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Jean Navarre

08/08/1895- Jouy-sur-Morin, 10/07/1919- Villacoublay

One of the pioneer flying aces, credited with 12 confirmed aerial victories, plus 15 unconfirmed.

Jean and his twin brother Pierre are the first of the 11 children of engineer André Navarre and his wife, musician Jeanne de Coëscon.

Jean is an unruly child, as well as his twin. They are frequently expelled from school. He is even sent to an English pension, which he runs away from. His father tries to have him work in his factory to calm him down, but Jean doesn't stay. The only thing he really cares about, as well as Pierre, is the nascent aviation.

In June 1914, he enters the Ecole Aéronautique of the Caudron brothers, two months before war breaks out. He lies to get into the army (about his age, flying capacities, and having the necessary civilian diploma).

He learns. He is still notoriously undisciplined. In 1915 he joins in Muizon the first fighting squadron , the M.S.12, commanded by Lieutenant de Bernis, and gains his first victory on April 1, forcing a German plane to land behind the French lines. Named sergeant, he earns the military medal. He will score six more victories that same month, but only two are accredited (the French system of accreditation for aerial victories is the hardest among the Allies). He will be made a Knight of the Legion d'Honneur in June; after this, the squadron, now the N. 12, will mostly fight with the Nieuport XI "Bébé".

In 1916, Navarre joins the N67 and flies over the great battlefield of Verdun. He is often seen fighting german planes (even if he "forgets" to ask for permission to take off) and is nicknamed "the Sentinel of Verdun".

He gains there a well-deserved reputation, generally flying solo for lengthy hours at a spell, tracking enemy aircraft from below and behind, machine gun at the ready. Flying the Nieuport 11 aircraft he downs two German aircraft in a single day on 25 February, the first Frenchman to achieve the feat.

Navarre flying over Verdun in his plane adorned with the French colors

Navarre also famously flew with a bright red plane, before Manfred von Richtofen did.

On April 1, he is appointed second lieutenant and joins the club of the Aces (pilots with more than 5 approved victories). One of his techniques consists in attacking wheels in the air while taking advantage of the enemy's surprise to strafe him. When he is not flying, Jean Navarre loves to party, drinks more than he can and commits many escapades (including a landing on the roof of a building in 1916). He is therefore frequently, but very temporarily, under arrest or in prison. Actually, the man does not fear anyone, neither the Germans, nor his hierarchy. In May 1916, he is the first French pilot to count 10 approved victories, victories for which there are several witnesses or when the enemy plane fell back into the French lines. These will be his last fights because in June he is very seriously injured in a duel over the Ardennes, however managing to land his plane in Sainte-Menehould.

On 17 June 1916 Navarre's aircraft is shot down above the Argonne, an accident which brings with it the severe head wound that ultimately led to Navarre spending some two years in a Parisian asylum; at around this time his twin brother is similarly involved in a (fatal) air accident. Navarre's aerial tally at the time has reached 12, and he is the first Frenchman to be considered an 'ace' (reaching five victories).

He then has 12 accredited victories but in reality he obtained more than double that. A few months later, on November 15, 1916, he is very affected by his twin brother’s death, Pierre Navarre, who had followed him in the Air Force. Drinking heavily, nervously strained, he resumes his training in 1917, but does something irreparable on the night of April 10-11, 1917, while on leave in Paris, when he runs into several police officers with his automobile. He injures one of them, stops to help him, but is attacked by the other officer and escapes into the night. Arrested by the gendarmerie at his squadron, he is imprisoned and tried but military doctors declare him irresponsible for his actions, recognizing what modern psychiatrists would qualify as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

The doctors' report states "We can say that he would not have committed the fault he is currently accused of if he had not been in this clearly pathological phase which followed his injury and concussion, and which was aggravated by the moral shock caused by his brother's death”.

Jean Navarre, wounded.

In a rest home for the rest of the war, Navarre never returns to the front. Doctors will only accept that he goes training again in September 1918. War is over. Navarre doesn't want to leave the aviation and dreams of crossing the Atlantic or flying under the Arc de Triomphe. He won't have the time.

Engaged by Morane-Saulnier, he does demonstration flights for the clients, and is also known for his aerial acrobatics.

On July 10, 1919, while gliding down to earth, he hits a wall and dies on the spot. He isn’t yet 24.

His funeral happens on July 12 in the chapel of the Dominique Larrey Hospital of Versailles. He is buried in Tartas (Landes) where his family originates from, alongside his twin.

Famous for his boldness, he is credited with the first double & quadruple victory of WW1.

His behaviour wasn't accepted by all, but his way of flying was unamously admired by his peers.

“The Eagle Twins”, Pierre & Jean Navarre

Pierre, his twin, starts the War in the Infantry; he was at last transferred to aviation, but only had time to know victory once, in the battle of Verdun, before he was killed. He was known for his bravery and drive .He dies in a plane accident in November 15, 1916 - having been just transferred to the N67 with his brother. He is 21.

Pierre Navarre

An anecdote among many:

Stationed in Brias (Somme), on a rainy day, there was nothing to do. He decides to go for a trip to Amiens accompanied by an observer officer while he is placed in custody for having done prohibited spins in the air. They go to eat pastries and drink port. He takes off to return but before he has a meeting above the city and they throw bouquets of flowers in the main street. Seeing a young woman waving to them from her balcony, he lands again in the countryside and they go to their admirer who offers them more port. To spend the night in town Navarre calls their captain, claiming the plane to be broken down. The next day, out of camaraderie, the team of mechanics who came to repair the plane which is in perfect condition does not breathe a word about this matter.

What did his peers think of him ? Not all of them appreciated his temper or, especially, his misdemeanours, but many had praise for him.

"He had a courage that can only be compared to that of Guynemer or Nungesser and the skill of Fonck. Most ignore the fantastic work he did in Verdun. He possessed a spontaneous generosity and even a natural delicacy of feelings that only those who knew him closely could appreciate "

Captain P. de Bernis, his squadron leader.

"Navarre, who was believed to be my rival, was above all my friend, it was he who was one of the first, along with this brave Guynemer, to launch single-seater hunting. I have always had a deep admiration for him, whom I consider of very first class, both from an manoeuvers point of view and from a shooting precision point of view "

Charles Nungesser (43 wins).

"If he doesn't kill himself, he will surpass us all"

Roland Garros

"He was generous: every time he fought in the company of another he" gave him "the plane that was shot down, unless that plane fell in our lines, which was rare!"

"Jean Navarre's generosity was also manifested during the fighting. Before the hell of Verdun, he maneuvered and fired in such a way as to force the enemy plane to land. This result obtained, he landed near him, took the crew under his protection, even going so far as to invite them to his table. If there was a dead man, he ensured him a decent burial. "

René Fisch, fighter pilot for the N 23, squadron based in Vadelaincourt.

Sources:

www.navarre-jean.com

wikipedia

firstworldward.com

Navarre, Sentinelle de Verdun - Jacques Mortane

A short bio in English:

http://donhollway.com/jeannavarre/

#xx #la grande guerre #french flying aces #jean navarre #today in history #happy birthday dear enfant terrible #la sentinelle de verdun

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