Free Belgian Forces: Air Force
The initial Belgian fliers with the Royal Air Force were individual members of British squadrons. Belgium contributed 29 pilots to Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. Although usually randomly posted to various RAF fighter squadrons, No. 609 Squadron had enough Belgian pilots to form a flight. Later, some of the Belgian pilots were organized into two all-Belgian squadrons, the No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron (formed November 1941) and No. 349 (Belgian) Squadron (formed November 1942). By June 1943, some 400 Belgian pilots were serving with the RAF. Initially part of the air defense of Great Britain, both squadrons later served in the campaign in northwestern Europe supporting 21st Army Group with No. 83 and No. 84 Groups of the R.A.F. The British air raid on Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen on March 22, 1945 was led by a Belgian Wing Commander, Michael Donnet. Altogether, some 1,200 Belgians served in the R.A.F. The Belgian Squadrons flew Spitfires operationally with the RAF. No. 350 Squadron claimed some 51 kills during its existence.
Read more about this topic: Free Belgian Forces
Famous quotes containing the words free, belgian, air and/or force:
“The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! Thats one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the populationthe intelligent ones or the fools? I think we can agree its the fools, no matter where you go in this world, its the fools that form the overwhelming majority.”
—Henrik Ibsen (18281906)
“This fat pistache of Belgian grapes exceeds
The total gala of auburn aureoles.
Cochon! Master, the grapes are here and now.”
—Wallace Stevens (18791955)
“The air of ones native country is the most healthy air.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (18601904)
“Literary gentlemen, editors, and critics think that they know how to write, because they have studied grammar and rhetoric; but they are egregiously mistaken. The art of composition is as simple as the discharge of a bullet from a rifle, and its masterpieces imply an infinitely greater force behind them.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)