HOORNAERT, Roger
Stats:
rank: F/Ostatus: survived
airforce: RAF (no: 128392 )
born: 1921-04-04 Etterbeek Belgium
added by: Adrian Dwyer
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Bio / Text:
On 4 September 1939 Roger Hoornaert took a voluntary engagement for 2 years to the Aéronautique Militaire Belge and was admited to 82 Promotion at the Pilot School of Wevelghem. 13 May 1940 saw his unit leaving for France. In short order the Pilot School passed into French Morocco (Oujda). From there he escaped to Great Britain. Arriving on 5 August 1940 he enrolled into the Belgian Forces and sent to train at RAF Depot - St.Athans (13 Aug 40) from where he was transferred to EFTS at Odiham (02 Nov 40). On 15 February 1941 he joined the SFTS at Ternhill followed by the OTU at Grangemouth (02 Jun 41).
F/S Hoornaert, was posted to 234 Sqn on 17 July 1941. Further postings saw him joining N°2 Delivery Flight (10 Sep 41), 66 Sqn (06 Apr 42), 60 Sqn (15 Jun 42) - where he was promoted to P/O - and 91 Sqn (25 Jan 43).
Rested and freshly promoted F/O, Hoornaert jbecame a test pilot the Aeroplane Armement Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down (10 Sep 43). In 1944 he was posted to 349 Sqn (20 Mar), but soon departed for the RAF Belgian Depot (24 Mar 44) and finally arrived at 350 (BE) Sqn on 22 June 1944, becoming Flight Commander. The Squadron diary notes the following:
22/06/1944 - R. Hoornaert, after a tour as "Test Pilot" joined the Squadron, accompanied by H. Smets returning from a rest. YOKE patrol, Cherbourg heavily bombed. EASY patrol. VICTOR patrol. Dusk patrol Eastern section of the beach head.
18/12/1944 - R. Hoornaert, having an engine failure, manages to land in friendly lines
02/03/1945 - During a Sweep with 130 (Punjab) Squadron in the region Rheine - Münster, the formation of 15 Spitfires met a formation of a dozen Me-109 with R. Hoornaert, J. Groensteen and "Boam" Lambrechts claiming each one destroyed, E. Pauwels claiming one damaged. Several pilots ending their operational tour leaves the Squadron: Both Flight Commanders F. Verpoorten and J. Lavigne, two Deputy Flight CO, A. Van Wersch and R. Duchateau. Leaving also: R. Vanderveken, R. Bladt, J. Mehuys, R. Jaminé and L. Verbeeck.
Hoornaert was shot down on 04 April 1945, he crashed near Lingen and made POW. Repatriated on 12 May 1945, he was sent to 106 Personnel Receiving Center - Cosford. The next day he joined 30 Belgian Rest and Leave Centre Camp at Goring. Posted to Headquarters Transport Command (19 Sep 45).
He was discharged from RAF on 18 April 1946 and joined SABENA: finished his career with SOBELAIR. During his last flight with Sobelair, he made a successful forced landing at Sant Cruz Airfield - Tenerife - with a B-707-329 (c/n17627 OO-SJE - the nosewheel collapsed and the plane was destroyed by fire. Due to his skill as a pilot there were no casualties.
Roger Hoornaert died at L'Escala (Spain), 28 September 1997.
(source: Guy De Win)
Known awards
Knight in the Order of the Crown with Palm, Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm, French Croix de Guerre 1940 with Bronze Palm, 1939-1943 Star
His claims in combat are :
02/03/1945 1 Me-109 Sweep: Rheine-Munster
F/S Hoornaert, was posted to 234 Sqn on 17 July 1941. Further postings saw him joining N°2 Delivery Flight (10 Sep 41), 66 Sqn (06 Apr 42), 60 Sqn (15 Jun 42) - where he was promoted to P/O - and 91 Sqn (25 Jan 43).
Rested and freshly promoted F/O, Hoornaert jbecame a test pilot the Aeroplane Armement Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down (10 Sep 43). In 1944 he was posted to 349 Sqn (20 Mar), but soon departed for the RAF Belgian Depot (24 Mar 44) and finally arrived at 350 (BE) Sqn on 22 June 1944, becoming Flight Commander. The Squadron diary notes the following:
22/06/1944 - R. Hoornaert, after a tour as "Test Pilot" joined the Squadron, accompanied by H. Smets returning from a rest. YOKE patrol, Cherbourg heavily bombed. EASY patrol. VICTOR patrol. Dusk patrol Eastern section of the beach head.
18/12/1944 - R. Hoornaert, having an engine failure, manages to land in friendly lines
02/03/1945 - During a Sweep with 130 (Punjab) Squadron in the region Rheine - Münster, the formation of 15 Spitfires met a formation of a dozen Me-109 with R. Hoornaert, J. Groensteen and "Boam" Lambrechts claiming each one destroyed, E. Pauwels claiming one damaged. Several pilots ending their operational tour leaves the Squadron: Both Flight Commanders F. Verpoorten and J. Lavigne, two Deputy Flight CO, A. Van Wersch and R. Duchateau. Leaving also: R. Vanderveken, R. Bladt, J. Mehuys, R. Jaminé and L. Verbeeck.
Hoornaert was shot down on 04 April 1945, he crashed near Lingen and made POW. Repatriated on 12 May 1945, he was sent to 106 Personnel Receiving Center - Cosford. The next day he joined 30 Belgian Rest and Leave Centre Camp at Goring. Posted to Headquarters Transport Command (19 Sep 45).
He was discharged from RAF on 18 April 1946 and joined SABENA: finished his career with SOBELAIR. During his last flight with Sobelair, he made a successful forced landing at Sant Cruz Airfield - Tenerife - with a B-707-329 (c/n17627 OO-SJE - the nosewheel collapsed and the plane was destroyed by fire. Due to his skill as a pilot there were no casualties.
Roger Hoornaert died at L'Escala (Spain), 28 September 1997.
(source: Guy De Win)
Known awards
Knight in the Order of the Crown with Palm, Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm, French Croix de Guerre 1940 with Bronze Palm, 1939-1943 Star
His claims in combat are :
02/03/1945 1 Me-109 Sweep: Rheine-Munster
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