Fernand Jacquet

Captain-Commandant Fernand Maximillian Leon Jacquet was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. He was the first Belgian pilot to score an aerial victory, on 17 April 1915, and became the first Belgian ace on 1 February 1917. He was also the first Belgian pilot to fly the Belgian king Albert I to the front, in 1917. Additionally, he was the only Belgian honored by the British with a Distinguished Flying Cross.

Background Jacquet was the son of a wealthy landowner. He joined the Belgian Army as a cadet in October 1907, and was educated at the Royal Military Academy; he was commissioned on 25 June 1910 and then assigned to the 4ème Régt de Ligne. He qualified as a pilot on 25 February 1913 with Brevet No. 68, and at the outbreak of World War I was serving with the Escadrille Demanet (I) in Liege. or simply hell-raising. In the latter category, Jacquet bombed the Germans at Groote Hemme on 24 November 1914, and again on Christmas Eve at Beerst and Essen. In the former, while brave men brought home the aerial photographs and reconnaissance sightings from the front, Jacquet penetrated past them to pierce deep into the German defenses, looking for a fight.

1915 He found ten Aviatiks on 26 February 1915, and took them on, though without success. On three other occasions, he attacked single Aviatiks. Finally, on 17 April 1915, he scored his nation's first aerial victory. Jacquet was taken under fire by the observer of a German Albatros two-seater at hundred yard range. He was flying a Farman HF.20 pusher with a Lewis gun, but it was his gunner, Henri Vindevoghel, who fired the fatal seven shots from 30 yards that killed the pilot, doomed his gunner, Jacquet followed up with an indecisive combat on 20 June, when he claimed an enemy airplane driven down out of control, and on 28 July 1915, when he unsuccessfully claimed forcing an enemy plane to land. There followed a string of unconfirmed claims, on 26 and 27 May and on 22 June.

1917 On 1 February 1917, Jacquet finally became an ace.

On 7 April 1917, Jacquet was honored by being picked to personally fly his king, King Albert, on a tour of the front lines; the monarch and pilot were escorted by five Nieuports. When Belgium's first fighter wing, the Groupe de Chasse was organized later that month, King Albert was insistent that Jacquet take command.

Post World War I Fernand Jacquet left the Belgian military in 1921. With his old companion Robin, he started a flying school near Charleroi, at Gosselies.

When the Germans once again invaded Belgium, at the start of World War II, Jacquet returned to his nation's service. He was an active member of the Belgian Resistance until his imprisonment in the Huy Fortress in 1942; where he was held until war's end.

Fernand Jacquet died in Beaumont, on 12 October 1947.

List of aerial combats See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

Claimed victories are listed below in chronological order. Confirmed victories are numbered. Unconfirmed victories are marked "u/c".

No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes 1 17 April 1915 Farman Aviatik reconnaissance planeDestroyed; burnedBeerst, BelgiumBelgium's first aerial victory u/c 20 June 1915 Farman Enemy airplane Driven down out of control u/c 26 July 1915 @ 1820 hours Farman Aviatik reconnaissance plane Forced to land Westende, Belgium 2 20 May 1916 @ 2030 hours Farman Seaplane Destroyed Nieuwpoort, Belgium u/c 26 May 1916 @ 1820 hours Farman Aviatik reconnaissance plane Driven down out of control Tourhout, Belgium u/c 27 May 1916 @ 1925 hours Farman Aviatik reconnaissance plane Forced to land Koekelare, Belgium u/c 22 June 1916 @ 0830 Farman LVG reconnaissance plane Destroyed Staden, Belgium 3 23 June 1916 @ 0800 Farman Fokker Destroyed Koekelare u/c 30 June 1916 @ 1900 hours Farman Aviatik reconnaissance plane Forced to land Handzame, Belgium u/c 8 July 1916 @ 650 hours Farman LVG reconnaissance plane Destroyed Middelkerke, Belgium u/c 30 July 1916 @ 1200 hours Farman LVG reconnaissance plane Destroyed Houthulst Forest 4 30 July 1916 @ 1630 hours Farman LVG reconnaissance plane Destroyed Houthulst, Belgium Franz Walz wounded 5 1 February 1917 Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter Rumpler reconnaissance plane Destroyed Lombardsijde, Belgium Jacquet became Belgium's first ace u/c 5 June 1918 @ 0642 hours SPAD S.XI Fokker Triplane fighter Driven down out of control Houthulst 6 4 October 1918 @ 0800 hours SPAD S.XI Rumpler reconnaissance plane Forced to land Gits 7 6 November 1918 @ 0900 hours SPAD S.XI Two-seater Forced to land Ghent List compiled from Above the War Fronts and www.theaerodrome.com