Other Forces

An amazing story

SOservice

Belgian warhero Michel'aka Mike' Donnet died thursday age 96.General at rest Donnet was a RAF pilot during WW2 and will be remembered for his Hollywood style escape to reach England. 20 year old Michel,just having secured his flying brevet,set of for war on 1939.Alas the war starts out very bad for him since he is made pow and gets locked up in a German camp till early 1941 when he's released. He's been dreaming of becoming a RAF fighterpilot for years,but getting across the Channel seems a hopeless task.That is untill he learns about an airfield in Hoeilaart(Belgium) where a SV-4B is supposed to be.The trainer however is dismantled in a closed barn and under German guard. Still Donnet and a fellow pilot Leon Divoy believe they can make their escape with the SV-4B.They call in the help of the resistance and start by making new keys to get in the barn. For the next 2 months the 2 friends ride their bycicles each day(for 3 hours) from Brussels to Hoeilaart and back the other way at night.Under the noses of the German guards they succeed in refitting the instrument panel of the plane and distille fuel.They completely make the aircraft airworthy. Btw,a replica of the aircraft can be seen in the Belgian Army Museum at the Jubelpark in Brussels. They have to abort a first attemt at escaping with the plane.But on july 4th 1941 they manage to throw off the guards and reach England after 2,5 hours of flight. Once there Donnet joins the RAF, flies 375 missions and downs 4 enemy planes.He commands '350 squadron',the first Belgian squadron in England.He's also rewarded the DFC. After the war Donnet climbs the ladder in the Belgian Airforce to retire a Luitenant-General in 1975. Army Chief Gerard Van Caelenberge,a pilot himself,announced that for the funeral in Brussels next monday,4 F-16's will fly a Missing Man formation in honour of General Donnet. Donnet's spectacular escape got a Hollywood'eyewink' when Steven Spielberg let Indiana Jones and his father escape in the same type of plane ;) Greetz,brummbar