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Reklama
Lieutenant René Pommier-Layrargues
(1916 - 5. 6. 1940)
French fighter pilot in World War II, 6 kills.
Trained 1937-1939. During the "Strange War" and the Battle of France in 1940, member of Groupe de Chasse II/7, which he joined 12.3.1940. He started his service on Morane M.S.406, after rearmament of the unit he flew on Dewoitine D.520.
He achieved his first victory on 11 May 1940, when he was one of sixteen GC II/7 fighters who "executed" a He 111 bomber.
He became famous when on 5 June 1940 in the early evening he shot down Hauptmann Werner Mölders, then Gruppenkommandeur III.JG 53 "Pik As" and the Luftwaffe's most successful fighter to date. It was his fifth victory. He shot down one more German fighter in the continuing battle, but then succumbed to superior numbers and perished in the wreckage of his Dewoitine D.520 (No 266) near the Marissel (Oise) bridgehead.
He was twenty-three (or twenty-four) years old at the time of his death.
Air victories: 11. 05. 1940 He 111 19 May 1940 Do 17 24. 05. 1940 He 111 25 May 1940 He 111 05. 06. 1940 Bf 109 (Mölders) 05. 06. 1940 Bf 109.
So, in total 6 confirmed kills, the first 4 in cooperation with other fighters.
Notes: 1. At the time of his death he held the rank of Sous.Lt (Second Lieutenant). 2. The time of W. Mölders' shoot-down is usually given as 18:40, but other dates appear, e.g. 16:30 or 17:00 (this inconsistency is to some extent also due to different time zones - England vs. Germany etc.). 3. In Montpellier, a street is named after him (rue Pommier Layrargues). 4. His family name appears in different sources in a total of four variants: (a) Pomier-Layrargues b) Pomier Layrargues c) Pommier Layrargues d) Pommier-Layrargues.
Sources: FORELL, F. von 1995: Mölders. Translated by P. Wagner. Mustang, Pilsen, pp. 47-53. MARTIN, J. - MARTIN P. 2001: La chute du capitaine Mölders. Available from: http://aerostories.free.fr/events/moelders/ RAJLICH, J. 1998: In the sky of sweet France. War diary of Czechoslovak airmen in the service of the French Air Force 1939-1945. part 2. ARES, Prague, pp. 22-23. ŠNAJDR, M. 2000: The Fall of Paris. Air war in ten days of June 1940 Votobia, Olomouc, p. 95.
Lt. René Pommier Layrargues (via aerostories.free.fr)
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Pommier-Layrargues-Rene-t15531#201463
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