| François Marie Noël Battesti | |
| Birth Date: | 5 May 1890 |
| Birth Place: | Azzana, France |
| Death Place: | Azzana, France |
| Placeofburial: | Azzana, France |
| Allegiance: | France |
| Branch: | French Army French Air Force |
| Serviceyears: | 1908–1920 1939–1940 |
| Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Commands: | Escadrille 95 |
| Battles: | World War I Western Front World War II |
| Awards: | Légion d'honneur Médaille militaire Croix de guerre with eight palms |
Lieutenant François Marie Noel Battesti (5 May 1890 – 24 August 1977) was a French World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.[1]
Battesti was born Azzana, Corsica, the son of Nicolas and Antoinette Battesti.[2] [3] On 14 October 1908 he enlisted into the Army for a period of five years, and was assigned to the 106e Régiment d'Infanterie as a soldat de 2e classe.[2] [3] He was promoted to caporal on 28 September 1909, and to sergent on 26 September 1910.[3] At the end of five years, he extended his enlistment for a year, transferring to the 24e Régiment d'Infanterie on 14 October 1913.[3]
On 1 January 1914, he transferred to the Army's military aviation branch, joining 1er Groupe d'aviation as a student pilot, and received Brevet militaire No. 453 from the military flying school at Avord on 3 April 1914.[2] [3] On 8 April he was posted to Escadrille 18, and later in the year transferred to Escadrille 3, flying Blériot aircraft in both.[3]
Soon after the outbreak of the war in August 1914, Battesti returned to Avord and then to Buc to complete his flying training,[3] and was at the military flying school at Pau from 25 January 1915.[2]
On 20 March 1915 he was posted to Escadrille 10 flying Caudron G.3 and Caudron G.4 reconnaissance aircraft.[3] He was promoted to adjudant on 9 May,[2] [3] and was awarded the Médaille militaire on 2 December 1915.[2]
Battesti was wounded three times in 1916,[4] and was sent to hospital to recover after the third injury on 6 July 1916,[2] [3] receiving promotion to sous-lieutenant on 27 July.[3] He returned to Escadrille 10 on 10 August 1916, serving until 1 February 1917.[2]
At his own request Battesti was transferred from reconnaissance to a fighter unit, joining Escadrille 73 in 12 March 1917 to fly Nieuport, and later SPAD single-seater fighters, as part of Groupe de Combat 12 'Cigognes.[2] [3] [5]
He gained his first aerial victory on 24 April 1917, destroying an enemy aircraft over Sainte-Croix, and his second on 4 July over Berry-au-Bac.[3] Battesti was promoted to lieutenant on 6 July.[2] In 1917, he carried out numerous fighting missions with Georges Guynemer.[6] [7]
Further victories followed on 12 November 1917, then on 22 May and 12 June 1918. On 16 July he shared a victory with Sous-lieutenant Claude Fontaine,[3] and on 29 October 1918 having shot down a Fokker D.VII north of Château-Porcien, he was attacked by six other D.VIIs, and was forced to land south of Taizy with his lower wing shredded by bullets. This was Battesti's seventh, and the 29th and final victory of Escadrille 73 before the armistice of 11 November.[2]
Battesti ended the war credited with seven aerial victories,[2] having won the Médaille militaire, and was awarded the Croix de guerre with eight palms, and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur.[3]
Battesti remained with Escadrille 73 until the end of December 1919, attached to l'escadre de combat No. 1 from 10 January to 1 October 1919. He was seconded to the staff from 1 October 1919, and served as commandant of Escadrille 95 from 1 January 1920.[2]
In 1939 Battesti returned to serve in the Armée de l'air during the Second World War.[5]
He died on 24 August 1977,[3] and is buried in the cemetery of Azzana, Corsica.[5]