Alfred Heurtaux
Nickname(s) | The Bullet Catcher |
---|---|
Born | 20 May 1893 Nantes, France |
Died | 30 December 1985 Chantilly, France | (aged 92)
Buried | |
Allegiance | France |
Service/ | Armée de Terre Companion of the Order of Liberation Knight of the Order of Leopold (Belgian) |
Other work | Member of the French Resistance during World War II. |
Alfred Marie-Joseph Heurtaux
Early military service
Born on 20 May 1893 in Nantes, France, Alfred Heurtaux was the son of an artillery officer.[3] He began his military career with his entry into officer training in 1912. In October, 1912, he began an obligatory preliminary year in the ranks of the 4e Regiment d'Hussards. In October 1913, he entered the military academy at Saint Cyr as an officer cadet (aspirant). On 4 August 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant in the 9e Regiment d'Hussards.[3] In the next three months, he was cited for valor three times. On 6 December 1914, he transferred to aerial service.[4][5][6]
Aerial service
He served in
He scored for the first time on 9 July 1916. Following victories on 16 July, 2 and 3 August,
SPAD S.VII | |
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Spad S.VII such as Heurtaux flew. |
He was flying a new
He eventually returned to duty, but did not score again. A second serious wounding in September 1917 sidelined him for the remainder of the war.
Besides his 21 credited wins, he had 13 unconfirmed or probables. He was raised from Chevalier in the Légion d'Honneur to Officer. He also had fifteen palms and two bronze stars to his Croix de Guerre.[5] He attended the awards ceremony on canes.[15]
Heurtaux resigned his commission in October 1919.[16]
Between the world wars
He later became President of the France Fighter Aces Association.[5]
He was elected Deputy for Seine-et-Oise aged 26, in 1919. From there, he moved into the automobile industry, holding a management position with the Ford Motor Company in its American operations. While Heurtaux was in Dearborn with Ford, an autobiographical article under his byline ran in Henry Ford's Dearborn Independent Magazine.[17]
His next job was with General Motors in Europe, and then finally with Renault.[3]
His employment did not hinder his patriotic activities. He was active in the Association of the Reserve Officers of the Air Force, being its president from 1934 to 1937. He was also appointed a lieutenant colonel in the reserves on 25 June 1935. He was reinstated on active duty a few months later, as Inspector of Fighter Aviation.[3]
World War II and beyond
In the early days of World War II, Heurtaux was still the Inspector of Fighter Aviation for the French air forces. After the fall of France to the Germans, he joined the French Resistance.[18] The Legion of Affairs was formed in August 1940, and he was appointed its vice-president. He used the freedom of movement afforded by this appointment to pass military intelligence to his old Saint Cyr classmate, Colonel Groussard, and to recruit fellow veterans into espionage. The Hector network that resulted was an important constituent of the Resistance in northern France.[3]
On 23 January 1941, Heurtaux was made a member of the National Council of
He had been promoted to full colonel in 1942, while he was in custody. On 5 July 1945, he was appointed to the military mission for German business. In December 1945, he was promoted to brigadier general.[3]
He ended his career working as a consulting engineer. He died 30 December 1985, at Chantilly, Oise and was buried in Paris.[3]
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ Heurtaux received 17 citations for the Croix de Guerre during World War I and three during World War II.
Citations
- ^ "Alfred Heurteaux". Mémoire des hommes. www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
- ^ a b "Alfred Marie Joseph Heurtaux". The Aerodrome. www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Alfred Heurtaux". www.ordredelaliberation.fr (Google translation). Retrieved 2009-09-08.
- ^ a b Spad VII Aces of World War I. p. 11.
- ^ a b c d e f Nieuport Aces of World War I. p. 45.
- ^ a b Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918, pp. 177 - 178
- ^ Spad VII Aces of World War I. p. 72.
- ^ Groupe de Combat 12, Les Cigognes: Fighter Group of World War I. p. 8.
- ^ "World War I Military Medals and Decorations—France—Légion d'Honneur". The Aerodrome. www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
- ^ Nieuport Aces of World War 1.. p. 45.
- ^ Spad VII Aces of World War I. p. 12.
- ^ "Alfred Marie Joseph Heurtaux". www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
- ^ Jagdgeschwader Nr II: Geschwader Berthold. p. 14.
- ^ Spad VII Aces of World War I. p. 8.
- ^ a b Spad VII Aces of World War I. p. 19.
- ^ "Alfred Heurtaux". Association des Anciens Eleves (Google translation). Retrieved 2009-09-08.
- ^ Dearborn Independent Magazine June 1926-September 1926. pp. 16–19.
- ^ Nieuport Aces of World War I. p. 46.
- ^ Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets [1]
References
- Ford, Henry (2004). Cameron, W.J. (ed.). Dearborn Independent Magazine June 1926 – September 1926. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7661-5992-1.
- ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.
- Franks, Norman (2000). Nieuport Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-961-4.
- Guttman, Jon (2004). Groupe de Combat 12, Les Cigognes: France's Ace Fighter Group in World War 1. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-753-6.
- Guttman, Jon (2001). Spad VII Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-222-7.
- Van Wyngarden, Greg (2005). Jagdgeschwader Nr II: Geschwader Berthold. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-727-7.