Other Forces

Belgian 'ace'

Story of Belgian 'ace',Count Rodolphe de Hemricourt de Grunne(1911-1941) During the Spanish Civil war he served in squadron 2-G-3,one of the best units of the Nationalists,the facist party of Franco.In less than a year,from 12th march 1938 till 2th januari 1939 ,he shot down 10 enemy planes in his Fiat CR-32 and accounted for 4 probable destroyed.After the Civil war ended Hemricourt turned his back on his facist friends.He was mobilised by the Belgian Army as a infantry soldier because he only had a civil flying certificate.This administrative error was soon rectified and at the beginning of 1940 he joined the Hurricane squadron at Diest(Belgium).On the 12th/3/1940 he intercepted a German bomber above Belgian territory but had to abandon the chase due to a mechanical failure.In may 1940 he became 'unemployed' for weeks because all Hurricanes had been destroyed on the ground.At the end of june 1940 he and some buddies escaped to England.Because of this experience he was instantly accepted in squadron 32,a Hurricane unit operating from Biggin Hill airfield.Our aristocratic adventurer got 3 more victories before on 28th april 1941 he was shot down over the Channel by a German fighter. Greetz,brummbar