VAN LEERBERGHE, Jean
Stats:
rank: F/Sgtstatus: survived
airforce: RAF (no: 171435 )
born: 1921-04-21 Liège Belgium
added by: Adrian Dwyer
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Bio / Text:
Jean 'L'abbé' Van Leerberghe (sometimes recorded as van Lerberghe)
On 24 May 1940, Van Leerberghe was assigned to to 85 Promotion and arrived at at Oujda in French Morocco on 01 June. He escaped to Britain (with a group led by Capt Cajot) and joined the BelgianForces in Great Britain on 05 August 1940 (the day he arrived). His training involved time at: RAF Depot - ST.Athan (13 Aug 40), EFTS - Odiham (02 Nov 40), SFTS - Ternhill (14 May 41) and 61 OTU (20 Aug 41).
Posted as F/Sgt to 122 Sqn (07 Oct 41)and 24 Sqn (18 Oct 41), he was posted to 350 (BE) Sqn on 14 November 1941. The Squadron diary notes the following:
16-18/11/1941 - Further complement of pilots arrive from other Squadron's and OTU: J. Carlier (Fl/Co), J. Van Leerberghe, L. Peeters, J., R. Alexandre, L. Heimes, A. Custers, J. Hansez, H. Limet, A. Michiels, F. Venesoen, R. Schrobiltgen and
H. Van Moffaert.
19/08/1942 - Dieppe: 1st mission: take off at 07.20 a.m. Above Dieppe 350 Squadron met a dozen Fw-190, resulting in a destroyed Fw-190 for the "Duke", a shared for H. Picard and E. Plas and a damaged one for L. Flohimont. H. Marchal was hit and had to bale out and was made a POW. The second sortie which took off at 11 a.m. was also successful: 3 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen, A. Boussa and R. Alexandre) and 4 and 1 shared damaged (F. Boute: 1 and 1 shared with G. Seydel and A. Boussa, R. Alexandre and the "Duke", each damaged one).The third mission at 12.20 p.m. saw a Ju-88 destroyed in co-operation by H. Smets, F. Boute, A. Plisnier and J. Van Leerberghe. The last mission of the day saw 12 Spitfires taking off at 15.15 and again the squadron were successful with 2 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen and A. Plisnier) and 4 Fw-190 and one Do-217 damaged (G. Seydel, L. Flohimont, E. Plas, R. Alexandre and J. Van Leerberghe).
08/06/1943 - Several pilots are transferred to the reactivated 349 (Belgian) Squadron that will be led by S/Ldr Y. Du Monceau de Bergendael: C. Brahy, J. Groensteen, G. Seydel, J. Van Leerberghe, and L. Verbeeck.
After almost two-years, Van Lerberghe left for 349 Sqn. Further postings saw him move to 309 FTU & PRU (23 Sep 43), 269 Sqn (23 Sept 43), aircraft carrier H.M.S PREMIER (28 Mar 44), 269 Sqn (04 Apr 44), BelgianDepot (21 Jul 44), 84 GSU (08 Aug 44), 349 Sqn (16 Sep 44), 127 Sqn (13 Nov 44), Belgian Depot (17 Nov 44), 7 Flying Instructor School (23 Nov 44), 10 Flying Instructor School (26 Feb 45), where he served until War ended.
Discharged from RAF on 01 October 1946 he joined the new Belgian Air Force, where he served until 1966.
Jean 'L'abbé' Van Leerberghe died at Woluwé St.Lambert (Brussels) on 12 March 1997.
