#fighter command

Spitfire MK.IX

Spitfire Sunset

2 August 1940. Operation Hurry: First delivery of Hawker Hurricane fighters to Malta. 12 aircraft were flown from the aircraft carrier HMS Argus and all arrived safely.

Fighter pilot of the 1st separate air regiment of Fighting France "Normandy" Didier Beguin (1918 - 1944).Béguin was one of the first French fighter pilots to join the Free French movement. In July 1940, he was included in the Royal Air Force

On April 1, 1941, he was awarded the rank of second lieutenant, and on September 24, 1941, the rank of lieutenant. From August 1942, he took part in combat operations against German aviation.

On August 23, 1942, he volunteered for the Normandy fighter group and was among the first fourteen pilots to arrive in the Soviet Union on December 28, 1942.

On September 25, 1943, he received the rank of captain. He commanded the 2nd Le Havre Squadron of the Normandy Air Regiment. In air battles on the Eastern front, he shot down seven German aircraft.

On 16 February 1944 he returned to England and continued his service with the 1st Air Force of the "Fighting France". He commanded the "Strasbourg" squadron. He took part in battles on the Western Front. He destroyed one enemy aircraft

He died on 26 November 1944 while carrying out a combat mission near the town of Wesel. His Spitfire Mk.IX was hit by an anti-aircraft shell and fell to the ground in flames. In total, during his participation in combat operations, he made 415 combat sorties.1943