This article about a person relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2020) |
Adjutant Laurent Baptisti Ruamps (14 February 1897 – 27 July 1972) was a French flying ace during World War I. He was credited with ten confirmed and four unconfirmed aerial victories.
Laurent Baptisti Ruamps | |
---|---|
Born | 14 February 1897 Saint-Germain-du-Bel-Air, France |
Died | 27 July 1972 Saint-Germain-du-Bel-Air, France | (aged 75)
Allegiance | France |
Service/ | Aviation |
Rank | Adjutant |
Unit | 2e Groupe d'Aviation, Escadrille 87 |
Awards | Légion d'honneur, Médaille militaire, Croix de Guerre with eight palmes |
Early life
editOn 14 February 1897, Laurent Baptisti Ruamps was born in Saint-Germain-du-Bel-Air.[1]
World War I
edit1916
editOn 12 January 1916, Ruamps volunteered for military service. He was assigned to 2e Groupe d'Aviation as a Soldat de 2e classe. On 29 February 1916, the Groupe seconded him to Saint Cyr. He began pilot's training at Dijon on 30 September.[1]
1917
editHe was awarded Military Pilot's Brevet No. 5257 on 24 January 1917. He continued his training at Châteauroux and Avord. On 27 March 1917, he was promoted to Corporal. On 22 April, he was forwarded to Pau for advanced training. On 17 May, he was assigned to Escadrille 42. On 21 August, he shot down a two-seater reconnaissance craft over Pagny-sur-Meuse. Four days later, he was promoted to Sergeant.[1][2]
1918
editOn 4 January 1918, Ruamps shared a victory with Gilbert Sardier. Ruamps was promoted to Adjutant on 20 February 1918. On 8 April, he received a Médaille militaire to accompany his Croix de Guerre. Ruamps would go on to score eight more victories before war's end, including a pair shared with Charles J. V. Macé and Maurice Bizot. Ruamps ended the war with 530 hours flight time.[1][2]
Post World War I
editOn 11 July 1920, he became a Chevalier in the Légion d'honneur. He would rise within the Legion twice, to Officier in 1936, and to Commandeur in July 1961.[1]
Endnotes
editReferences
edit- Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey. Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-54-2, ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.
External links
edit- The Aerodrome website at http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/ruamps.php has a handy list of his victories
- Family memoirs at http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-US&dl=en&lp=FR_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2ffr.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fLaurent_Ruamps contains personal recollections of Ruamp by his grandson
- http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2010/07/27/879841-Saint-Germain-du-Bel-Air-Nos-heros-meconnus.html contains a photo of Ruamps posed before his airplane