(source: Guy De Win & Philippe Deman)
Known awards
Knight (with Palm ) - Officer in the Order of the Crown, Knight - Officer in the Order of Léopold, Knight - Officer in the Order of Léopold II, Croix de Guerre 1940 with Bronze Lion, Croix des Evadés, 1939 - 1945 Star, Aircrew Europe Star with Silver Rosette, Defence Medal, Médaille de la France Libérée,
His claims in combat are :
19/08/1942 1/4 Ju-88
19/08/1942 1 Do-217 Damaged
On 24 May 1940, Van Leerberghe was assigned to to 85 Promotion and arrived at at Oujda in French Morocco on 01 June. He escaped to Britain (with a group led by Capt Cajot) and joined the BelgianForces in Great Britain on 05 August 1940 (the day he arrived). His training involved time at: RAF Depot - ST.Athan (13 Aug 40), EFTS - Odiham (02 Nov 40), SFTS - Ternhill (14 May 41) and 61 OTU (20 Aug 41).
Posted as F/Sgt to 122 Sqn (07 Oct 41)and 24 Sqn (18 Oct 41), he was posted to 350 (BE) Sqn on 14 November 1941. The Squadron diary notes the following:
16-18/11/1941 - Further complement of pilots arrive from other Squadron's and OTU: J. Carlier (Fl/Co), J. Van Leerberghe, L. Peeters, J., R. Alexandre, L. Heimes, A. Custers, J. Hansez, H. Limet, A. Michiels, F. Venesoen, R. Schrobiltgen and
H. Van Moffaert.
19/08/1942 - Dieppe: 1st mission: take off at 07.20 a.m. Above Dieppe 350 Squadron met a dozen Fw-190, resulting in a destroyed Fw-190 for the "Duke", a shared for H. Picard and E. Plas and a damaged one for L. Flohimont. H. Marchal was hit and had to bale out and was made a POW. The second sortie which took off at 11 a.m. was also successful: 3 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen, A. Boussa and R. Alexandre) and 4 and 1 shared damaged (F. Boute: 1 and 1 shared with G. Seydel and A. Boussa, R. Alexandre and the "Duke", each damaged one).The third mission at 12.20 p.m. saw a Ju-88 destroyed in co-operation by H. Smets, F. Boute, A. Plisnier and J. Van Leerberghe. The last mission of the day saw 12 Spitfires taking off at 15.15 and again the squadron were successful with 2 Fw-190 destroyed (F. Venesoen and A. Plisnier) and 4 Fw-190 and one Do-217 damaged (G. Seydel, L. Flohimont, E. Plas, R. Alexandre and J. Van Leerberghe).
08/06/1943 - Several pilots are transferred to the reactivated 349 (Belgian) Squadron that will be led by S/Ldr Y. Du Monceau de Bergendael: C. Brahy, J. Groensteen, G. Seydel, J. Van Leerberghe, and L. Verbeeck.
After almost two-years, Van Lerberghe left for 349 Sqn. Further postings saw him move to 309 FTU & PRU (23 Sep 43), 269 Sqn (23 Sept 43), aircraft carrier H.M.S PREMIER (28 Mar 44), 269 Sqn (04 Apr 44), BelgianDepot (21 Jul 44), 84 GSU (08 Aug 44), 349 Sqn (16 Sep 44), 127 Sqn (13 Nov 44), Belgian Depot (17 Nov 44), 7 Flying Instructor School (23 Nov 44), 10 Flying Instructor School (26 Feb 45), where he served until War ended.
Discharged from RAF on 01 October 1946 he joined the new Belgian Air Force, where he served until 1966.
Jean 'L'abbé' Van Leerberghe died at Woluwé St.Lambert (Brussels) on 12 March 1997.
(source: Guy De Win & Philippe Deman)
Known awards
Knight (with Palm ) - Officer in the Order of the Crown, Knight - Officer in the Order of Léopold, Knight - Officer in the Order of Léopold II, Croix de Guerre 1940 with Bronze Lion, Croix des Evadés, 1939 - 1945 Star, Aircrew Europe Star with Silver Rosette, Defence Medal, Médaille de la France Libérée,
His claims in combat are :
19/08/1942 1/4 Ju-88
19/08/1942 1 Do-217 Damaged
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