Pierre Clostermann - tour expiration date

[keith A]

I note that according to "The Big Show" Clostermann was still with 602 Squadron until late July 1944 but most sources give his leaving date as 7 July 1944. Can anyone shed any more light on this? I appreciate there are several questions as to Clostermanns recollections of his time in the RAF (although this is still IMHO the best wartime autobiography around) but I am not sure why he would not be accurate. He definitely states he watched Le Roux lead the flight on the 17 July 1944 that shot up Rommels staff car.

As corroboration of the earlier date Clostermann states that he is leaving with Flt Frank Woolley on 27 July (another source gives Woolley as TE 4 July?).

regards

Keith

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The "Big Show" is certainly not an accurate historical account regarding dates, places and who did what or saw what. It is still a good read which provides an insight of the life of RAF pilots, and well written, but certainly not an history book.

[Allan125]

You beat me too it Laurent - a lot of people seem to accept it as 100% accurate, but of course it is just a well written read, of historical interest, but certainly not a history book.

My late father purchased the first English version of The Big Show when it came out, and we have the updated version, as it was at the time of first publication the first written record of the activities of 125 Airfield/125 Wing which he served on from May 1944 to July 1945, when it disbanded, after an immediate post-war tour at B.160 Kastrup/Copenhagen, and,like Clostermann, he was then posted to 122 Wing, which had replaced 125 Wing at B.160 Kastrup/Copenhagen.

cheers

Allan

[CJE]

The "Big Show" must be taken as it is: a novel.
Like Roald Dahl's book on his war with 80 Squadron.

[Brian]

Hi Chris

What makes you believe that Roald Dahl's book is fabrication?

Cheers
Brian

Hi all

Pierre Clostermann was taken ops for rest on 3 July 1944. He left Longues-sur-Mer (ALG B.11) for Great Britain on 7 July, on board LCT 322, and trained on a link trainer at No 5(P) AFU on 12 July.

Christophe