René Mouchotte
Encyclopedia
René Mouchotte 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 in 1943.
, Mouchotte did his military service in 1937 with the French Air Force at Istres
, where he learned to fly and was promoted to sergeant. Recalled in 1939, he was posted to training establishments at Salon-de-Provence
and Avord
. Despite several requests to join a fighter squadron, he was transferred to Oran
in May 1940. 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, Mouchette and five comrades escaped in a twin-engined Caudron Goéland aircraft, only to find that the propellers had been disabled and they had to crash-land at Gibraltar
.
on Hawker Hurricane
s, 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 Mouchette 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 a 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'Éperlecques in the Pas de Calais on 27 August 1943. His body was later washed ashore and was buried in Middelkerk, Belgium.
He had accumulated some 1,748 flying hours, including 408 operational hours flying 382 war sorties. He had claimed 2 ( and 1 shared) aircraft destroyed, 1 'probable' and 1 damaged.
In Paris a street Rue du Commandant Rene Mouchotte in the 14th Arrondisement of Paris
and a nearby footbridge over the River Seine are named after him. There are two plaques in his memory at Eperlecques
. A French Air Force base at Cambrai
-Épinoy
is named Base Aérienne 103 "Commandant René Mouchotte" in his honour.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
pilot of the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
, who escaped from Vichy French
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
–controlled Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
to join the Free French forces. Serving with RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Fighter Command, he rose to command a fighter wing before being shot down and killed in 1943.
French Air Force
Born on 21 August 1914 in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Mouchotte did his military service in 1937 with the French Air Force at Istres
Istres
Istres is a commune in southern France, some 60 km northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture...
, where he learned to fly and was promoted to sergeant. Recalled in 1939, he was posted to training establishments at Salon-de-Provence
Salon-de-Provence
Salon-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is the location of an important air base.-History:Salon was a Gallo-Roman oppidum well positioned on the salt trade routes between Adriatic, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, hence its name...
and Avord
Avord
Avord is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A farming area comprising the village and several hamlets situated by the banks of the river Yèvre, some east of Bourges at the junction of the D976 with the D36 and the D71 roads...
. Despite several requests to join a fighter squadron, he was transferred to Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
in May 1940. 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, Mouchette and five comrades escaped in a twin-engined Caudron Goéland aircraft, only to find that the propellers had been disabled and they had to crash-land at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
.
In Britain
After arriving in Britain Mouchette trained at RAF Old Sarum and RAF Sutton BridgeSutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge is a village and civil parish in southeastern Lincolnshire, England on the west bank of the River Nene in the district of South Holland.-Geography:...
on Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s, before being posted to No. 615 Squadron RAF
No. 615 Squadron RAF
No. 615 Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force between 1937 and 1957.-Formation and early years:...
at RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
in northwest London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He carried out his first operational sortie on 11 October 1940. The squadron moved to RAF Kenley
RAF Kenley
The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.-History:...
in December 1940 and in August 1941 Mouchette 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
No. 340 Squadron RAF
340 Squadron RAF was formed at RAF Turnhouse in Scotland on 7 November 1941 as part of Le Groupe de Chasse IV/2 "Ile de France"...
was training on Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
; he became a flight commander in February 1942 and subsequently squadron commander of No. 65 Squadron RAF
No. 65 Squadron RAF
No. 65 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.-World War I:The squadron was first formed at Wyton on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps with a core provided from the training ground at Norwich. By the end of World War I, it had claimed over 200 victories...
, the first RAF squadron to be commanded by a non-Commonwealth officer.He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
The Distinguished Flying Cross may refer to:*Distinguished Flying Cross , including Commonwealth countries*Distinguished Flying Cross...
on 1 September 1942.
Finally he took command of No. 341 Squadron RAF
No. 341 Squadron RAF
The No. 341 Squadron also known in French as Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace", was a Free French squadron in the RAF during World War II.-History:No...
(Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace") with the Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill is an area and electoral ward in the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley in southeast London, United Kingdom.-History:Historically the settlement was known as Aperfield and formed part of the parish of Cudham...
Wing. On 15 May 1943, S/L 'Jack' Charles (611 squadron) and Mouchotte both destroyed a 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'Éperlecques in the Pas de Calais on 27 August 1943. His body was later washed ashore and was buried in Middelkerk, Belgium.
He had accumulated some 1,748 flying hours, including 408 operational hours flying 382 war sorties. He had claimed 2 ( and 1 shared) aircraft destroyed, 1 'probable' and 1 damaged.
Legacy
After the war, his diaries and flying logs were compiled into a book by Andre Dezarrois which was published in France in 1947 as "Mes Carnets"; in 1956 it was translated into English as The Mouchotte Diaries.In Paris a street Rue du Commandant Rene Mouchotte in the 14th Arrondisement of Paris
Arrondissements of Paris
The city of Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements municipaux administrative districts, more simply referred to as arrondissements . These are not to be confused with departmental arrondissements, which subdivide the 101 French départements...
and a nearby footbridge over the River Seine are named after him. There are two plaques in his memory at Eperlecques
Éperlecques
Éperlecques is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:It is a farming commune comprising eight hamlets, all found within the regional nature reserve of the Caps et Marais d'Opale, situated 6 miles northwest of Saint-Omer, at the D222 and...
. A French Air Force base at Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
-Épinoy
Épinoy
Épinoy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated southeast of Arras at the junction of the N43 and D21 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:* Traces of an old castle....
is named Base Aérienne 103 "Commandant René Mouchotte" in his honour.