Jacques Andrieux
Encyclopedia
Jacques Andrieux is a French fighter ace
of the Second World War credited with 6 aerial victories.
and died in captivity.
According to some sources, Andrieux joined the French air force as a non-commissioned officer in 1937. Others contend that he was simply a private pilot and was drafted in the air force at the beginning of the war.
At the time of the invasion of France
, Andrieux was not an active pilot and did not take part in the fighting. Demobilised in August 1940, he fled on a fishing boat from Brittany to Great-Britain on 16 December 1940 and joined the Free French Air Force
.
Promoted to Lieutenant in 1943, he was posted to No. 91 Squadron
in April 1943 and shot down three more German fighters with this unit.
In June 1944 he joined No. 341 Squadron
, also known in French as Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace", with the rank of Captain. On 26 August 1944 he took command of the unit when Jacques-Henri Schloesing was killed in combat. During this period he destroyed another two German fighters, thus becoming a fighter ace
.
He ended the war with the rank of Wing Commander
commanding 80 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ouston
. His final claim total was 6 destroyed, 4 'probables' and 2 damaged.
, Morocco
until 1950. He then took command of the 2e Escadre de Chasse in Dijon
, France, and later of the 4e Brigade aérienne in Bremgarten
, Germany
.
He also commanded the 12e Escadre de Chasse in Cambrai.
He retired in 1970 with the rank of général de brigade aérienne and held various civilian positions.
He died on 21 January 2005 in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne where he was buried.
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
of the Second World War credited with 6 aerial victories.
Early life
Jacques Andrieux was the son of a military doctor, who was deported to Germany as a RésistantFrench Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
and died in captivity.
According to some sources, Andrieux joined the French air force as a non-commissioned officer in 1937. Others contend that he was simply a private pilot and was drafted in the air force at the beginning of the war.
At the time of the invasion of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, Andrieux was not an active pilot and did not take part in the fighting. Demobilised in August 1940, he fled on a fishing boat from Brittany to Great-Britain on 16 December 1940 and joined the Free French Air Force
Free French Air Force
The Free French Air Force was the air arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War.-Fighting for Free France — the FAFL in French North Africa :...
.
Wartime service
Posted to Oldiham as a trainee Sargeant pilot, after training he was assigned to No. 130 Squadron in September 1941, flying Spitfires. He achieved his first aerial victory by downing a Fw 190 near Cherbourg 28 February 1943.Promoted to Lieutenant in 1943, he was posted to No. 91 Squadron
No. 91 Squadron RAF
No 91 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force but is no longer operational. The name acknowledges the contribution made by Nigeria to the cost of the squadron's aeroplanes.-World War I:...
in April 1943 and shot down three more German fighters with this unit.
In June 1944 he joined No. 341 Squadron
No. 341 Squadron RAF
The No. 341 Squadron also known in French as Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace", was a Free French squadron in the RAF during World War II.-History:No...
, also known in French as Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace", with the rank of Captain. On 26 August 1944 he took command of the unit when Jacques-Henri Schloesing was killed in combat. During this period he destroyed another two German fighters, thus becoming a fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
.
He ended the war with the rank of Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
commanding 80 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ouston
RAF Ouston
Royal Air Force Station Ouston, more commonly known as RAF Ouston, is a former air station that was located near the village of Heddon-on-the-Wall on Hadrian's Wall near Newcastle upon Tyne...
. His final claim total was 6 destroyed, 4 'probables' and 2 damaged.
Postwar service
After the war, he continued a career in the French air force. He commanded a fighter training unit in MeknèsMeknes
Meknes is a city in northern Morocco, located from the capital Rabat and from Fes. It is served by the A2 expressway between those two cities and by the corresponding railway. Meknes was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail , before it was relocated to Marrakech. The...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
until 1950. He then took command of the 2e Escadre de Chasse in Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
, France, and later of the 4e Brigade aérienne in Bremgarten
Bremgarten
The name Bremgarten may refer to several places:*In Germany**Bremgarten is a little village, near Freiburg im Breisgau , Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg*In Switzerland**Bremgarten bei Bern, in the Canton of Bern...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
He also commanded the 12e Escadre de Chasse in Cambrai.
He retired in 1970 with the rank of général de brigade aérienne and held various civilian positions.
He died on 21 January 2005 in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne where he was buried.
Medals and awards
- Grand Croix of the French Légion d'HonneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
- Compagnon de la Libération
- Grand Croix of the Ordre National du MériteOrdre National du MériteThe Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
- Croix de GuerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
1939-45 with 13 citations - Croix de la Valeur MilitaireCroix de la Valeur MilitaireThe Croix de la Valeur Militaire is a military decoration of France that recognizes individual holding a mention in Dispatches earned in theaters of operations which are not subject to the award of the Croix de guerre....
with two citations - Médaille de l'AéronautiqueMédaille de l'AéronautiqueThe Médaille de l'Aéronautique is an order of merit created on 14 February 1945.-History:Before the Second World War, it was envisioned to create an award similar to the Order of Maritime Merit, an Order of Merit, Air, intended for personal civil and military aeronautics. But the war put an end to...
- Chevalier du Mérite agricoleMérite agricoleThe Ordre National du Mérite Agricole is an order of merit established in France on 7 July 1883 by Minister of Agriculture Jules Méline to reward services to agriculture...
- Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
with Bar (UK) - Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
(USA)
Writings
- Jacques Andrieux, Le ciel et l'enfer, Presses de la Cité, 1965
- Jacques Andrieux, Une poignée d'as