A Frenchman, born in Paris. One of the 13 surviving children of Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805 - 94), who was responsible for the construction of the Suez Canal. Robert was an early aviator but it was his brother, Jacques, who was the second ever (Bleriot being first) to fly a plane across the English Channel.
From : "Robert was recruited at Châteauroux as a lieutenant in the cavalry of the 27th regiment of Dragons, later he was seconded to the 7th armored cars and cannons." Died in the Battle of the Somme. That website has fully investigated all the de Lesseps brothers and is well worth a visit.
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