March 3, 1892 - Born, in Saukas pag.(Kurzeme) "Pludos"
Completed high school in Jekabpils, attended Business college in Byelostok and then enrolled in
the Riga Polytechnical school, studying Chemistry.
With the outbreak of war, he volunteers for the Czarist russian military and completes aviation officer training
in St.Petersburg, from where he is assigned to the naval aviation section.
After the Russian Civil War he leaves the military and returns to Latvia.
July 1919 - Lt.Sturans joins the Latvian military and is assigned to the Aviation Park. (Rank: Lieutenant)
December 13, 1919 - a member of the commission which inspected the
aircraft left behind by the Germans, ruling on their airworthiness and
suitability for repair.
January 11, 1920 - a member of the commission tasked with inspecting
and accepting the Sopwith Camels gifted from the British.
January 20, 1920 - the Aviation School is established, and Sturans is its first commander. He is also responsible
for delivering the course material dealing with aviation history.
July 18, 1920 - along with V.Jakubovs, he participates in promoting the
first Aviation Festival at Spilve (July 25) by flying Hannover #21 over the
city and distributing leaflets.
November 23, 1920 - at the founding of the Latvian Aero Club he was
selected as a member of the first (transitional) administration.
March 21, 1921 - The Aviation Park is reorganized into the Aviation
Division and 1st Lt. Sturans is confirmed as the continuing commander of the observer section of the aviation school.
1922 - Completes the pilot training program and graduates as a qualified pilot.
July 8, 1927 - suffers a massive stroke, with the left side of his body affected. He is hospitalized in the RIga Military hospital
in grave condition.
July 18, 1927 - Died, in Riga, after complicated brain surgery. Surgery was performed on the afternoon of
July 17, and he succumbed at 5 am the following morning. It was revealed that the stroke had been brought on
by the presence of a cancerous growth which, ultimately, they could not successfully remove.
The funeral service was held at the Mara Church and his coffin was transported on an aircraft fuselage
carriage to Meza kapi (Riga), where he was laid to rest. Three Aviation Regiment aircraft flew over the procession.
At the time of his death, he was married with a two year old daughter and a six month old son.
Sources
- Andersons, E. Latvijas Brunotie Speki, pg. 289
- Briedis, E. Latviesa Stasts, pg. 82
- Bruvelis, Edvins Latvija Aviacijas Vesture
- Latvijas Kareivis 1927-07-09
- Latvijas Kareivis 1927-07-19
- Latvijas Kareivis 1927-07-20
- Latvijas Kareivis 1927-07-21
- Latvijas Kareivis 1930-01-17
- Subota, Sandra Aviacijas Attistiba Latvija, pg. 7
