Storks, The

Born during the horrendous Battle of Verdun in 1916, The Storks became France's premier fighting group in World War I.

Initially comprising the Escadrilles N3, N26, N73 and N103 and under the leadership of Félix Brocard, GC12 counted amongst its fighter pilots most of the big French aces of the war-Guynemer, Fonck (the allied ace of aces with 75 victories), Heurtaux, Deullin, de Sevin, Bozon-Verdurez and many more. It also had several American Lafayette volunteers amongst its ranks, notably Frank Baylies, Edwin Parsons, Bert Hall and Charles Biddle.

Like the later German Jagdgeschwadern, such as Richthofen's JGI, Groupe de Combat 12 was sent to where the ground fighting was fiercest in order to wrest control of the air from German opposition and clear the way for the French observation aircraft, while at the same time thwarting German attempts to reconnoitre the French side of the lines and direct artillery fire onto French positions. Other Escadrilles came and went through GC12 during 1916-18, and by the war's end the Groupe had achieved 291 confirmed victories for the loss of 67 pilots killed, wounded or taken prisoner.

Norman Franks and Frank (Bill) Bailey, who have authored and co-authored several books on WWI air fighting, have compiled here for the first time in English a detailed history of GC12, in fact the first notable history of any French aviation group of WWL In addition, detailed histories of the Escadrilles attached to the Groupe are recorded together with periodic lists of pilots who flew with them. Honours and awards are also noted. including many citations for Légion d'Honneur, Médaille Militaire and Croix de Guerre decorations, as well as Groupe citations.

Appendices list as complete a roster of GC12 pilots as can be found, lists of bases used, victories achieved and losses sustained. There are also more than 80 photographs of pilots and aircraft depicting men and machines of the Groupe, and side view drawings of aircraft and their markings by Greg Van Wyngarden.

As an addition to WWI literature and history, this book is a must for all Great War aviation historians and enthusiasts.