Forwarded from Russian Embassy in South Africa
📆 82 years ago, #OTD in 1942, a Soviet-French agreement was signed on the formation of the Normandie-Niemen Fighter Regiment on the territory of USSR which became extremely popular with Soviet people.
It was General de Gaulle, commander of the French resistance, who hatched the idea to send French pilots to the Russian front. The initiative was approved by the Soviet government.
🛫 The squadron became operational in March 1943, initially with 14 pilots and 47 mechanics in its ranks, but soon expanded and turned into a regiment.
French pilots completed more than 5,000 missions and shot down at least 273 German fighters. Out of the group’s initial makeup only three pilots survived.
🌟 Overall, about a hundred Frenchmen fought in the Normandie-Niemen regiment, 4 of them became Heroes of the Soviet Union – a rare honour for foreigners at that time.
#WW2 #WWII #WeRemember #Victory79 #FacesofVictory
It was General de Gaulle, commander of the French resistance, who hatched the idea to send French pilots to the Russian front. The initiative was approved by the Soviet government.
🛫 The squadron became operational in March 1943, initially with 14 pilots and 47 mechanics in its ranks, but soon expanded and turned into a regiment.
French pilots completed more than 5,000 missions and shot down at least 273 German fighters. Out of the group’s initial makeup only three pilots survived.
🌟 Overall, about a hundred Frenchmen fought in the Normandie-Niemen regiment, 4 of them became Heroes of the Soviet Union – a rare honour for foreigners at that time.
#WW2 #WWII #WeRemember #Victory79 #FacesofVictory