mouchotte rene dezarrois andre stead (1 resultados)

Hardcover. Condición: Good. First Edition, Presumed First printing. 221, [1] pages. Endpaper soiling and discoloration. Includes introduction by Andre Dezarrois (the editor), XXI chapters and Appendices: Testimonies to Rene Mouchotte (including The Aerial Activity of the Free French Forces, Rene Mouchotte's Citations, Official Report of Rene Mouchotte as Missing, The Finding of Rene Mouchotte's Body, Death Certificate, the Identification of Commandant Mouchotte's Body, Two Radio Talks, The Last Operation: Rene Mouchotte's Disappearance, In the Margin of a Report, Homage to Rene Mouchotte on his return to French soil, and Testament. Outlawed when the Vichy Government of France laid down their arms, Rene Mouchotte made his way to England from North Africa, and became a fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. He was rapidly recognized as a daring and skillful pilot, developed impressive powers of leadership, and became an outstanding tactician in the handling of masses of fighter aircraft. He commanded a British fighter squadron and was leading the Biggin Hill fighter wing when he fell. Commandant Renà Mouchotte DFC (21 August 1914 - 27 August 1943) was a World War II pilot of the French Air Force, who escaped from Vichy French-controlled Oran to join the Free French forces. Serving with RAF Fighter Command, he rose to command a fighter wing before being shot down and killed on 27 August 1943. Mouchotte began his military service in October 1935 with the French Air Force at Istres, where he was promoted to corporal (April 1936), master corporal (March 1937), and sergeant (April 1937); he qualified as a pilot in February 1937. After arriving in Britain Mouchotte trained at RAF Old Sarum and RAF Sutton Bridge on Hawker Hurricanes, before being posted to No. 615 Squadron RAF at RAF Northolt in northwest London. He carried out his first operational sortie on 11 October 1940. The squadron moved to RAF Kenley in December 1940 and in August 1941 Mouchotte participated in the shooting-down of a Junkers 88. In November 1941 he transferred to RAF Turnhouse, where the Free French No. 340 Squadron RAF was training on Spitfires; he became a flight commander in February 1942 and subsequently squadron commander of No. 65 Squadron RAF, the first RAF squadron to be commanded by a non-Commonwealth officer. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 1 September 1942. Finally, he took command of No. 341 Squadron RAF (Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace") with the Biggin Hill Wing. On 15 May 1943, S/L 'Jack' Charles (611 squadron) and Mouchotte both destroyed an Fw 190 of I./JG 2, as the Biggin Hill Wing's 999th and 1,000th kill claim. He was shot down and killed in combat with Fw 190s of JG 2 during Ramrod S.8, escorting Flying Fortresses on the first daylight raid to Blockhaus d'à perlecques in the Pas de Calais on 27 August 1943. After take off at 18.02 hours No. 341 squadron flew with bombers to a point 5 miles N.W. of Saint-Pol-sur-Mer where the whole formation turned to port on a direct course for the target. Halfway between Saint-Pol and Saint-Omer the Fortresses were attacked by several formations of Fw 190s diving out of the sun. Breaking to meet these attacks which were coming mostly from behind, the squadron became split up and a general melee followed which lasted for about 15-17 minutes. Cmdt. Mouchotte (Red 1) became separated from the squadron and was last heard to say on the R/T:"I am alone with the bombers". Nothing more was seen or heard after. His body was later washed ashore on 3 September and was buried in Middelkerke, Belgium. After the War in 1949, his body was exhumed, repatriated and buried in the family tomb at Pà re Lachaise Cemetery in Paris on 3 November after a memorial service with full military honors conducted at Les Invalides in Paris.WW2, Fighter Pilots, Royal Air Force, Battle of Britain, Fighter aircraft, Fighter squadron. Biggin Hill fighter wing.