Global InformationBernard Barny de Romanet information
Bernard Henri Barny de Romanet | |
|---|---|
 de Romanet in 1920 | |
| Born | 28 January 1894 Saint-Maurice-de-Satonnay, Saône-et-Loire, France |
| Died | 23 September 1921 (aged 27) Étampes, France |
| Buried | Cimetière Saint Brice, Mâcon |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/ | French Army |
| Years of service | 1913–1918 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | 16e Régiment de Chasseurs 56e Régiment d'Infanterie Escadrille 51 Escadrille 37 |
| Commands held | Escadrille 167 |
| Awards | Légion d'honneur Médaille militaire Croix de guerre |
Lieutenant Bernard Henri Barny de Romanet (28 January 1894 – 23 September 1921) was a French World War I flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories.
Barny de Romanet was born in Saint-Maurice-de-Satonnay, Saône-et-Loire, and was educated at the Collège des Minimes, Chalon-sur-Saône, and then at the Collège des Montgré in Villefranche-sur-Saône, gaining his baccalauréat before going on to study at the Lycée Lamartine at Mâcon.[1]
He joined the French army in October 1913, serving in the 16e Régiment de Chasseurs, a cavalry unit, at the beginning of the war, later transferring to the 56e Régiment d'Infanterie.[2] He transferred into the French air service in July 1915. Six months later, in January 1916, de Romanet received his brevet (permit) as a pilot. His first assignment to Escadrille 51 as a Caudron reconnaissance pilot. He trained as a fighter pilot in February 1917 and made the transition to flying single-seater Nieuport fighters for Escadrille 37. His first victory was scored on 3 May 1917. He waited almost a year before continuing, with his second triumph coming on 31 March 1918. He became an ace on 30 June 1918, and a double ace on 22 August.[3] That was his last victory and last day with Escadrille 37. He was then charged with forming Escadrille 167, a Spad squadron, assumed its command, and scored eight more victories while leading it.[4]
After the war de Romanet became a successful sporting pilot, breaking the World Air Speed record on two occasions in 1920.[5][6][7] Barny de Romanet died in a flying accident on 23 September 1921, testing the aircraft he was to fly in the 1921 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe race: the accident was ascribed to the fabric becoming detached from the aircraft's wing.[4][8]
He is buried in the Cimetière Saint Brice in Mâcon.[1]
- ^ a b "Bernard De Romanet". Fan d'avions (in French). 16 May 2001. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "Barny de Romanet, Bernard Henri". Ciel de gloire (in French). Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "Bernard Barny de Romanet". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ a b Guttman, Jon (2002). SPAD XII/XIII Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-84176-316-3.
- ^ Cooper, H. J. (25 May 1951). "The World's Speed Record". Flight. LIX (2209): 617–619.
- ^ "The Buc Meeting". Flight. XII (616): 1090–1091. 14 October 1920.
- ^ "De Romanet Breaks Records". Flight. XII (620): 1166. 11 November 1920.
- ^ "Death of Bernard de Romanet". Flight. XIII (665): 651. 29 September 1921.