Pilot officer Rodolphe de Grunne- A nationalist pilot in SCW.

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Waddell, Mar 18, 2023.

  1. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    I am reading Norman Frank's older book 'Sky Tiger- The Story of Sailor Malan'. There is a section where it talks about the loss of Pilot Officer Rodolphe de Grunne of 609 Squadron RAF and mentions that he had 'previously flown with the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War, flying Fiat CR32s and later Messerschmitt 109s, destroying 14 Republican aircraft'.

    Some information about him here-

    P/O R G C de HEMRICOURT de GRUNNE

    So he was a Belgian national and fought on the fascist side in the Spanish Civil War. He returned to Belgian after the war and when WW2 started he was flying Hurricanes with the Belgian Air Force. Soon afterwards he made his way to England to serve in the RAF. By that stage he was a very skilled and experienced fighter pilot.

    My question is, bearing in mind that his homeland was now under threat of the Germans, some of whom he would likely have fought alongside in Spain, would at any stage his allegiance be questioned? Would other RAF pilots have questioned him? It seems a bit at odds- fighting for a fascist cause overseas, yet against a fascist cause when his own homeland was under threat.

    Not questioning his bravery. Just how it may have appeared at the time. There seem to be a few grey areas.

    Scott
     
    Christian Luyckx and Markyboy like this.
  2. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Scott,

    In my research here I have come across several examples of British nationals serving in the Nationalist cause in the Spanish Civil War, who it appears had no difficulties in joining up once war was declared.

    1) Lieutenant Gilbert William Nangle. A short summary: He had served in an Indian Army infantry battalion, after leaving he served in the Spanish Regiment of Foreigners (also known in Spain as the Foreign Legion) during the Spanish Civil War and by 1940 was serving in the Palestine Police before having an emergency commission and had served in Iraq on secret missions. He left the ILRS for the Gurkhas in early 1942 and died at Monte Cassino in 1944. From: http://www.cookstownwardead.co.uk/persondepth.asp?cas_id=437

    2) Peter Kemp:
    From: Major Peter Kemp, SOE: The man just liked fighting — a true war lover

    I have also encountered references to Nationalist veterans, including some of British origin, being recruited into service, as trainers for SOE. There could be a thread on this theme here.

    The UK's official stance in the Spanish Civil War was 'non-interference' and the ideologies involved were far from clear. In the nationalist side there were anarchists and communists who fought their war against each other. Many saw the conflict as between communism and nationalism. Not sure when Franco and his supporters became fascists, indeed were they?
     
    Christian Luyckx and Waddell like this.
  3. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    Thanks David,

    Those two examples are very interesting. I take your point in the last sentence about individual's ideologies being far from clear. Reading around it seems that even George Orwell came to that conclusion. Probably a conflict I need to read more about.

    I read a book many years ago about Australian involvement and recall three veterans later serving in the RAF. They were from the Republican side, which confused me regarding de Grunne.

    Scott
     
    Christian Luyckx likes this.
  4. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Christian Luyckx and Waddell like this.
  5. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    Interesting.

    From the last link-

    "My father, Tom Taylorson, was a glider pilot and he told me that he was a reserve pilot for Freshman. He told me that Strathdee had flown for the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War and as such he was probably the only Briton who had flown the 109 when the WW11 broke out. He told me that the RAF grilled him about the 109 but wouldn't let him into the RAF which would explain why he came to the GPR from the Royal Armoured Corps.
    Does anyone have any idea about how to find out about Brits who fought for Franco, presumably as part of the Condor Legion?"

    Hard to see how de Grunne didn't fall into the same category, apart from being a Belgian national. Pehaps he never told them:)

    You would think experience of the BF109 would be invaluable for RAF Intelligence.

    Scott
     
  6. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    Franco's International Brigades:Foreign Volunteers and Fascist Dictators in the Spanish Civil War: Foreign Volunteers and Fascist Dictators in the Spanish Cival War : Christopher Othen: Amazon.co.uk: Books

    It's an expensive book which I'm glad I grabbed when it was published.

