Georges Guynemer was killed in action on this day in 1917

Georges Marie Lodovic Jules Guynemer was born in Paris on 24 December 1894 to a wealthy, aristocratic family.

His father was Paul Guynemer, a former officer of Saint-Cyr, France's premier elite military academy founded by Napoleon Bonaparte. His mother, Julie Noémi Doynel de Saint-Quentin, a Countess, belonged to old Norman nobility and was a descendant of Charles of Valois, founder of the royal house of Valois. 

Georges experienced an often sickly childhood. He studied at home until age 14, when he attended the Lycée de Compiègne. This was followed by Stanislas College where he was described as “a wilful character, not particularly good at sports but showing promise at the College’s small bore rifle competition.” He passed all his examinations in 1912 with highest honours. His health failed again, and his parents took him to southern France. 

By the time he regained his strength, war had broken out in Europe. Because of his slight build, he was initially rejected from military service in 1914, but was then taken into the French Air Service as a mechanic at Pau Airfield. After successful flight training, he was assigned to Escadrille MS3, Vauciennes in April 1915. His first plane was a Morane-Saulnier L monoplane but he was soon upgraded to a sky-blue Nieuport 11 Bébé scout, N836, named "Le Vieux Charles" (Old Charlie), now in the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace.

He became an ace with his fifth victory in February 1916, for which he was promoted to Lieutenant. By the end of the year he had scored 25 kills and was further promoted to Capitaine.

On 8 February 1917, flying a Spad VII, he shot down a German heavy bomber, a Gotha G.III - the first time this had been achieved. By July, he had become the first French ace to attain 50 victories.

He was last seen on 11 September 1917 attacking a reconnaissance plane near Poelcapelle. He was killed in the ensuing fight. Neither the wreckage of his airplane nor his body were ever found and the Germans claimed he was shot down by artillery shells in battle. He was 22 years old.

In his honour, the Belgians erected the Georges Guynemer Memorial in the centre of Poelcapelle in 1923. 

Another monument to Georges Guynemer stands outside the HQ Armée de l'air in Paris.

In 1940, the French government issued a commemorative stamp in Georges Guynemer's honour.

Captaine Georges Guynemer, Escadrille MS3