Jean Matton

Capitaine Jean Georges Fernand Matton was a French World War I cavalryman and flying ace. He was credited with nine confirmed and two unconfirmed aerial victories.

Biography Early life Jean Georges Fernand Matton was born in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés on 27 October 1888.

He then undertook aviation training, receiving Military Pilot's Brevet No. 2349 on 14 January 1916. At first he was posted to Escadrille MF20 (the 'MF' denoting the unit's use of Maurice Farman airplanes). On 23 July 1916, he was transferred to Escadrille N57. Five days later, he scored his first aerial victory, sharing it with Georges Lachmann and Georges Flachaire. This garnered Matton another Mention in Dispatches. On 2 October 1916, he was transferred to command Escadrille 48. He scored his first victory there (second overall) on 15 December.

Victory number three for Matton was a German observation balloon, destroyed on 16 February 1917. Matton would continue to score, right up until he joined Armand de Turenne in a double win on 9 July, for his final victories. Both his fifth and sixth wins had earned him Mentions in Dispatches.

Capitaine Jean Georges Fernand Matton was killed in action in defense of his nation on 10 September 1917.