Jacques Philippart

Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, Philippart was sent to the United Kingdom where he investigated the operational techniques of the Royal Air Force (RAF) with a view to passing on this knowledge to Belgian aircrew. In May 1940, when the Germans invaded Belgium, he flew a number of sorties before being withdrawn to France, along with much of the Belgian armed forces. There he was attached to the headquarters of the commander of the surviving elements of the Aeronautique Militaire, General Legros, liaising with the RAF which required regular trips to the United Kingdom. He was eventually evacuated from Bayonne, disembarking from a Dutch vessel at Plymouth on 23 June.^[1][2]

By agreement with the Belgian government in exile, pilots like Philippart were enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve while serving with the RAF.^[3] Holding the rank of pilot officer, in early July he was sent to No. 7 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden to train on the Hawker Hurricane fighter. Philippart was then posted to No. 213 Squadron on 23 July.^[1][2] His new unit, equipped with Hurricanes, was based at Exeter in Devon, as part of No. 10 Group, and tasked with interception duties and patrolling along the English Channel.^[4][5]

Philippart destroyed a Junkers Ju 88 medium bomber over Portland Bill on 11 August. This was followed three days later with his shooting down of three Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters to the south of Portland Bill. He also claimed a fourth Bf 110 as probably destroyed. On 22 August, he destroyed a Ju 88 to the south of Exmouth; with this aerial victory, Philippart became the first Belgian flying ace of the Second World War.^[1][2]

On 25 August, Philippart destroyed a Ju 88 near Portland but was shot down after this engagement by Hans-Karl Mayer of Jagdgeschwader 53 (fighter wing 53). Philippart bailed out before his Hurricane crashed into the English Channel, coming down into the sea as well. He did not survive in the water and his body was recovered when it drifted onto the English coast a few days later.^[2]

Philippart was posthumously awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre in January 1943. After the war, in September 1946, he received another posthumous award, the Cross of the Order of Leopold with Palm. Originally buried in Exeter Cemetery, his body was relocated to Belgium and reinterred in the Belgian Airmen's Field of Honour at the Brussels Cemetery in October 1949.^[1][6]

Military aviation historians Christopher Shores and Clive Williams credit Philippart with having destroyed six German aircraft, with another aircraft considered probably destroyed.^[2]

• Brown, Alan (2011). Flying for Freedom: The Allied Air Forces in the RAF 1939–45. Stroud: History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-5998-1.
• Rawlings, John (1976). Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: MacDonald & James. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
• Shores, Christopher; Williams, Clive (1994). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-8-9869-7000.