Albert Achard

Albert Achard (26 March 1894 – 21 August 1972) was a French flying ace of the First World War, credited with five aerial victories, one as an observer and four as a pilot. He served as a reserve air force officer in the 1920s and 1930s, and returned to active duty in World War II.

Family background Achard was born in Briançon in the department of Hautes-Alpes, the son of Gabriel Denis Achard and his wife Florentine Hête-Thievoz. At the time of his birth his father was a sous-lieutenant in the 159th Infantry Regiment, but later he became a merchant.

World War I Achard enlisted into the French Army on 7 August 1913. After passing the entrance examination he entered the military academy at Saint-Cyr as an officer cadet on 6 September, and was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant on 6 November. At this stage of the war not all French aircraft had machine guns, and Achard had only a carbine rifle to return fire.

On 15 April, with pilot Maréchal-des-logis Louis Chatain, Achard gained MS.48s first success he was credited with his first aerial victory, shooting down an enemy aircraft. He remained in Greece, serving as a pilot in escadrille MF.98T until 25 July, then escadrille F.203 between 24 October and 1 January 1917. and he is also commemorated as an ace on a memorial plaque at the Musée de l'air et de l'espace at Le Bourget, located in the hall of the old air terminal.

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