[2] Bucking the traditions of his social class, he enrolled in university and studied civil engineering instead of joining the military.

[3] however upon the outbreak of war he volunteered for the Imperial Russian Army,[3] He trained as a cavalryman at the Nicholas Cavalry College [ru],[4] in which he enrolled on 13 December 1914.

[2] His class's equestrian maneuvers had several times been disrupted by overflying aircraft spooking horses and cadets alike.

However, Gilsher's career suffered a setback on 20 November when a propeller fractured both bones in his right forearm while he was starting an aircraft engine.

He was removed from the unit and assigned to Moscow's Dux aircraft factory as a quality control inspector until he healed.

Gilsher was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir Fourth Class with Swords and Bow for this mission.

After using the simulator for a thorough ground re-familiarization[5] with Nieuport fighters, he taught himself to fly in the vicinity of his airfield, using his artificial foot.

On 22 November 1916, he returned to combat, flying both a photographic reconnaissance mission and a fighter sortie.

Then, on 15 May, he engaged an Austro-Hungarian two seater; after its observer fired all his ammunition, including signal flares, he tried to surrender.

[2] He inherited a unit undermined by political dissension on the home front, and running down from delayed maintenance and short supplies.

[2] Gilsher, Vasili Yanchenko, and Donat Makijonek took off in the evening, intent on intercepting seven German intruders.