 November 1916 he downed his sixth German plane which crashed in flames behind enemy lines. Has been cited three times in army orders."[2]

The Croix de Guerre with five palmes[2]

Sources of information
  1. Nieuport Aces of World War 1, p. 58
  2. Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918, p. 218.
  3. SPAD VII Aces of World War I, p. 8.
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References
  • Nieuport Aces of World War 1. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-85532-961-1, ISBN 978-1-85532-961-4.
  • 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.
  • Spad VII Aces of World War I. Jon Guttman. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1841762229, ISBN 978-1841762227.
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