René Mouchotte
| René Mouchotte | |
|---|---|
René Mouchotte and Sqn Ldr "Jack" Charles at RAF Biggin Hill in May 1943
|
|
| Born |
21 August 1914 Paris, France |
| Died | 27 August 1943 (aged 29) Pas de Calais, France |
| Buried | Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris |
| Allegiance |
 France
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force.svg){kind=small} Free French Forces
|
| Years of service | 1935–1939 1939–1943 |
| Rank | Commandant and Squadron Leader |
| Unit | Escadrille « Versailles » No. 615 Squadron RAF No. 341 Squadron RAF No. 340 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur Compagnon de la Libération Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (6 palmes) Distinguished Flying Cross |
Commandant René 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.
Born into a wealthy family on 21 August 1914 in Paris, 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. In January 1939, he transferred to the reserve and resumed civilian life. Recalled in September 1939, he was posted to training establishments at Salon-de-Provence and Avord as a flying instructor. Despite several requests to join a fighter squadron, he was transferred to Oran in May 1940 for a conversion course to twin-engined aircraft. After the Armistice, the pilots on the base were ordered not to escape to join the Free French and the aircraft were placed under armed guard. Despite this, Mouchotte and five comrades (including Henry Lafont) escaped in a twin-engined Caudron Goéland aircraft, only to find that the controls for the variable-pitch propellers had been disabled, making the take-off hazardous. However they did manage to land in Gibraltar and later transferred to the Free French armed trawler, Président Houduce and sailed to England.
...
Wikipedia