Another World War II ace passed away recently. Raymond "Cheval" Lallemant, one of Belgium's leading World War II Aces, died after a long period of illness on 30th January 2008.

Lallemant is perhaps best remembered for pioneering the Allied "tank-busting" tactics flying the Hawker Typhoon.

Lallemant was one of the Belgian pilots that in 1940 escaped to France and later to Britain. When he arrived in England, his training hadn't been completed, so Lallemant was initially posted to an RAF flying school. In September 1941, he was assigned to No. 609 Squadron at Biggin Hill. He flew with Spitfires Mk. I and Mk. V.

In 1942, No. 609 Squadron became one of the first to re-equip with the then-newest RAF fighter, the Hawker Typhoon. It is on this aircraft that Lallemant really showed his ability, shooting down five Focke Wulf Fw 190s and being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in March 1943.

Promoted to Flight Lieutenant, he was posted to No. 198 Squadron, also on Typhoons, as a flight commander. With this unit, Lallemant destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 110 and shared another.
In August 1944, he was promoted to Sqn/Ldr and became the CO of No. 609 Squadron. The unit took very active part in the battle of the hedgerows in Normandy and the Falaise pocket.

He was nearly killed on 14 September 1944. Lallemant's aircraft was shot down by flak over Arnhem and crashed into the ground with him trapped in the cockpit. He suffered severe burns and spent several months in the hospital. For his exploits in France he was awarded the second DFC.

Returning to active duty, Lallemant became CO of the No. 349 (Belgium) Squadron in Holland, flying on Spitfires. This squadron remained in as part of the occupation forces in Germany until being transferred back under the Belgian control on 24 October 1946.

After the war, Lallemant remained with the Belgian Air Force. He retired from active service in 1972 as a colonel. He passed away at the age of 88.

Labels: history