DSO to French Air Force

Hello

I have been able to purchase an interesting group to a French General of aviation. He was awarded quite a few colonial French awards and was also awarded the British DSO in WW1. I understand that there were very few of these to the French airforce in WW1. Is there anyone out there who can help with a confirmation of the award and even a citation.

Does anyone have any info on the General. Most of the awards for dated after WW1 but he was a pilot during WW1

Full details are

General Lucien Magnin
Commander of the legion of honor,
Officer of the Legion of Honour
Chevalier of the Legion of Honnour,
Commander of Ouissan Alaouite,
Commander of Nichan Iftikar,
Grand Officer of the black star of Benin,
Knight of the crown of Italy
Distinguished Service Order
Croix de guerre with 2 palms of silver + silver star
Commemorative 1914.1918,
Interallied medal of the victory

Thanks

Regards from a Sunny South Africa

I cannot assist you in your query, but it does relate to a project of mine - compiling a data base on aerial DSO awards. Until your post I knew of only one such award in the First World War - that to , Colley Saint-Paul, Comte de SINCAY, attached to No.1 Wing who received an Honorary Distinguished Service Order as per London Gazette dated 31 December 1915 "For his services in connection with the destruction of a German submarine by bombs dropped from an aeroplane on November 28th, 1915."

This award was in conjunction with another DSO, to Flight Sub-Lieutenant Taunton Elliott VINEY, Royal Naval Air Service. - No.1 Wing - Distinguished Service Order. Born in Johannesburg; educated at Grahamstown and Mill Hill; enlisted as a Private in the Prince Alfred's Guards. After six months he returned to England and obtained a commission in Royal Navy Armoured Car Section, soon afterwards transferring to RNAS and taking pilot training. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 January 1916. Shot down and killed during an air raid on Ostend, 21 May 1916. Citation read "For his services on November 28th 1915, when, accompanied by Le Lieutenant en Seconde de Sincay as observer, he destroyed a German submarine off the Belgian coast by bombs dropped from an aeroplane."

Needless to say, your man is a "find", and I would be most appreciative if you could pass on any information you gather on him.

Hello,
Capitaine GUYNEMER received a DSO too.
Ludovic

Most interesting - can you supply a date for his DSO ?

Hello,
In the book "Guynemer, les avions d'un As" (Translation : Guynemer, the aircrafts of an Ace"), it appears that the date is 21 February 1917. He received, however, this award on 28 August 1917.
Ludovic

[insignia]

Capitaine Georges Guynemer's DSO was announced in War Office List No. 16 dated 27 August 1917, however it was cancelled in War Office List No. 64 dated 26 May 1920.

These War Office Lists (and later Air Ministry Lists) contain some 668 (approx) awards of the DSO to French officers: none of these seem to have been gazetted in the London Gazettes. A quick look through identifies at least 18 names to officers associated with the Aviation Services, albeit I suspect that not all actually flew.

Hope this helps a little.