Update: A few years ago I posted a piece about the Normandie-Niemen squadron having stumbled across a museum at their old air base in Les Andelys a few years ago. Last month I visited Kaliningrad in Russia and found a memorial to the squadron in the centre of town. I've added a picture of the memorial to my original posting (top picture).
A day trip to Les Andelys brought an unexpected surprise last week. The town is home to the Normandie-Niemen Squadron Museum. Marcel Leferve, one of the pilots came from the town and when he died a few years ago, the museum was set up to commemorate his memory and that of the other brave Frenchmen who flew with the Russians on the Eastern Front. The squadron flew 5,240 missions and achieved 273 confirmed victories. Of the 96 pilots who fought, 42 never returned and are commemorated on the photo panel below. The Squadron still exists.
For the full photo set, click here.
A day trip to Les Andelys brought an unexpected surprise last week. The town is home to the Normandie-Niemen Squadron Museum. Marcel Leferve, one of the pilots came from the town and when he died a few years ago, the museum was set up to commemorate his memory and that of the other brave Frenchmen who flew with the Russians on the Eastern Front. The squadron flew 5,240 missions and achieved 273 confirmed victories. Of the 96 pilots who fought, 42 never returned and are commemorated on the photo panel below. The Squadron still exists.
For the full photo set, click here.