Georges Madon
Encyclopedia
Georges Felix Madon was the fourth ranked French
ace pilot
of the First World War. His lengthy career and wide variety of aviation experiences were remarkable.
, Tunisia
and was athletic from an early age. He was short but had an erect stance, and was exceptionally strong. He boxed and played football.
Madon first became interested in aviation when just 15 years old, when he made an unsuccessful attempt to build his own craft. He had quit school to get over a siege of malaria. After building models and kites, he fabricated a bicycle-powered "aviette".
His desire to fly led him to attempt to become a pilot for the Ottoman Empire
. When that failed, he enlisted in the First Engineering Regiment in Versailles, and ended up as a cook. He repeatedly requested pilot's training.
In April, 1915, thrown off course by heavy fog, he flew into Swiss air space while qualifying upon a new 80 hp Farman, and was interned for several months. It took him two tries to escape, but he freed himself in December by chloroforming and kidnapping his guard. His reward was a court-martial and 60 days confinement.
He was then posted to Escadrille MF218 as a sergeant directing artillery fire. He requested transfer to a fighter squadron.
After retraining at Pau and Cazaux, he was posted to fly Nieuports with N38 on 1 September 1916. He scored his first victory on the 28th. By year's end, he was up to four and had been promoted to adjutant.
He began the new year by strafing an enemy locomotive to a halt. Later, on July 2, 1917, he was wounded in action when he collided with an enemy aircraft and crashed. By then, he had 12 victories. The following month, he was commissioned a sous lieutenant. By October, his confirmed score was 17, with 20 unconfirmed. He was said to have returned with blood and brains on his plane's propeller three times; another time, he brought home the glasses from an enemy observer's face stuck in his plane's wire bracing.
By March, 1918, his personal score stood at 25 confirmed. He was appointed to command Escadrille Spa38, which was re-equipped with new Spad XIIIs. Although principally a photo reconnaissance unit, Spa38 aggressively defended itself. They lived up to the motto they adopted from their commander; "Whoever rubs against me gets pricked". They also adopted his black thistle insignia on their planes.
As part of Madon's new role, he mentored other pilots who became aces because of his tutelage; among these were Andre Martenot de Cordoux, Hector Garaud
, and American David Putnam
.
By war's end, he was credited with 41 confirmed victories and 64 probables. About the latter, he once nonchalantly remarked, "The Boche knows his losses." His score of 41 still ranked him fourth among all French pilots.
In an ironic twist, he was promoted to temporary captain on the last day of the war, Armistice Day, 1918. In an era when fighter aces' careers were commonly measured in months, he had had a two year string of victories. With seven years flying experience, he was one of the world's most experienced aviators by war's end.
Precisely six years after Armistice Day, at age 32, Madon was killed in his native Tunisia preparing for a tribute to fellow airman Roland Garros. His aircraft suffered mechanical trouble, and he gallantly crashed it into the roof of a villa rather than hit spectators. He died in Tunis
.
Madon was awarded three medals by his own country, Médaille Militaire
, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur
and Croix de Guerre
with ten palms. He also was awarded the Italian Order for Valor, and the Romanian Order for Valor.
The Avord Air Base
, near Avord
in central France
, where he learned to fly, is named "Base Aérienne 702 Capitaine Georges Madon".
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...
ace pilot
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...
of the First World War. His lengthy career and wide variety of aviation experiences were remarkable.
Early years
Madon was born in BizerteBizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
and was athletic from an early age. He was short but had an erect stance, and was exceptionally strong. He boxed and played football.
Madon first became interested in aviation when just 15 years old, when he made an unsuccessful attempt to build his own craft. He had quit school to get over a siege of malaria. After building models and kites, he fabricated a bicycle-powered "aviette".
His desire to fly led him to attempt to become a pilot for the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. When that failed, he enlisted in the First Engineering Regiment in Versailles, and ended up as a cook. He repeatedly requested pilot's training.
Aerial Service
He subsequently qualified as a pilot in June, 1911, after 19 lessons. On 12 March 1912, he enlisted in the French military and received his military pilot's license at Avord, France, in January, 1913. Although only a corporal, he was one of France's most experienced military pilots. He originally flew reconnaissance and night-time bombing missions while assigned to fly prewar Bleriots with Escadrille (squadron) BL30. The night flying missions were some of the first ever, and his experience probably accounts for this assignment. Certainly it saved his life, when on 30 October 1914, his engine was destroyed by a direct hit by 77 mm cannon fire. It took exceptional skill to coax the Bleriot to a dead stick landing against the wind within French lines.In April, 1915, thrown off course by heavy fog, he flew into Swiss air space while qualifying upon a new 80 hp Farman, and was interned for several months. It took him two tries to escape, but he freed himself in December by chloroforming and kidnapping his guard. His reward was a court-martial and 60 days confinement.
