RARE 1916 FUNERAL MEMORIAL CARD DECORATED FRENCH PILOT with AIRPLANE + CITATION for Sale

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RARE 1916 FUNERAL MEMORIAL CARD DECORATED FRENCH PILOT with AIRPLANE + CITATION For Sale

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RARE 1916 FUNERAL MEMORIAL CARD DECORATED FRENCH PILOT with AIRPLANE + CITATION:
$75.00

RARE 1916 FUNERAL MEMORIAL CARD FOR A DECORATED FRENCH PILOT with a signed citation and airplane photo

Count Jacques Louis Elie Decazes et de Glucksbierg was born on 31 August 1891 in Paris. In the French service since 1911, he transfered to the air service and obtained his military pilot license in January 1916, and on 22 February 1916 became a pilot in Escadrille C. 28 at age 24.

Jacques Louis Elie Decazes et de Glucksbierg and his observer François Léon Eugène Lefebvre were shot down by Leutnant Hartmuth Baldamus of German Feldflieger Abteilung (FFA) 20 flying a Fokker E IV on 15 March 1916 in the area of Beine (Marne). The French plane crashed and burned and the two men were buried by the Germans near the crash site east of the city of Rheims.

The wonderful World War I piece we offer here is a very rare funeral memorial or commemorative death announcement which includes the citation bestowed upon Jacques Louis Elie Decazes et de Glucksbierg by General Henri Gouraud, Commandant of the 4th Army.

This 8-page, 2-sheet 3-½ x 5-½ inch memorial document consist of a cardstock outer attached with a twisted white cord to a black-rimmed printed page which shows pilot Decazes on the left in front of what we believe is a Caudron G. 3 airplane. The French text on the right mentions his courageous and glorious death for France on 15 March 1916, soon after his arrival at the front at age 24, while trying to stop an enemy plane from crossing into French lines. It bears the pen and ink signature of famous World War I General Henri Joseph Eugène Gouraud at the bottom.

For those who are interested, we share additional background information we found on French and German websites. After the end of World War I, the bodies of Decazes and Lefebvre were exhumed by their families and reburied elsewhere. However, a memorial with two crosses remains on the spot of the crash to commemorate their sacrifice. A marble plaque and stained glass window in the church at St-Laurent à Beine-Nauroy commemorates the two men as well. See reference pictures below.

Hartmuth Baldamus, the German pilot who shot down Decazes and his observer, was a German World War I flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories. His first aerial victory was on 15 March 1916 when he shot down Decazes and Lefebvre, and he died on 14 April 1917 during a midair collision with a French Nieuport 17 of Escadrille N37 piloted by Corporal Simon. Baldamus crashed to his death near Sainte-Marie-à-Py (just a few miles from where he shot down Decazes) but Simon was counted as Baldamus\' 18th victory.

This is a very rare, 100% original, nearly 108 year old, very high-quality Mort pour la France French memorial card produced for his aristocratic family after Jacques Louis Elie Decazes et de Glucksbierg received the posthumous “Order of the IV Army”.

This two piece card is made similar to a high-quality Christmas card or birthday card and is NOT to be confused with the much lower quality and far more common WW1 and WW2 German “funeral cards” or “death cards” that consist of a single small piece of folded paper.

Our photos show the actual 100+ year old piece of historic ephemera offered for sale. It has been stored flat and away from light and is in very nice original condition.

Have a look at other WW1 and aviation collectibles in our store!

We have been selling rare military history books and collectibles for more than forty-five years (nearly 25 years on !) and have received over 6150 positive response responses from satisfied customers!

CONDITION: exactly as shown, no odor.

QUESTIONS: we do not accept returns so if you have any questions about this historic item, be sure to ask before you click the Buy It Now button, NOT after you have purchased the item. You are responsible for reading the full item description, including shipping costs and accepted payment methods.

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