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Description
Lieutenant Claudette Gaubert and Sergent Ivette Vannier were one of the first french female aircrews in WW1. At the beginning, however, their commander had to make some concessions to their combat suits.
"Les femmes soldats veulent mourir joliment." was Claudettes comment and Ivette smiled,
They only flew reconnaissance missions and had not received any air combat training. At the base, Ivette learnt from her male colleagues how to operate the rear-mounted machine gun, what was important and what were the skills to fend off enemies. They usually flew with two fighter planes for protection.
On their 28th mission they were attacked by a superior force of German fighter aircraft, to which both fighters protecting them fell victim to. Yvette was able to take out a German aircraft with the MG, which crashed in flames, but her own aircraft was so badly damaged that they had to make an emergency landing. They managed to cross the enemy lines by the skin of their teeth. Their aircraft could be made airworthy again.
Ivette's minor injuries healed quickly and they returned to the front line after a two-week break.
They were less fortunate on the 43rd mission. Claudette was fatally wounded by enemy fire and Ivette had to watch helplessly in her final seconds as she crashed. The pretty soldier had saluted her comrade from the escort one last time, as he told shakenly during
the debriefing, and he murmured in admiration "Les femmes soldats veulent mourir joliment."

Description
Lieutenant Claudette Gaubert and Sergent Ivette Vannier were one of the first french female aircrews in WW1. At the beginning, however, their commander had to make some concessions to their combat suits.
"Les femmes soldats veulent mourir joliment." was Claudettes comment and Ivette smiled,
They only flew reconnaissance missions and had not received any air combat training. At the base, Ivette learnt from her male colleagues how to operate the rear-mounted machine gun, what was important and what were the skills to fend off enemies. They usually flew with two fighter planes for protection.
On their 28th mission they were attacked by a superior force of German fighter aircraft, to which both fighters protecting them fell victim to. Yvette was able to take out a German aircraft with the MG, which crashed in flames, but her own aircraft was so badly damaged that they had to make an emergency landing. They managed to cross the enemy lines by the skin of their teeth. Their aircraft could be made airworthy again.
Ivette's minor injuries healed quickly and they returned to the front line after a two-week break.
They were less fortunate on the 43rd mission. Claudette was fatally wounded by enemy fire and Ivette had to watch helplessly in her final seconds as she crashed. The pretty soldier had saluted her comrade from the escort one last time, as he told shakenly during
the debriefing, and he murmured in admiration "Les femmes soldats veulent mourir joliment."