Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Thanks Rolf!

German only isn't a problem, I'll start looking for your book.

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

StevenR:

There are four books in French by Daniel Decot which cover French post-Vichy operations in the Med, or Med-based:

Pilotes Français sur l'Afrique du Nord et la Corse, pub. 2000, 525 pages
Pilotes Français sur l'Italie, pub. 2005, 607 pages
Pilotes Français sur la vallée du Rhône, pub. 1982, 413 pages
Pilotes Français sur L'Alsace et L'Allemagne, pub. 1990, 701 pages

Italy is very hard to locate; the others can be found on AbeBooks. Not sure off hand which of Rhône or L'Alsace you want for this specific question.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Thank you, Frank!

Looking for both actually, as I have nothing on either (yet).

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

The Decot book describing these fights is "Pilotes Français sur L'Alsace et L'Allemagne, pub. 1990, 701 pages". 24 Dec is pages 218-221 (much details), 26 Dec pages 229-230 (not many details). But the book only shows the French point of view (and is in French).

The German book "Brennendes Land" by Fred Trendle also describes both battles, with less details from French side but by mixing French and German sources (I never noticed it before, but this book has no page numbers...).

By the way, neither book gives Doillon Spitfire's serial.

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Thank you very much, Laurent!

I'll be ordering at least a couple of the books mentioned in this thread early next week. I like to have both sides' point of view.

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Steve & Laurent,

Serial of the Spifire for DOILLON Jean, Marie, Simon (1911-1944)
is MJ176.

Bertrand

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Bertrand,
Can you confirm the unit of MJ176 when it was lost please? - GC II/7?
Thanks,
Andy

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Thanks Bertrand

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Yes. French archives; GC 2/7, 4ème escadrille.

Re: JG53 casualties 24 and 26 December 1944.
 

Bertrand

I can't find MJ176 listed anywhere as transferred to Armée de l'Air.
What are the sources for this in France besides French archives?
Does this source state the full ex RAF serial or just 176?
If Air Britain's MA100-MZ999 booklet is correct, it was last used by 602Sq and sent for repairs 21 Oct 1944 and after that no further trace.

Cheers
Stig