FRANçOIS, Robert

Stats:

rank: P/O
status: survived
airforce: RAF    (no: 163775 )
born: 1920-08-25 Hynot Belgium

added by: Adrian Dwyer

Robert 'Franky' François enlisted in the Belgian Armed Forces in Canada and was sent to the Centre d'Instruction Militaire Belge at Camp de la Joliette, 4 October 1941. Then sent to the Depot of the Aéronautique Militaire on 20 February, 1942, he joined theRAF/Depot at Regent's Park, 10 June 1942. Further training saw him joining: 17 ITW(04/07/1942), 6 EFTS (30/04/1943), 2 ACDC (28/05/1943), PDC-Ottawa (24/06/1943, 31 EFTS (12/07/1943), 34 SFTS (06/09/1943), 31 PDC (28/01/1944), 5 PAFU (06/04/1944) and 53 OTU (03/10/1944). Posted to 83 GSU on 19 December 1944. He then transferred to 350 (BE) Sqn at the beginning of 1945 - where he stayed till the end of the hostilities.

There is only one entry about him in the Squadron diary:

"23/01/1945 R. Huens is killed when attacking a convoy between St-Vith and Prüm.
R. Francois, J. Groensteen and C. Brahy joins the Squadron"

After the War he joined the Belgian Navy (capacity unknown).

Robert 'Franky' François passed away, at Ostend, on 31st August, 2012

Known awards
Croix des Evadés

[Note - his rank at the end of the war is awaiting confirmation]