Jean Matton

Who was Jean Matton?

Capitaine Jean Georges Fernand Matton was a World War I cavalryman and flying ace. He was credited with nine confirmed and two unconfirmed aerial victories.

Matton began World War I as a cavalryman. He earned a Mention in Dispatches for his performance, followed by an award of the Legion d'honneur on 5 January 1915. His award citation read, "Ignoring a serious wound incurred during the course of a reconnaissance, he transmitted the vitally important information that he had gathered."

He then undertook aviation training, receiving Military Pilot's Brevet No. 2349 on 14 January 1916. At first he was posted to Escadrille MF20. On 23 July 1916, he was transferred to Escadrille N57. Five days later, he scored his first aerial victory, sharing it with Georges Lachmann and Georges Flachaire. This garnered Matton another Mention in Dispatches. On 2 October 1916, he was transferred to command Escadrille 48. He scored his first victory there on 15 December.

Victory number three for Matton was a German observation balloon, destroyed on 16 February 1917. Matton would continue to score, right up until he joined Armand de Turenne in a double win on 9 July, for his final victories.