THE BELGIAN RAF PILOT WHO DEFIED THE GESTAPO

THE BELGIAN RAF PILOT WHO DEFIED THE GESTAPO. 
 By Marc Audrit.

On a busy Brussels junction there sits a monument with a golden bust of a wartime RAF pilot. It is situated in front of what was once the building that housed the Gestapo headquarters.
Here on the 20th January 1943 a lone RAF Hawker Typhoon flew low over the rooftops and attacked the Gestapo HQ. The building was riddled with bullets, killing several high ranking Germans inside.
This attack had not been authorised by the RAF, despite the pilot's repeated requests for permission.
Although praised, this brave but defiant act would also lead to this 'difficult' pilot's demotion and a transfer to another squadron. Back in Brussels,  his actions led to the Germans shooting sixty eight people in retaliation. 
So what made this pilot carry out such an attack, and who was Baron Jean Michel Paul Ghislain de Selys-Longchamps?

Jean's story is really quite incredible. As it seems, is that of his siblings. 
One of four children, his family were of Belgian nobility that dates back to the Romans.
In 1940 Jean was called-up as a reserve when the Germans invaded Belgium. Serving as a Cavalry officer, he would be commended for bravery during this period.
Being a very determined character, he refused to surrender when Belgium capitulated and having made his own way to the coast, he was eventually evacuated at Dunkirk.
On hearing that a Belgian unit was being formed to continue fighting in Southern France, he immediately requested to return to the Continent.
Following the French Armistice he would eventually returned to Britain again and soon after joined the RAF. 
Quite a story, even in this heavily edited form.

Always conscious of giving too much away, the book describes how Jean would switch from the Belgian Army to becoming a RAF pilot and what led to his solo mission over Belgium's capital in 1943.
Inside his logbook Jean pasted a small newspaper cut out that mentioned the raid.
Tragically Jean was killed later that year. In his home country, his bravery was remembered after the war and still his today. For that road junction in Brussels does now bear his name.

I only started the book 24 hours ago knowing nothing of Jean's story. It really was difficult to put down.
Packed with many fabulous photographs from the family's collection, this book has been a most enjoyable read. Jean clearly was an incredible and very determined man.
I definitely recommend this book to all.

The hardback book is available now published by Air World, an imprint of Pen and Sword Books. 
I thank P&S for this review copy. 



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