DE WEVER, Roger
Stats:
rank: P/Ostatus: survived
airforce: RAF (no: 87692 )
born: 1917-05-20 Bordeaux France
added by: Adrian Dwyer
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Bio / Text:
Roger De Wever commenced his military career when he joined the Royal Military School in Belgium. Three years later he passed an Observer course in the Aéronautique Militaire and shortly afterwards converted to pilot. The invasion of the Germans obliged the Flying School to retreat to Capriquet in France. When France capitulated, the Flying School moved again to Oujda, Morocco. De Wever escaped to Great Britain via Gibraltar. When he arrived in Cardiff, he enlisted the RAFVR.
On August 26th, 1941, Roger, together with several other of his countrymen, was posted to 131 Squadron at Ternhill. One of the 131 Flights formed the nucleus of 350 (BE) squadron when Belgian pilots transferred on November 14th, 1941 (De Wever arrived, after a short leave, on 23 November 1941). After several months of training, the sqn was declared operational and moved to frontline ops.
De Wever performed his first operational sortie on the 5th May 1942. He named his plane "Stella Maris" after the daughter of a Scottish family, who accepted him as their own son when arriving from Belgium (Spitfire MK V - AA835 - MN-E). On June 29th, 1942, the squadron flew Circus 195 :escorting a formation of Boston's to Hazebrouck. The 350 engaged a formation of FW-190 and Roger, who saw a lone FW-190 and engaged him. His opponent, Fw Ernst Christof ( 1./JG26) managed to hit De Wever, whose plane started to dive to the sea. The squadron diary records the following: "29/06/1942 Circus 195: "Escort Cover" of 12 Boston to Hazebrouck. A clash with Fw-190's resulted in 2 confirmed kills for Picard. During the same melee, De Wever was shot down and made POW."
Roger succeeded to belly-land his plane in the near of the French Oye-Plage. Taken POW (POW number 482), a picture of him with his plane was published in "Der Adler" (copy here from Michel Beckers collection). Sent to Stalag III, he helped with the preparations for "The Great Escape" . Wever had already succeeded in escaping once before, during a visit to a swimming pool. Recaptured and isolated, he didn't manage to participate in "The Great Escape", which probably saved his life: most of the recaptured prisoners were executed by order of the Fuhrer, including his fellow squadron member F/Lt. Henri A Picard.
Liberated by the end of War, De Wever returned to the UK and joined the Belgian Section of the RAF. He married a WAAF and
stayed in the Belgian Air Force till 1964, when he retired as Lt-Colonel. He then returned to live in England, where he died on the 1st May 1990. Roger "Foel "de Wever is buried at Lowestoft.
Known awards
[note: wartime rank tbc; date joined tbc]
(Information kindly provided by Cynrik De Decker)
On August 26th, 1941, Roger, together with several other of his countrymen, was posted to 131 Squadron at Ternhill. One of the 131 Flights formed the nucleus of 350 (BE) squadron when Belgian pilots transferred on November 14th, 1941 (De Wever arrived, after a short leave, on 23 November 1941). After several months of training, the sqn was declared operational and moved to frontline ops.
De Wever performed his first operational sortie on the 5th May 1942. He named his plane "Stella Maris" after the daughter of a Scottish family, who accepted him as their own son when arriving from Belgium (Spitfire MK V - AA835 - MN-E). On June 29th, 1942, the squadron flew Circus 195 :escorting a formation of Boston's to Hazebrouck. The 350 engaged a formation of FW-190 and Roger, who saw a lone FW-190 and engaged him. His opponent, Fw Ernst Christof ( 1./JG26) managed to hit De Wever, whose plane started to dive to the sea. The squadron diary records the following: "29/06/1942 Circus 195: "Escort Cover" of 12 Boston to Hazebrouck. A clash with Fw-190's resulted in 2 confirmed kills for Picard. During the same melee, De Wever was shot down and made POW."
Roger succeeded to belly-land his plane in the near of the French Oye-Plage. Taken POW (POW number 482), a picture of him with his plane was published in "Der Adler" (copy here from Michel Beckers collection). Sent to Stalag III, he helped with the preparations for "The Great Escape" . Wever had already succeeded in escaping once before, during a visit to a swimming pool. Recaptured and isolated, he didn't manage to participate in "The Great Escape", which probably saved his life: most of the recaptured prisoners were executed by order of the Fuhrer, including his fellow squadron member F/Lt. Henri A Picard.
Liberated by the end of War, De Wever returned to the UK and joined the Belgian Section of the RAF. He married a WAAF and
stayed in the Belgian Air Force till 1964, when he retired as Lt-Colonel. He then returned to live in England, where he died on the 1st May 1990. Roger "Foel "de Wever is buried at Lowestoft.
Known awards
[note: wartime rank tbc; date joined tbc]
(Information kindly provided by Cynrik De Decker)
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