LieutenantMaximillian John Jules Gabriel Mare-MontembaultMC (4 March 1895 – 1953^[1]) was a BritishWorld War Iflying ace credited with six aerial victories.^[2] Mare-Montembault was born inCroydon, England, to French parents.^[3]

Mare-Montembault was commissioned from private in theInns of CourtOfficers' Training Corps to second lieutenant on 25 June 1915,^[4] assigned to theNorth Somerset Yeomanry,Territorial Force. He was later seconded for duty with theRoyal Flying Corps (RFC)^[5] and appointed a flying officer on 3 August 1916.^[6]

Mare-Montembault was posted toNo. 32 Squadron RFC on 10 August 1916, flying theAirco DH.2 single-seatfighter. He gained his first aerial victory on 15 September by sending aRoland C reconnaissance aircraft down in flames south ofBapaume.^[2] On 10 October he was shot down byOswald Boelcke, but managed to crash-land unhurt within the British lines.^[7] He was soon back in the air, as on 22 October he drove down anAlbatros D.I "out of control" overIrles, and on 16 November he shared in the driving down of two Type C reconnaissance aircraft over Loupart Wood with CaptainHubert Jones and Lieutenants P. B. G. Hunt and H. G. Southon. The following day he drove down another solo overBucquoy. On the afternoon of 6 March 1917 in a dogfight east of Bapaume Mare-Montembault destroyed another Albatros D.I, but was then himself shot down byAdolf von Tutschek, crashed-landing behind the German lines, and was captured.^[2][8]

While aprisoner of war, on 4 June 1917 he was awarded theMilitary Cross,^[9] and on 31 July was promoted to lieutenant in the North Somerset Yeomanry, with precedence from 1 June 1916.^[10]

Mare-Montembault was eventually released following thearmistice of 11 November 1918, and was repatriated to England in January 1919,^[11] but on 10 April he relinquished his RAF commission "on account of ill-health contracted on active service".^[12] He remained a member of the Territorial Force Reserve post-war, being promoted to lieutenant on 15 November 1919.^[13] On 16 December 1919 he received amention in dispatches "for valuable services whilst in captivity".^[14]

On 31 January 1925, Maxmillian Mare-Montembault married Elsie May Hollands. At the time he was working as a bank clerk and living inAddiscombe.^[15]

Citations

Bibliography

• Shores, Christopher F.;Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990).Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street.ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.

• 1895 births
• 1953 deaths
• People from Croydon
• North Somerset Yeomanry officers
• Royal Flying Corps officers
• Royal Air Force personnel of World War I
• British World War I flying aces
• British World War I prisoners of war
• World War I prisoners of war held by Germany
• Recipients of the Military Cross

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