An Earlybird's Scrapbook
The Lafayette Escadrille
Book One, Page Two, Right Bottom
Top left - Victor Chapman and Whiskey.
Top right - Ronald Hoskier's fatal crash, April 23, 1917
Hoskier had gotten permission to take gunner Jean Dressy up in a last flight of a Morane Parasol that was scheduled to be sent back to the aircraft depot. The slower aircraft could not keep up with the patrol of Bill Thaw, W.B. Haviland and Harold Willis. Hoskier and Dressy were jumped by a squad of German Albatros when Hoskier when they chased after another lone Albatros that was diving for lower altitude. The Parasol's wing tore off over St. Qhentin and the fuselage came hurtling down like a rock.
The marker reads: "Ici sont tombes Aero Pilote Ronald Hoskier - Mitreal. Jean Dressy - 23-4-17, Escadrille Lafayette - Mort por la France.
(Mitreal. is an abbreviation for mitrailleur, or machine gunner.)
Bottom - The squadron.
The aircraft is a Nieuport 17, SFA No. 1844. Raoul Lufbery is in the cockpit, location - Cachy.
(Whiskey is being held by the nape of his neck.)
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