He was then posted to Escadrille MF218 as a sergeant directing artillery fire. He requested transfer to a fighter squadron.
After retraining at Pau and Cazaux, he was posted to fly Nieuports with N38 on 1 September 1916. He scored his first victory on the 28th. By year's end, he was up to four and had been promoted to adjutant.
He began the new year by strafing an enemy locomotive to a halt. Later, on July 2, 1917, he was wounded in action when he collided with an enemy aircraft and crashed. By then, he had 12 victories. The following month, he was commissioned a sous lieutenant. By October, his confirmed score was 17, with 20 unconfirmed. He was said to have returned with blood and brains on his plane's propeller three times; another time, he brought home the glasses from an enemy observer's face stuck in his plane's wire bracing.
By March, 1918, his personal score stood at 25 confirmed. He was appointed to command Escadrille Spa38, which was re-equipped with new Spad XIIIs. Although principally a photo reconnaissance unit, Spa38 aggressively defended itself. They lived up to the motto they adopted from their commander; "Whoever rubs against me gets pricked". They also adopted his black thistle insignia on their planes.
Hector Garaud
Sous Lieutenant Hector Eugene Joseph Garaud was a World War I flying ace credited with thirteen aerial victories. He was one of the rare aces who survived the earliest era of fighter aviation....
, and American David Putnam
David Putnam
1LT David Endicott Putnam was an American flying Ace of World War I.A descendant of General Israel Putnam he was born at Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts and attended Harvard University before joining the Lafayette Flying Corps of the French Air Service in 1917. In June of the following year he...
.
By war's end, he was credited with 41 confirmed victories and 64 probables. About the latter, he once nonchalantly remarked, "The Boche knows his losses." His score of 41 still ranked him fourth among all French pilots.
In an ironic twist, he was promoted to temporary captain on the last day of the war, Armistice Day, 1918. In an era when fighter aces' careers were commonly measured in months, he had had a two year string of victories. With seven years flying experience, he was one of the world's most experienced aviators by war's end.
Later years
Madon stayed in aviation after the war ended. In 1922, he flew a radically designed racing monoplane scheduled for the Coupe-Deutsch Race. The Simplex monoplane had a 320 hp Hispano-Suiza engine crammed into a short fuselage; pilot view was seriously limited by a rearward seating behind a barrel radiator. Madon crashed the plane during a test flight and suffered severe injuries.Precisely six years after Armistice Day, at age 32, Madon was killed in his native Tunisia preparing for a tribute to fellow airman Roland Garros. His aircraft suffered mechanical trouble, and he gallantly crashed it into the roof of a villa rather than hit spectators. He died in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
.
Legacy
Madon's legacy is founded on more than his experienced long service to his country and his long rise through military ranks. His score sheet included an incredible 64 probable victories. Confirmation of any sizable number of these might raise him to a score greater even than the Red Baron himself, von Richthofen.Madon was awarded three medals by his own country, Médaille Militaire
Médaille militaire
The Médaille militaire is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852.-History:The creator of the médaille was the emperor Napoléon III, who may have taken his inspiration in a medal issued by his father, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland...
, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with ten palms. He also was awarded the Italian Order for Valor, and the Romanian Order for Valor.
The Avord Air Base
Avord Air Base
Avord Air Base or BA 702 , named after Captain Georges Madon, is a base of the French Air Force located north northwest of Avord in central France....
, near Avord
Avord
Avord is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A farming area comprising the village and several hamlets situated by the banks of the river Yèvre, some east of Bourges at the junction of the D976 with the D36 and the D71 roads...
in central France
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...
, where he learned to fly, is named "Base Aérienne 702 Capitaine Georges Madon".
Citations for Decorations
"George Felix Madon, Lieutenant temporary (active) engineer, pilot aviator, officer elite fighter pilot of an indomitable energy, heroic bravery and supreme skill. Also winner in the ordinary course of committed countless battles without concern of many opponents, or the removal of our lines, never reached even a single bullet through the devastating speed of his attacks, the precision of his maneuvers, the infallibility of his shot, wounded sometimes in terrible falls, leads tirelessly by his splendid example, the squadron under his command and it shows every day with new exploits. On 11 August 1918, he slaughtered his 40th enemy plane. A injury. Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur for war. Nineteen citations. "External links
- Norman Franks and Frank W. Bailey (1992). Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the U.S. and French Air Services, 1914-1918. Grub Street, London.
- http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/madon.htm
- http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/arnoux.html