An Icam in aerial combat during WW1 Pierre Cardon 14 Lille

15 January 2024 Portraits

Published by Ghislaine MOURAIT

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Born on October 30, 1894 in Armentières (Nord), I am the 6th child and 2nd living son of Maurice Cardon-Droulers (Marie Thérèse), who together had 9 children, 7 of whom lived.
At the time, my father was a brewer and maltster in Armentières, in partnership with a cousin of my mother's (Georges Droulers).
In 1907, at the end of a 20-year partnership with his cousin, he took over a Carrière de Porphyre business in Lessines, Belgium, and resigned as an officer.
Before the war, in 1914, having significantly developed this quarry, he supplied part of his production to the Ponts et Chaussées in various departments of northern France.

My professional life

On July 14, 1914, as part of the 14th graduating class, I finished my 3-year course at the engineering school of the Institut Catholique des Arts et Métiers in Lille (I.C.A.M.), and set out to help my father and brother Maurice.

Lessines was home to 12 or 13 different companies.
In 1951, major changes took place and only 2 companies survived, Carrières Unies and Nouvelles Carrières.
Carrières Cardon was absorbed by Société Anonyme des Carrières Unies.

My military life

In June 1914, I passed the Brevet d'Aptitude Militaire de Cavalerie exam before the officers of the 6éme Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval de Lille.
At the end of August, I was called up from the class of 1914 and mobilized for active service.
On December 15, 1914, after completing my training, I joined the Regiment in the army zone.
In May 1915, my brother Michel and I took part in the Artois offensive as part of the mounted reserve troops.
In August and early September 1915, the whole regiment carried out maneuvers on horseback.
In mid-September 1915, we went down to Champagne to take part in the Champagne offensive on September 25, 1915.
On May 6, 1916, following a ministerial circular that reached the Regiment, I was sent, given my technical studies, to the G 4-equipped C 64 squadron (twin-engine 80 HP rotary Gnome and Rhône) as a mechanic!
When I was called up in early January 1917, it was thanks to the efficiency of his intervention that I was sent to the Caudron Division, commanded by Lieutenant Vuarin, to the aviation school at Camp d'Avord (Cher) as a student pilot.
From May to the end of September 1917, I flew 350 hours of double command on the G3.
On December 17, 1917, I was assigned to SPA 81 (fighter squadron) of GC (Groupe de Chasse) 15, which I joined at Beauzée sur Aire (Meuse).

At the beginning of January 1918, we left Beauzée sur Aire for the Villeneuve les Vertus airfield in Champagne, where GC 15 was reunited with GCs 18 and 19.
We thus formed the first fighter squadron, under the command of Commandant Ménard.

We were involved in all the major offensives of the day.

On April 5, 1918, I was wounded in aerial combat by a bullet to the left shoulder, and spent a month in hospital.
On May 9, 1918, I resumed flying with my squadron.
It was then that my SPAD VII was fitted with an incendiary machine gun to attack the Drachens (elongated tethered balloons used as observation balloons in WW1).

on May 15, 1918, I set fire to 2 Drachens, 1st and 2nd official victories
May 31, 1918, I set fire to 1 Drachen, 3rd official victory
June 3, 1918, I set fire to 1 Drachen 4th official victory
on June 6, 1918, I set fire to 1 Drachen, 5th official victory.

Shortly afterwards, during an attack on the Drachens in which I was taking part, I was starting from an altitude of 1500 m when, having lost consciousness, I regained consciousness, finding myself without any transition at 500 m from the ground.
I had taken a dive and lost sight of the Drachen!

After that, I had many more fights with German planes:

On three occasions, I had 3 German single-seaters at my mercy.

By November 11 it was all over!

Military decorations

1° Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (December 1951)

2° Médaille Militaire (Dec. 1918)

3° Croix de Guerre 14/18 1st gold star (May 1918)

1st palm (June 1918)

2nd palm (June 1918)

3rd palm (July 1918)

4th palm (with the Military Medal)

4° Médaille de l'Aéronautique (February 1949)