WORCESTER author and Battle of Britain authority Dilip Sarkar and TV personality Jan Leeming have combined to produce a fascinating new book about a Second World War Spitfire ace who was a member of the Free French forces that had a training centre at Ribbesford House, Bewdley.

To be fair, virtually all the leg work leading to the publication of Free French Spitfire Hero (Pen and Sword £18.25) was done by Jan. After offering to sponsor a name on the Sir Christopher  Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall at the Battle of Britain Memorial at Folkstone in Kent, she was allocated, quite randomly a French airman called René Mouchotte.

It was Jan’s diligent and extensive research into his background that produced first a TV documentary and now a book. In the course of seeking publication, she encountered Dilip, himself author of more than 40 books on the Battle of Britain and the Spitfire and his ears instantly pricked up.

He immediately contacted his publishers and Free French Spitfire Hero was born. The book is based on Mouchotte’s own war diaries and cover’s Jan’s “search for Rene” as well as containing a foreword by Lord Peter Ricketts, Britain’s former Ambassador to France, with Dilip providing the preface.

He said: “Jan provides a deeply moving account of her personal journey, resulting in what amounts to what my good friend Professor Bernard-Marie Dupont, coincidentally also a Frenchman, once described as a ‘posthumous friendship’. This is powerful.

“That the story of this Free French Spitfire pilot, killed long ago, has so touched the heart of and moved someone who never met him in life, is extraordinary. This is a prime example of the sacrifices of these airmen still having currency and the ability to move and inspire. It is especially fitting that Jan’s  connection was with a Frenchman, because hopefully this book, which has arisen from it, will inspire further interest in the wartime exploits of these brave Free French pilots that remain comparatively unknown, unlike, say, that of the Poles, which is now a well-trodden path."

René Mouchotte was born on August 21,1914, at Saint Mande, Paris. He  joined the Armée de l’Air for his period of military service in 1934, obtaining  his flying brevet.

Though Mouchotte returned to civilian life, he was called up at the outbreak of war in 1939, becoming a Sergeant-Pilot instructor in North Africa. When  France capitulated in June 1940, Mouchotte and fellow pilot Charles Guerin  decided to make their way to the United Kingdom and were accepted into the RAF  soon after their arrival.

The Battle of Britain was already several weeks old when Mouchotte was  posted to 245 Squadron, then based at Aldergrove, in September 1940.  A week later he transferred to 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron at Prestwick. 

Flying Hurricanes, it was with 615 Squadron that Mouchotte became a flight  commander, shot down a Junkers Ju 88, and earned a Croix de Guerre.

He  moved to Turnhouse as Deputy ‘A’ Flight Commander with 340 (Free French)  Squadron. He was promoted to captain in March 1942 and awarded the  DFC. In January 1943, Mouchotte returned to Turnhouse to form and command 341 Squadron, which transferred to Biggin Hill. On May 15 1943,  Mouchette and Squadron Leader E.F.J Charles shared the sector’s 1000th victory.

However on August 27, 1943 Mouchotte failed to return from a bomber escort to the proposed V2 launch  site at Eperlecques, near St. Omer. He was reported  ‘Missing’ but later evidence emerged that his body had been washed up on the  beach at Middelkerke, Belgium.

Jan said: “My search for Rene has been a wonderful journey. Along the way I have made many friends and become a member of the extended RAF family. I am very grateful to all who have helped me and given unstintingly of their time. But for them the story may never have been told and certainly the reproduction of the diaries, with extra historical context and the record of my personal journey, would not have come to fruition. Thank you all and God Bless you Rene Mouchotte.”