page_title: La Brayelle Airfield
section_title: WWI
hierarchical_section_title: La Brayelle Airfield / WWI
caption_attribution_description: German Albatros D.IIIs of Jagdstaffel 11 and Jagdstaffel 4 parked in a line at La Brayelle near Douai, France. Manfred von Richthofen's red-painted aircraft is second in line (with boarding step ladder in place).
context_page_description: La Brayelle Airfield was one of the first airfields in France. It was situated 3 kilometres west of Douai, in the Nord département in northern France. It was host to the world’s first aviation meeting, home to Bréguet Aviation, and an important airfield in the First World War. It is occasionally referred to as Douai-Brayelles airfield. There were several other airfields in the area of Douai, especially during WW1, so the term 'Douai Airfield' may or may not refer to La Brayelle.
context_section_description: In 1914, at the start of the war, the French military arrived, and the Royal Naval Air Service stationed some armoured cars here. Anticipating the approach of German troops, the Bréguet factory was evacuated. When the Germans arrived, they took over the airfield and built more hangars.
  During the war, the airfield was subject to regular bombing. In June 1916 Bavarian aerial reconnaissance unit Feldflieger Abteilung (Field Aviation Battalion) 5b arrived at La Brayelle, but left in October after hangars were destroyed during heavy bombardment.
  Jasta 11 was mobilised at the airfield on 11 October 1916, equipped with Albatros D.III fighters. Two days after he had been awarded the Pour le Mérite, Manfred von Richthofen arrived as commander on 15 January 1917 and scored their first victory on 23 January, shooting down and killing John Hay of No. 40 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in an F.E.8. Von Richthofen scored 26 victories while based here. Jasta 11 became the most successful fighter squadron in the German AF.
  The airfield was bombed by RFC night bombers on the nights of the 5/6 and 7/8 April 1917, and Jasta 11 moved to Roucourt, 26 miles to the north-east on the 13 April 1917.
  Jasta 4 was at La Brayelle between 24 February to 31 May 1917, and Jasta 12 arrived here 18 August 1917.
  The Germans continued to occupy the airfield, and on 2 May 1918 Roderic Dallas, commander of RAF 40 Squadron, in an S.E.5, created an unusual incident when he dropped a package with a note taunting the Germans, then bombed and shot up the base, apparently to the amusement of Field Marshal Haig and Sir Hugh Trenchard.
  The Germans left on 17 October 1918, and on 21 October RAF No. 16 Squadron arrived for a few days stay with their R.E.8s. On 27 October No. 25 Squadron RAF moved into the airfield with DH.4s and DH.9As, and was still operating here at the date of the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Other RAF squadrons resident for a few weeks during this period were numbers 18 (DH.9A), and 32 (SE5a).
caption: Albatros D.III aircraft of Jasta 11 and Jasta 4 at La Breyelle in March 1917. Von Richtofen's aircraft is 2nd in line.
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