CUSTERS, Albert M.J.

Stats:

rank: F/L
status: survived
airforce: RAF    (no: 87703 )
born: 1915-09-30 Clermont - sur - Berwinne Belgium

added by: Adrian Dwyer

Custers joined the Belgian Army before the war and volunteered for the Aé Mil: in which he trained as an observer in 1939. After the German invasion (10th May 1940), he was evacuated to France, and later to French Morocco (Oujda). In August 1940 Custers joined with the Belgian Air Force Schools in the move to the UK [the exact date he joined the RAF is in some doubt]. After training, he flew first with Coastal Command (43 Squadron?). During one operation his plane crashed in the sea - leading to an acute phobia of flying over the sea. He was posted in from 43 Sqn to the 350 (Belgian) Fighter Squadron on November 14, 1941.

On 26/08/1942, the Squadron diary notes that Albert Custers left 350 and joined Training Command as an Instructor in a OTU. Striving to return to ops, he retrained to fly Mosquitos and, in the summer of 1944, Custers joined 219 Sqn (where he formed a flying partnership with F/O Mc NAMARA). On 12th March 1945, he completed his tour with 219 but elected to remain in the Squadron. At the War's end he joined the Belgian Air Force

Flt/Lt Custers died at Caire, Egypt on 28 January 1997.

(source: J-L Roba and André Bar)

Known decorations:
Commander in the Order of the Crown, Commander in the Order of Leopold II,
Officer in the Order of Leopold II, Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm,
Belgian Military Cross, Evader Cross