Rene Mouchotte's last flight

27th August 1943: French Ace Pierre Closterman describes the dogfight in which the French hero and founder member of the Free French in Britain was lost

Spitfires over Tunisia, 1943

Spitfires over Tunisia, 1943

It was just two years since Rene Mouchotte had made his first kill while in the service of the RAF. In the intervening time he had risen to become the leader of the Free French No 341 Squadron, operating from bases in southern England.

For five minutes more the Germans went on attacking us... Suddenly the sky filled with “contrails” — a hundred, perhaps, in fours, coming from the north. It was the Thunderbolts, at last. Still, better late than never, and they certainly saved our bacon.