Mathieu Tenant de la Tour

Mathieu Marie Joseph Antoine Tenant de la Tour
Born Paris, France
Died 17 December 1917
Auchel, France
Buried at Suippes 51 France
Allegiance France
Service/branch Cavalry; aviation
Rank Capitaine
Unit Escadrille 57, Escadrille 3
Commands held Escadrille 26
Awards Legion d'honneur, Croix de Guerre

Capitaine Mathieu Marie Joseph Antoine Tenant de la Tour (5 December 1883 - 17 December 1917) was a World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories.[1] He went on to score one of the first aerial victories over an observation balloon.

Biography

He was born on 5 December 1883 in Paris.

Tenant de la Tour began his military service in the cavalry. He became an air force pilot on 6 May 1915 when he was awarded Pilot's Brevet No. 1919. He underwent advanced training, then survived an accident on 30 October 1915. On 29 December 1915, he was assigned to Escadrille 57.[2] On 25 January 1916, flying in a literal fog of war, de la Tour helped down a German kite balloon from an altitude of fifty meters in one of the first air-to-air wins over an observation balloon. The feat earned him the Legion d'honneur.[3]

He was wounded in action on 25 April 1916. After he healed, he was assigned to Escadrille 3 to pilot a Nieuport fighter.[3] During July, August, and September, he claimed another balloon and five enemy airplanes. On 27 December 1916, he had switched to a Spad VII for his eighth kill by downing Gustav Leffers.[1]

In April 1917, after being promoted to Lieutenant, he was given command of Escadrille 26. He scored his last victory on 7 May 1917.[1]

He died in a flying accident on 17 December 1917.[1]

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918. p. 221.
  2. Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918. p. 220221.
  3. 1 2 Norman Leslie Robert Franks (2000). Nieuport Aces of World War 1. Osprey Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 1-85532-961-1.
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