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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 1420.PDF
FLIGHT JUNE 26TH- JUST IN CASE : Belgian pupil-pilots at a British training centre are here seen receiving instruction in fixing parachuteharness. WE have so far heard very little of what our BelgianAllies have done and are doing in the.air. Whenthe Germans invaded their country and attacked the aerodromes, most of the planes had been removed to the wartime 'dromes, some .oi which were unknown to the enemy. But those which thus managed to survive for a while were speedily in the thick of the fight, so that by the time that Belgium, overwhelmed by vastly superior numbers, had to capitulate, not more than seven first-line reconnaissance planes ^jpere left, while the personnel of 13 squadrons had be<?n despatched to the south of France, where the repair shops were also established. It was hoped that a new air force could there be built up, but, alas! the collapse of France made this impossible. In fact, the French appeared to single out the Belgians for hostile treatment, being even more vindictive against them than against the Czechs and the Poles, under the pretext that the disasters in Flanders were solely due to the Belgians, whereas—but we will follow the admirable example of our Belgian friends and refrain from con- troversy, for which the moment is not opportu Besides, it is probable that General de Gaulle will hiprS BELGIAN ARMY N BRITAIN i Escape from France^<T^SqtIa^ons to be Re-formed : Their Own Newspaper / By HENRY BAERlplN •/.•'• f ! ' deal, when the time comes, witbjrthe past errors of tbjfc men of Vichy and their adhereafs. Let us therefore only staje that when the Belgian pianos had been attended to by the^rench, their magnetos had been removed and aji--eirort was also made to hinder the men themselvesFrom getting away. Belgium has not yet begun to make her own fighter or bomber planes, those she used being British Hurricanes and Glosters and Italian Fiats. What she herself turned out wejrfe training-craft whose quality was so good that some were even sold to other countries. It was these which were taken to the south of France. . Some of their personnel, after numerous adventures, arrived in Britain by way of Bordeaux, Dunkirk or Casa- blanca in Morocco, some only finding it possible to escape by disguising themselves in Polish overcoats, as these were the least inconvenienced of the Allies. It was quite forgotten that a good many of the Belgians had helped to'defend French aerodromes. The Belgian training-craft have been last, but the pupils in various stages of training are now in British schools. They were opposed to being taken to Canada, where some others of our young Allies are being trained, for they wanted to lose no time before seeking vengeance on the ruthless invaders of their country. The Belgian psychology is said to be more suited for work in fighter than in bomber planes. A splendid example is that of Lieutenant Philippart, who came to England before Belgium had entered the war, his object being to take the instructor's course at the Central Flying School. He turned bisiaiowledge to excellent account be- tween August nth and 25th, the day when he was reported missing. During that period he brought down six German planes, including four Messerschmitts," in a single day. Most of the Belgians who are now dispersed among various British squadrons have one or two Germans to their credit; some of them have more. More to Come It is probable that the day is not far distant when Belgians will have their own separate units, for a 1; number of young men are already with us and many others are exfJected from all over the world. It is interesting to knp«? that when a Belgian youth goes abroad he has to indicate to the authorities someone who is responsible for letting him hear at once when the country is in need of his services. Those in groups A and B returned when war broke out between France and Germany, those in the next two groups as the danger to Belgium grew more imminent, and those in E, the final group, when it was a matter of general mobilisation. The lettre de service, as it is called, of an officer objiges him to return with less delay, as his services are m more value. Naturally, all those who come back are assisted to do so by the Belgian consuls. A large proportion of the young men seem to prefer to be enrolled in the Air Force, and their wish is granted if they are found to be suitable. At the present moment hundreds of Belgian militarised workers, experts in wireless or electrical equipment, are now employed, and are giving the greatest satisfaction, with the R.A.F. or in aeroplane A WORD OF WELCOME : A young R.A|F. squadron-deadergives a cheery greeting to Belgian pilots wl|o have just Joined ..- his fighter squa'dron. -*s
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