Eduard Pulpe

Eduard Martynovich Pulpe
Eduard Martynovich Pulpe
	Medaille militaire and Croix de Guerre

Lieutenant Eduard Martynovich Pulpe (22 June 1880 – 2 August 1916) was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He was a schoolteacher engaged in post-graduate study in France when World War I broke out. As he already held a civil pilot's license, he volunteered to serve in French military aviation. His 1915 aerial victories were among the first ever recorded. After running his score to four, he managed to return home to Russia in May 1916. He was assigned to the 10th Aviatsionniy Otryad Istrebitlei (Fighter Aviation Detachment). After becoming an ace on 1 July 1916, he was killed in action a month later. On 2 August 1916, Eduard Pulpe ultimately lost a nearly hour-long air battle against three enemy aircraft.

Biography

Eduard Martynovich Pulpe

Aéronautique Militaire, being granted military license number 602.^[2]

Pulpe was posted to fly a

Medaille Militare on 29 October 1915. The citation for the latter referred to "air combats", though with no specific mention of his two victories. The Croix de guerre seemed to have been awarded for completing a bombing run while under attack from an enemy fighter. In the meantime, on 20 September, Escadrille 23 began re-equipping with a melange of early Nieuport 10s, Nieuport 11s, and Nieuport 12s.^[2]

As ground combat escalated into the Battle of Verdun during February 1916, the corresponding aviation activity became intense. Pulpe, newly promoted to Adjutant, scored a third victory on 20 March 1916. Eleven days later, he brought down another German. In April 1916, he was promoted yet again, to

Sous lieutenant. It was during this time that he was dubbed "the pilot with a volcano in his heart".^[2]

This was also the month Pulpe transferred home to Russia. On 30 April 1916, the French Aeronautic Mission to Russia gathered in Lyons; Pulpe was included. Once in

Styr River near Rogistche. The dying ace, when pulled from the wreckage, could only gasp, "Water". Then he expired from the bullet through the left side of his back.^[2]

The Order of St. George Fourth Class was awarded posthumously to Pulpe,^[3]^[4] as well as a French award of a palm for his previously awarded Croix de guerre. An unmailed letter in Pulpe's effects read: "...I have only one desire—that is the victory over our everlasting enemy. I will die like anyone else. My thoughts will always be about you, my Motherland, Russia and my cradle, Latvia."^[2]

One of Pulpe's squadronmates spoke these few words over his grave: "Pulpe was brave, modest as well as courageous, hiding his exploits rather than boasting about them."^[2]

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I for French victory standards, and List of World War I flying aces from the Russian Empire for list of Russian aces

Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically.

No.	Date/time	Aircraft	Foe	Result	Location	Notes
1	1915	Morane-Saulnier L serial number 1890	German aircraft	Destroyed	Verdun, France	Weaponry used on this occasion was probably a French army carbine^[2]
1	1915	Morane-Saulnier L s/n 1890	German aircraft	Destroyed	Verdun, France	Both victories scored in same combat versus 8 enemy aircraft
3	20 March 1916	Nieuport	German aircraft	Destroyed	North of Maucourt, France	Combat against three enemy planes
4	31 March 1916	Nieuport	German aircraft	Destroyed	Consenvoye, France	Combat against three enemy planes
5	1 July 1916	Nieuport 11	Enemy aircraft		Kovel, Russian Empire (present day Ukraine)^[5]

Citations and references

^ ^a ^b ^c The Aerodrome website's page on Pulpe [1] Retrieved on 6 August 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Durkota et al 1995, pp. 174-177.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Franks, Giblin 2003, p. 10.
^ ^a ^b ^c Franks 2000, p. 83.
^ Durkota et al 1995, p. 475.