Info on Rene Chambe?

[Romani]

General Rene Chambe wrote a book in 1956 "Au temps des carabines" about his experiences with the first fighter squadron of the French Aviatn: Escadrille MS-12

As the title implies, this is a book about the forgotten pioneers, those that shot down aircraft flying in two seaters and with rifle shots.

I always wondered what happened to those pioneers during the rest of the war. The book has a picture of Major de Rose (escadrille chef) aboard a Nieuport 11 hours before his last flight.

And below there's a photo of , by now, Captain Chambe in a snow covered airfield next to a Nieuport 11. The caption reads "winter of 1916". I assume this means early 1916, during Verdun.


Of those pioneers of Escadrille MS 12, Navarre is well known, there's a reference to De Rose in the Nieuport 11 pages of my book, but I don't know anything about Chambe.

He and his observer shot down an Albatros two-seater in april 1915. Did he score any victories later in the war flying fighters?

[Soderbaum]

Hi Romani

Do you knew what German unit the the Aviatik/Alb 2s belonged to, which Chambe and Pelletier-Doisy(P?) brought down within French lines on 2 April 1915..?

Perhaps one of the German crew was Uffz Otto von Keussler POW..?... but who was the other crew who also was taken POW..?

just curious..?

???
Gunnar

[Billy9]

I don't have much on René Chambé other than he was an observer with MS 12 during 1915, attended pilot school and was awarded Military Pilot Brevet #2710 on 20 February 1916. He must have returned to N12 as he is shown on the roster dated 30 June 1916, have nohing after that.

The other probable occupant of his victory of 2 April 1915, was Obltn Brobuggle who was taken prisoner.

Bill

[Romani]

Hi Romani

Do you knew what German unit the the Aviatik/Alb 2s belonged to, which Chambe and Pelletier-Doisy(P?) brought down within French lines on 2 April 1915..?

Perhaps one of the German crew was Uffz Otto von Keussler POW..?... but who was the other crew who also was taken POW..?

just curious..?

It was indeed an Albatros, in the narrative Chambe mistook it at a distance for an Aviatik.

The crew were Oberleutnant Bobruggle and Fähnrich Von Keussler.

Their unit was based on Chatelet-sur-Retourne at the time.

Hope that helps.

[Rick]

Gunnar,

On 2April15 Uffz. Otto von Keussler was taken POW along with Oblt. Fritz Bolbrügge. Source: Deutschen Verlustlisten. Alas, no unit is provided. R.

[Soderbaum]

Thanks Romani, Bill and Rick...!

I can perhaps figure out the unit with the information about the airfield..?


Gunnar