QM Henri Le Garrec DSM & Croix de Guerre

[MikeW]

Henri Le Garrec, a pilot of the Escadrille Terrestre De Chasse, the detatched squadron of the Centre of Marine Aviation of Dunkerque was awarded the DSM for single handedly "diving in" to a scrap involving some RNAS machines that were getting the worst of an engagement with enemy machines. Le Garrec tipped the balance and the RNAS machines were rescued.

Can anyone provide more information regarding this award which must have been presented before September 1917?

Bonjour,
Le quartier-maître Henri Le Garrec (CAM Dunquerque) a attaqué cinq Gotha le 25 mai 1917, et en a abattu un à 10 NM des côtes belges. Il a été tué ensuite, le 3 septembre 1917.

TLR

[Graeme]

Should le Garrec's rank properly be Marechal-des-Logis, or did the French Navy use the rank quartier-maître?

Just interested.

Graeme

[gregoire]

french rank (today and in ww1)
Army (except cavalry artillery transport where given betwen braket) {I start from colonel to second class}
colonel
Lt Colonel
Chef de battailon (chef d'escadron){major}
capitaine
Lieutenant
sous Lieutenant
aspirant {no equivalent in UK midshipman in the RN}

adjudant chef (asimilated warent officer)
adjudant
sergent chef (marechal des logis chef)
sergent (marechal des logis)
caporale chef (brigadier chef)
caporal (brigadier)
Premier classe (cavalier artilleur ...)
second classe

marine (navy) [abreviation]
capitaine de vaiseau [CV]
capitaine de fregate [CF]
capitaine de corvette [cc]
Lieutenant de vaiseaux [LV]
enseigne de vaiseaux de 1er calsee [EV1]
enseigne de vaiseaux de 2eme classe [EV2]
aspirant
maitre principale (senior NCO)
Premier maitre (PM)
maitre
second maitre (or sous maitre) this are NCO
Quartier maitre (eq corporal)
matelot

[Michael]

Rank equivalencies are always difficult. My grandfather was an Adjutant in a French Territorial regiment on mobilization in 1914. Because he had been running a metallurgical factory in Canada (he was an qualified engineer) he was attached to a Royal Engineers park as interpreter. In order to simplify matters, according to my mother he was authorized to wear a British Officer's uniform without rank badges, and as a gentleman (if not an officer) he messed with the officers.

[gregoire]

That realy make sens adjudant are NCO but with a high seniority. in the french armed force adjudant and eq wear a officer look like uniform with rank insigna lokking like officer insigna.
It must be nottice that you call an adjudant mon adjudant(chef or not) the mon being in theory a mark of respect for officer (a bit like calling them sir) even in cavalry unit it is traditional to call them not mon adjudant but mon lieutenant. then they are authorised to wear a saber with the ceremonial uniform

[Graeme]

Merci, Gregoire. That's made things clearer.

Graeme

[MikeW]

I have a nice photo of Henri Le Garrec wearing his medals, though unfortunately I can't share it with you at the moment. He was one of the prominent Sopwith Triplane pilots in the Escadrille Terrestre de Chasse du CAM at St.Pol.

Mike

I get the book of W.H. FEVYER " The distinguished service medal 1914-1920 " in which several french seamen are registered.
But there is a problem, I don't find the name of QM Henri LE GARREC.
Are you sure that he has received DSM award ?

[MikeW]

No, I'm not sure, I'm hopeless at medals.

So here are le Garrec's medals:




Dammit - not working