Free French Airforce

[paulm]

Hello all,

I have just joined the site as I am searching for any information relating to the Free French squadrons based at Blackbushe during WW2. My father was one of those men!
His name was Gerry Morel and he was a rear gunner/wireless operator in a Boston bomber.
Any help as to how to find out more would be appreciated as he married a Sandhurst girl (my mother).
Many thanks. Paul Morel

[rj]

Hi Paul and welcome. I am the airports historian and have plenty of info on 342 squadron, the only based French Squadron. These were brave men and suffered high losses. I have had a quick look through the records for August 44 and there is no G.Morel. However he could have been with the squadron in the proceeding year, or be may have used a pseudonim to protect family in France? I will try and look further tomorrow. I would reccomend that you try and get hold of a copy of 'Lorraine Squadron' by Paul Lambert, it was published in the 50's but i got one cheaply from Amazon a couple of years ago.

Rob

[PB]

May 5, 2022 13:06:25 GMT paulm said:

Hello all,

I have just joined the site as I am searching for any information relating to the Free French squadrons based at Blackbushe during WW2. My father was one of those men!
His name was Gerry Morel and he was a rear gunner/wireless operator in a Boston bomber.
Any help as to how to find out more would be appreciated as he married a Sandhurst girl (my mother).
Many thanks. Paul Morel

Hello Paul, and welcome to the Blackbushe Forum..

Have you read "Lorraine Squadron" by Paul Lambermont? Published by Cassell & Co Ltd, London. First published in the UK in 1956, it gives superb account of 342's life in action. You might find a copy on ebay, I found mine in that way.

In 1963 a French Air Force Dakota landed at Blackbushe with a party of 342 Squadron crew members. They were no doubt dismayed to see the destruction carried out on the airfield by local council demolition gangs, but the old spirit of their days must still have been in the air.

My daily "Photo of the Day" on the Forum has of late included a couple of paragraphs relating to Blackbushe (RAF Hartford Bridge) and the early days when the airfield first became operational. I hope to continue this story for some while to come...including details of 342 Squadron's activity.

Best wishes,

Peter