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Roland Garros Killed in WWI
French aviator Roland Garros died on October 5, 1918, during WWI.
In brief
French aviator Roland Garros died on October 5, 1918, during WWI. Roland Garros, the French aviator who inspired the French Open, was killed in action on October 5, 1918. Originally reported by Tennis Majors.
October 5, 1918
October 5, 1918: French aviator Roland Garros was killed during World War I.
Roland Garros' Background
Roland Garros was born in 1888 in Saint-Denis de la Reunion, studied at HEC in Paris, and became a car seller near the Arc de Triomphe.
Aviator Achievements
Garros set altitude records at 3,950m in 1911 and 5,610m in 1912, and made the first non-stop Mediterranean flight in 1913.
WWI Service
Garros participated in early air battles, developed the interrupted gear, and was shot down in 1915, becoming a prisoner of war.
1918 Death
On October 5, 1918, Garros was shot down near Vouziers, Ardennes, one day before his 30th birthday.
Stadium Naming
Ten years after his death, the French Open venue was named Roland-Garros by his friend Emile Lesieur from Stade Français.
The essence
Roland Garros, the French aviator who inspired the French Open, was killed in action on October 5, 1918.
