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Austrian postcard of the inundations at Nieuport, Belgium, with soldiers at the flood barrier. Driven to a corner of Belgium by Germany's advance, the Belgians tried to make a stand on the Yser Canal in the flat terrain of Flanders. Driven back, they retreated behind the railway embankment that ran from Nieuport on the coast to Dixmude 20 miles inland. On October 27, 1914 they opened the locks to flood the plain before them, a process that took several days. Unable to break through, the Germans abandoned the Battle of the Yser on October 31. Caption: Serie 3/1 Westl[ichen] Kriegsschauplatz: Die Ueberschwemmungen bei Nieuport. - Western Front: The inundations at Nieuport. Reverse: Ausgabe des Kriegsfürsorgeamtes Wien IX. Zum Gloria-Viktoria Album Sammel. u. Nachschlagewerk des Völkerkrieges Kriegshilfe München N. W. 19. Issue of the war welfare office Vienna IX. For Gloria Viktoria Album Collection. and reference work of international war War Fund Munich N. W. 19th

Austrian postcard of the inundations at Nieuport, Belgium, with soldiers at the flood barrier. Driven to a corner of Belgium by Germany's advance, the Belgians tried to make a stand on the Yser Canal in the flat terrain of Flanders. Driven back, they retreated behind the railway embankment that ran from Nieuport on the coast to Dixmude 20 miles inland. On October 27, 1914 they opened the locks to flood the plain before them, a process that took several days. Unable to break through, the Germans abandoned the Battle of the Yser on October 31.

Image text

Serie 3/1 Westl[ichen] Kriegsschauplatz: Die Ueberschwemmungen bei Nieuport.



Series 3/1 Western Front: The inundations at Nieuport.



Reverse:

Ausgabe des Kriegsfürsorgeamtes Wien IX.

Zum Gloria-Viktoria Album

Sammel. u. Nachschlagewerk des Völkerkrieges

Kriegshilfe München N. W. 19.



Issue of the war welfare office Vienna IX.

For Gloria Viktoria Album

Collection. and reference work of international war

War Fund Munich N. W. 19th

Other views: Larger

Thursday, May 11, 1916

"On May 11 [1916], an air accident took the life of the mastermind behind France's fighter effort up to that point. Having turned down offers of a bomber command or a joint fighter and bomber command, Commandant de Rose had convinced the military authorities that the French fighter arm should have a free hand to preemptively seize control of the air over any critical area of the front, taking on defensive or escort roles as secondary options as needed. Upon his return to the Verdun sector, he was doing a demonstration flight for the Ve Armée's new quartermaster-general when his Nieuport suddenly crashed."

Quotation Context

Escadrille or Squadron 12 was formed in 1912 at Reims, France, under the command of Jean Baptiste Marie Charles de Tricornot de Rose. In February 1915, the 12 took the name MS 12 for the Morane-Saulnier Parasols that replaced earlier planes. On September 21, 1915, equipped with the Nieuport 11, the Bébé, the escadrille was designated N.12, the first single-seat fighter squadron. It was attached to the French Fifth (or Vème) Army.

Source

The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft by Jon Gutman, pp. 52, 53, copyright © 2009 Jon Gutman, publisher: Westholme Publishing, publication date: 2009

Tags

1916-05-11, 1916, May, Nieuport, crash