# Roland Garros Killed in WWI

> French aviator Roland Garros died on October 5, 1918, during WWI.
- Title: Roland Garros Killed in WWI · Tennis Majors | Shortify
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: roland garros, world war i, french open, aviator, davis cup, stade francais, mediterranean sea, sports, Roland, Garros, Killed, WWI
- Source: Tennis Majors — https://tennismajors.com/roland-garros-news/october-5-1918-the-day-french-aviator-roland-garros-was-killed-in-action-during-world-war-i-503359.html
- Published: 2026-10-05T06:35:04+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: roland garros, world war i, french open, aviator, davis cup, stade francais, mediterranean sea, sports
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Roland Garros, the French aviator who inspired the French Open, was killed in action on October 5, 1918.