Ren Mouchotte was born on 21 August 1914, at Saint Mande, Paris. He
joined the Arm e de l'Air for his period of military service in
1934, obtaining his flying brevet. Though Mouchotte returned to
civilian life, he was called up at the outbreak of war in 1939,
becoming a Sergeant-Pilot instructor in North Africa. When France
capitulated in June 1940, Mouchotte and fellow pilot Charles Guerin
decided to make their way to the United Kingdom. Along with four
other French pilots, Mouchotte made the short flight to Gibraltar
on the morning of 30 June. From there he travelled on to Britain,
being accepted into the RAF soon after their arrival. The Battle of
Britain was already several weeks old when Mouchotte was posted to
245 Squadron, then based at Aldergrove, on 11 September 1940. A
week later he transferred to 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron at
Prestwick. Flying Hurricanes, it was with 615 Squadron that
Mouchotte became a flight commander, shot down a Junkers Ju 88, and
earned a Croix de Guerre. He moved to Turnhouse as Deputy A' Flight
Commander with 340 (Free French) Squadron. He was promoted to
captain in March 1942 and awarded the DFC. On 18 January 1943,
Mouchotte returned to Turnhouse to form and command 341 Squadron,
which transferred to Biggin Hill. On 15 May 1943, Mouchette and
Squadron Leader E.F.J Charles shared the sector's 1000th victory.
Two days later, Mouchotte destroyed a Me 109. Mouchotte failed to
return from a bomber escort to the proposed V2 launch site at
Eperlecques, near St. Omer, on 27 August 1943. He was reported
Missing'. Later evidence emerged that his body had been washed up
on the beach at Middelkerke, Belgium, on 3 September and that he
was buried in the town's cemetery. Commandant Ren Gaston Octave
Jean Mouchotte DFC, CdeG - one of The Few' of the Battle of Britain
- became one of the most famous Free French pilots of the Second
World War, during which he served alongside such notables as the
legendary Group Captain Sailor' Malan and the Wing Commander Al
Deere. It is Commandant Mouchotte's diaries, written between 1940
and 1943, that form the basis of this book. The diaries are
introduced and contextualized by the renowned aviation historian
Dilip Sarkar, who also forensically examines the story behind
Biggin Hill's 1000th kill' and the circumstances of Ren 's last
flight, adding new detail to both events. The TV presenter and
newsreader Jan Leeming also reveals her journey into Mouchotte's
courageous and inspirational story - one that began with leaving a
letter in the Mouchotte Family Tomb in the famous P re Lachaise
Cemetery in Paris; a meeting with Ren 's 101 year old Sister
Jacqueline; the realisation that his Battle of Britain Medals had
never been forwarded to his family - an omission which was happily
rectified. Jacqueline lived long enough to receive the medals
which, after her death were presented to the Mouchotte family by
the British Ambassador Sir (Lord) Peter Ricketts at the
Ambassador's Residence in Paris. Finally after many years of
research and perseverance, Jan had a documentary about her Search
for Ren Mouchotte broadcast in 2013 on BBC South East; BBC South
and BBC North. Later that year she was invited to Gibraltar where
the RAF HQ was renamed Mouchotte Buildings.
General
| Imprint: |
Air World
|
| Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
| Release date: |
November 2022 |
| Authors: |
Dilip Sarkar
• Jan Leeming
|
| Dimensions: |
234 x 156 x 32mm (L x W x T) |
| Format: |
Hardcover
|
| Pages: |
320 |
| ISBN-13: |
978-1-399-04027-3 |
| Categories: |
Books
|
| LSN: |
1-399-04027-8 |
| Barcode: |
9781399040273 |
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