Rugby Union player and administrator Racing driver Olympic sailor
[Jules Beau Collection. Sports photography]: T. 34. Years 1907 and 1908 / Jules Beau:
Sous-Lieutenant Pierre Gustave Gaudermen (20 October 1882 – 20 December 1948) was a French World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.[1]
On 5 March 1915, Gaudermen was posted to Escadrille MF 55 as an observer, but on 10 August 1915 was sent to the military flying school at Pau to train as a pilot. He was awarded his military pilot's certificate on 10 November, and on 20 January 1916 was promoted to corporal and appointed a flying instructor at Buc, and later at Avord. On 20 September 1916, he was posted to Escadrille N 68 and was promoted to sergeant on 21 November. Detached for a while to Escadrille V 110, he was then seconded to Escadrille V 114 from 1 January to 1 April 1917, before returning to N 68. He was promoted to adjudant on 25 June.[2]
He gained his first victory on 4 September 1917, he and Adjudant Gaudry shot down an enemy two-seater north of Bois-le-Prêtre. He had to wait until 5 February 1918 until he scored again, when he claimed two Albatros D fighters shot down over Thiaucourt, but was credited with only one, again shared with Gaudry.[1] He was subsequently awarded the Médaille militaire on 29 April 1918.[2] On 31 May he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant.[2] On 17 June he and Lieutenant R. Sinclaire shot down an enemy aircraft, and the two men accounted for another on 26 September, west of Ville-sur-Tourbe. His fifth and final victory came on 18 October when he shot down an enemy scout north-east of Grandpré.[1]
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