Joseph Vuillemin
Joseph Vuillemin | |
---|---|
French Air Service | |
Years of service | 1904–1940 |
Rank |
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Other work | Career in military aviation |
General Joseph Vuillemin (14 March 1883 – 23 July 1963) was a French professional soldier whose early interest in aviation led him into increasingly responsible leadership positions in the
Early life and entry into military
Joseph Vuillemin was born in
First World War
On 14 September 1914, Vuillemin was appointed to the
"A pilot of remarkable skill. At the front since the war began, he has never ceased to gain the admiration of his comrades and his seniors by his valor, spirit and disdain for danger. He has had more than 60 aerial combats, downed three enemy planes, carried out numerous night bombardments. He has given the most brilliant service to his country during the course of recent operations. Cited five times in orders." Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur citation, 28 October 1916[3]
The
By the time of the ceasefire on 11 November 1918, Joseph Vuillemin's military career was exemplary. Besides the unusual wartime double award of France's highest honor, the Legion d'honneur, he had earned the
Inter-war years
After the war he took part in a number of pioneering flights in Africa. On 18 February 1920 Vuillemin and his observer,
In February 1933, he was promoted to brigadier general (the equivalent of air commodore in the RAF). Between November 1933 and January 1934, he led the so-called ‘La Croisière noire aérienne’ – an ambitious training and trailblazing mission from France via Morocco and the Sahara to French West Africa and French Equatorial Africa using French Potez 25 biplanes.[7][8][9]
Between 1935 and 1936, he commanded the ‘1er corps aérien’ (1st Air Corps) and, in July 1937, became a member of the ‘Conseil supérieur de l’air’ (Supreme Air Council) before being promoted to ‘général de division aérienne’ (equivalent of air vice-marshal in the RAF) in October of the same year.[citation needed]
At the same time as his appointment to Chief of Staff of the French air force on 18 February 1938, General Vuillemin became ‘vice-président du Conseil supérieur de l’air’ (Vice Chairman of the Supreme Air Council) and Inspector General of Home Air Defence. He was further promoted to the rank of ‘general d’armée aérienne’ (equivalent of air chief marshal in the RAF).[citation needed]
Second World War
At the outbreak of the
On 12 June 1940, at a meeting of the
On 24 June 1940, Vuillemin was named Inspector General of the Air Force and given responsibility for the co-ordination of air defence operations. In November 1940, at his own request, he was removed from the active list of serving air force officers.
He died in Lyon on 23 July 1963.
Ranks (approximate British equivalents)
- 8 March 1933 : Général de Brigade
- 1 April 1933 : Général de Brigade Aérienne (Air Commodore)
- 14 October 1936 : Général de Division Aérienne (Air Vice Marshal)
- 15 October 1936 : Rank and prerogatives of Regional Air Commander (Air Marshal)
- 24 June 1939 : Général d'Armée Aérienne (Air Chief Marshal) (retrospective effect from 1 July 1937)
- 24 June 1939 : Commander in Chief of the Air Force (retrospective effect from 22 February 1938)[citation needed]
Decorations
French decorations
- Chevalier - 8 September 1914
- Officier - 28 October 1916
- Commandeur - 1 May 1920
- Grand Officier - 2 July 1931
- Grand-Croix - 13 January 1934
- Médaille militaire - 17 July 1940
- Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)
- Croix de Guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures avec 1 palme
- Médaille Interalliée de la Victoire
- Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1914–1918
- Médaille Coloniale with « Sahara » « Afrique " bars[citation needed]
Significant foreign decorations
- Morocco: Commandeur du Ouissam Alaouite Chérifien
- United Kingdom: Distinguished Service Order, Royal Victorian Order
- Tunisia: Grand Officier du Nicham iftikhar[citation needed]
The above is largely a translation of the article in the French Wikipedia fr:Joseph Vuillemin
Endnotes
- ^ ISBN 9781782008026.
- ^ a b c d Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918, p. 225
- ^ The Aerodrome website [1] Retrieved 7 September 2020
- ^ Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918, p. 86
- ^ World Aviation Annual 1948, p. 311.
- ^ Brunn 2011, p. 623.
- ^ "La Croisière noire". Cocardes - Histoire de l'Aviation. Archived from the original on 2007-06-20. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ This airborne ‘Croisière noire of November 1933 – January 1934’ should not be confused with ‘La croisière noire of 1924-1925’, the latter a French land expedition across Africa using Citroen half-track vehicles.
- ^ "Black Cruise". Citroën France. Archived from the original on 2008-11-23. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
- ^ Spears, Sir Edward (1954). Prelude to Dunkirk. London: Heinemann. pp. 332, p.287.
- ^ Spears, Sir Edward (1954). The Fall of France. London: Heinemann. pp. 333, p.163, p.167.
References
- Brunn, Stanley D. (2011). Engineering Earth: The Impacts of Megaengineering Projects. ISBN 9789048199204. - Total pages: 2266
- ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.
- World Aviation Annual (1948). "Timeline". World Aviation Annual. 148. Aviation Research Institute. OCLC 2480490.