Date of birth:

October 17th, 1918 (Ghent/East Flanders, Belgium)

Date of death:

January 9th, 1945 (Watford/Hertford, United Kingdom)

Nationality:

Belgian (1830-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Joseph De Puysseleyr was born in Gent on October 17th 1918. As a young boy he was already fascinated by flying and became a member of the Gent Aviation Club. When the Second World War broke out, he was following a Piloit training course with the Belgian Military Flying School Aé Mil. Through France he finally Oujda, Mrocco. After the Franch surrender hef leed to the United Kindom, where he arrived on August 5th 1940. He completed his training with the No. 58 Operational Training Unit (58 OTU) and was ordered to the No 131 Squadron on August 26th 1941.

After the Belgian No. 350 Squadron was formed, Joseph De Puysseleyr was also placed there (November 17th 1941), but already after a few days he left for the No. 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit (1 PRU).
During his stay in England he met Pearl Johanna Oxley kennen, with whom he married.

When returning from a mission on January 9th 1945, with the No. 541 Squadron over Berlin in his Spitfire PR IX, PL900, he crashed near Watford. Joseph F.V.R De Puysseleyr was buried on the St. Pirinus Ronsan Catholic Cemetery, at Dorchester, Oxford.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 1 Photo Reconnaissence Unit

Awarded on:

September 15th, 1943

Citation:
“This officer has successfully photographed enemy objectives ranging from places in Norway to the South of France. Despite frequent opposition from enemy fighters and ground defences, he has successfully completed his missions."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Citation:
"Excellent officer-pilot, part of a Photo-reconnaissance Unit. Has comleted more then 50 missions since March 15th 1942, with over 160 hours over German territory and by the enemy occupied country's, under constant enemy fire of Fighters and anti-aircraft guns. Amongst these dangerous missions, need to be mentioned the magnificent and well done ones over Norwegian and North-east German territory, after which the brought back intelligence infomration about the German War Fleet and the way the RAF bombing was effective."

Received in April 1943, with Palmes

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Posthumous awarded

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Posthumous awarded, with Palmes

• Photo 1: Serge Bonge
• Photo: Serge Bonge via Aeropedia
  
• -- Aeropedia
  - Tijdschrift "De Cronijke" maandblad van het St. Lievenscollege te Gent - 2° jaargang n° 5 aug. 1947