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Gonay, Henri Alphonse Clement

Date of birth:
June 21st, 1913 (Theux/Verviers, Belgium)
Date of death:
June 14th, 1944 (Jersey/Channel Islands, Great-Britain)
Buried on:
Field of Honour Brussels City Cemetery
Nationality:
Belgian (1830-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Promotions:
May 31st, 1933: Caporal/Korporaal;
July 12th, 1940: Pilot Officer;
?: Flying Officer;
1941: Acting Flight Lieutenant;

Career:
November 1931: Belgian Airforce;
March 23rd, 1932: Brevet Civil, St. Hubert;
March 26th, 1932: Brevet élémentaire;
May 24th, 1933: 2eme Regiment de Chasse, Schaffen;
November 1938: Vliegschool Wavelgem;
1940: Adjutant 3eme Escadrille, Deurne;
June 23rd, 1940: England;
July 12th, 1940: No. 5 Operational Training Unit, Aston Down;
August 5th, 1940: No. 235 Squadron;
August 23rd, 1940: French-Belgian Flying School, Odiham;
June 23rd, 1941: No. 58 Operational Training Unit;
?: No. 123 Squadron, Drem;
?: No. 64 Squadron;
September 28th, 1941: Flight Commander B Flight, No. 131 Squadron;
October 14th, 1941: No. 350 Squadron;
April 17th, 1942: No. 232 Squadron, Atcham;
August 31st, 1942 - September 1943: Commanding Officer No. 129 Squadron;
?: Central Gunnery School;
February 24th, 1944: Commanding Officer No. 263 Squadron.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
July 21st, 1941
Croix de Guerre 1940
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Flight Lieutenant
Unit:
No. 232 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
August 19th, 1942
Citation:
"Belgian Pilot Officer that led his squadron in an exellent way during three attacks on Dieppe, and that flying at a low altitude, assured the safety of the groundforces and fought off attacks of enemy bombers in an excellent way."

Received with bronze palme.
Croix de Guerre (1939-1945)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Squadron Leader
Unit:
No. 263 (Fellowship of the Bellows) Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
July 2nd, 1944
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Citation:
"Squadron Leader H. Gonay has completed 138 operational sorties and has displayed outstanding ability, courage and determination which have contributed largely to the successes achieved by his squadron. Squadron Leader Gonay has destroyed one enemy aircraft and damaged further three. He has also sunk a l00 ton support vessel".

Sources

  • Photo 1: Tom MacNeill
  • - Dillien, A., Promotions de Pilotes Militaires Belges, 31-07-2005
    - Het huis der vleugels

Photo