Albert Achard (26 March 1894 – 21 August 1972) was a French flying ace of the First World War, credited with five aerial victories, one as an observer and four as a pilot. He served as a reserve air force officer in the 1920s and 1930s, and returned to active duty in World War II.
Family background
Achard was born in Briançon in the department of Hautes-Alpes, the son of Gabriel Denis Achard and his wife Florentine Hête-Thievoz. At the time of his birth his father was a sous-lieutenant in the 159th Infantry Regiment, but later he became a merchant.
World War I
Achard enlisted into the French Army on 7 August 1913. After passing the entrance examination he entered the military academy at Saint-Cyr as an officer cadet on 6 September, and was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant on 6 November. On 12 August 1914, soon after the outbreak of the war, he was posted to the 9th Hussar Regiment, which was engaged in the Battle of the Frontiers and the subsequent Race to the Sea in late 1914. On 17 March 1915 Achard was transferred to Army's aviation branch – the Aéronautique Militaire – training at Le Bourget to become an observer.
On 3 April 1915 he was posted to the newly created escadrille MS.48, based at Villacoublay. The escadrille initially comprised only six pilots and two observers, flying the Morane-Saulnier L. At this stage of the war not all French aircraft had machine guns, and Achard had only a carbine rifle to return fire.
On 15 April, with pilot Maréchal-des-logis Louis Chatain, Achard gained MS.48s first success shooting at a German aircraft with his carbine, and damaging its wing sufficiently to force it to land. On 22 April MS.48 moved to Lunéville, and two days later, after a reconnaissance, Achard reported vital information, even though his aircraft was badly damaged by shrapnel. On 28 April he was credited with his first aerial victory, shooting down an enemy aircraft. On 1 July 1915 his aircraft attacked a German Albatros. Achard's aircraft approached to within , but was hit by enemy fire, narrowly missing the pilot and cutting a cabane. In spite of the danger to the aircraft, they continued to attack and pursued the enemy well beyond the French lines until it was seen to suddenly dive. Achard was promoted to lieutenant on 8 July 1915. On 31 July, two MS.48 aircraft were flying escort to a Voisin III on a bombing mission to Dambach. One aircraft, piloted by Brigadier Edouard Thieffries de Layens, with Achard as observer, was engaged in a dogfight and succeeded in putting their opponent to flight. Achard was then transferred to the Macedonian front, serving as an observer in escadrille 91S from 12 October 1915. On 1 February 1916 he was cited (citation dans les ordres) for his numerous and accurate reconnaissance reports, having flown in total, of which were over the enemy lines.
On 29 February 1916 he was transferred to the military flying school in Thessaloniki to train as a pilot, being awarded pilot certificate No. 4642 on 20 April. He remained in Greece, serving as a pilot in escadrille MF.98T until 25 July, then escadrille F.203 between 24 October and 1 January 1917.