Charles Cislet 5è Escadrille de Chasse Aviation Militaire

[Angiolillo]

Hi!

Does anybody has info about Charles Cislet, 5è Escadrille de Chasse, Belgian Aviation Militaire? I'd also like to know his rank when he was piloting the SPAD VII Sp. 2.

Thanks a lot!

Andrea

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour Andrea!

Charles Eduard Louis Ciselet was, ultimately, an aviator of great experience.

Ciselet was born on the 3rd of October, 1894, at Hove, Antwerp and was but one of four brothers who served with the Belgian Air Service. He volunteered for service on the 23rd of May, 1915, with the Aviation Militaire and was assigned to the 4me Escadrille on the 30th of December. By the 30th of April, 1916, Ciselet had attained the rank of 1er Sergent Major and was flying Farman aircraft as an artillery observation pilot.

Ciselet was involved in many aerial incidents including being wounded and crashing into the sea on the 13th of March.

Ciselet was commissioned as a Sous-Lieutenant on the 19th of May, 1917. While serving with the 5me Escadrille He was given credit for downing a German single seat aircraft on the 9th of June, 1917, while flying a Nieuport named Flo-Flo. Ciselet was flying Spad VII Sp.2 with the 5me Escadrille when sent down wounded on September 23 and did not again see aerial service during the war.

Ultimately Ciselet was promoted to Lieutenant on the 18th of December, 1918. He had flown 98 offensive patrols during which combat was fought on 17 occasions. He was awarded numerous decorations including being made a Chevalier de l'Ordre Leopold and Chevalier de l'Ordere de la Couronne as well as Chevalier de l'Ordre Leopold II. Ciselet formed an airline in 1923, but, was to die in a crash at Mortse, Antwerp in 1931 aged only 35.

The Spad VII was first delivered to the 5me Escadrille on August 15, 1917 and that aircraft, Sp.1, was flown by Edmond Thieffrey. The aircraft flown by Ciselet, obviously, arrived at some later date. It is of interest to note that a very famous combat occurred during the evening of September 23, 1917 when Ciselet was wounded and sent down in Sp.2.

Please note the majority of the information noted may be found in two superb volumes; Above Flanders' Fields by Pieters (which includes a detailed biography of Ciselet) and Spad VII C.1 by Gronczewski and Fleischer (which includes a photograph and profile illustration of Sp.2).

I hope this information is of use.

Salut!
Kirk

[Angiolillo]

Yes thanks! It's of use and very, very interesting!

Thanks a lot for the time you devoted to my question!

All the best,

Andrea