|
 |
Edmund
Thieffry
|
| Country: |
Belgium |
| Born: |
28 September 1892 |
| Place of Birth: |
Etterbeek |
| Deceased: |
11 April 1929 |
| Rank: |
Sous Lieutenant |
| Units: |
4me, 5me |
| Victories: |
10 |
|
|
| An attorney when the war began,
Thieffry joined the army but was soon captured
by the Germans. He escaped on a stolen motorcycle
and was interned when he entered the Netherlands.
Employing all his legal skills, he successfully
argued for his release and was promptly back
on the stolen motorcycle, heading for home. In
July 1915, Thieffry transferred to the Belgian
Air Service where he crashed more aircraft during
training than any other Belgian pilot. As a result,
his superiors were reluctant to assign him to
a two-seater squadron for fear he would kill
the observer in a crash. Instead, he was assigned
to fly single-seat fighters. Thieffry soon crashed
his first Nieuport scout and as he attempted
to extract himself from the wreckage, he inadvertently
fired his machine gun, scattering the onlookers
who were rushing to his aid. His skills as a
pilot eventually improved and Thieffry went on
to become an ace. In February 1918, he was shot
down in flames but survived and was captured. |
|
|
|
|