    Regards,

    Dave
     
    Christian Luyckx and Waddell like this.
  7. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    Thanks. That does look interesting. So excluding the 15,000 Germans and 70,000 Italians, who were a different type of volunteer that leaves 15,000 foreign volunteers that made their own way to Spain to fight with the Nationalists. That is a fair number of individuals.

    Scott
     
    Christian Luyckx likes this.
  8. Christian Luyckx

    Christian Luyckx Well-Known Member

    Hallo Scott,

    You will find the answers to all your questions - and much, much more - in 'Cieux De Guerre', Jean-Louis Roba's excellent biography of Rodolphe de Hemricourt de Grunne. This book is easily found on eBay and other platforms.

    You will learn that he was an unique character (to say the least): Belgian aristocrat, flamboyant Brussels night-life dandy, non-conformist, individualist, romantic, political rebel, frontline soldier, ace fighter-pilot (seven confirmed 'kills'), McIndoe patient, MI6 spy,... In many respects, he makes me think of Lord Byron (à la Belge), George Beurling and Ian Fleming.

    He was, as far as I know, the only fighter pilot in history that wore the Spanish (Aviación Nacional), German (Luftwaffe), Belgian (Aéronautique Militaire) and British (Royal Air Force) pilot wings.

    Cieux de guerre.jpg

    I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as I did!

    Kind Regards,
    Christian
     
    Waddell likes this.
  9. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    Thanks for that recommendation Christian. It looks very interesting but I may struggle with the book being in French.

    Scott
     
    Christian Luyckx likes this.
  10. Christian Luyckx

    Christian Luyckx Well-Known Member

    I'm afraid it is only available in French...
    The book, however, also contains many illustrations that would certainly make it worth your while.
     
    Waddell likes this.
  11. Christian Luyckx

    Christian Luyckx Well-Known Member

  12. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    Thanks Christian. Some interesting links there, particularly the first one. Seems he flew Heinkel 51s and later FIAT CR32s, not Bf 109s as mentioned in the book I read. And it seems he was among fifty Belgians fighting for the Nationalists and joined with a group of Argentinians. I can see some books being purchased here:smug:

    Scott
     
    Christian Luyckx likes this.
  13. Christian Luyckx

    Christian Luyckx Well-Known Member

    Hi Scott,

    Please find hereunder Rodolphe de Grunne's military resume:

    9 Oct 1936 - Infanterist in the Argintinian Phalengists Corps, wounded in combat on 19 Nov 1936
    2 Dec 1936 - Aviación Nacional - Pilot training at Tablada Flying School (near Sevilla)
    1 Feb 1937 - Aviación Nacional - Squadron 3-G-11 (reconnaissance) in Saragossa, flying Heinkel He 46
    11 Mar 1937 - Aviación Nacional - Squadron 1-G-2 in Saragossa, flying Heinkel He 51
    1 Nov 1937- Aviación Nacional - Squadron 4-G-12 in Sevilla, flying Romano Ro 37
    8 Dec 1937 - Aviación Nacional - Squadron 3-G-3, flying Fiat CR 32
    15 Dec 1939 - Aéronautique Militaire belge / Ecole de pilotage (flying school) in Deurne (near Antwerp)
    25 Sep 1939 - Aéronautique Militaire belge / Squadron 2/I/2 Aé in Schaffen, flying Hawker Hurricane Mk I
    ?? Aug 1940 - RAF / 7 OTU in Hawarden
    4 Aug 1940 - RAF / 32 Squadron in Biggin Hill, flying Hawker Hurricane Mk I
    18 Aug 1940 - Wounded in combat (severely burned)
    Secret assignment in Portugal (?)
    29 Apr 1941 - RAF / 609 Squadron in Biggin Hill, flying Supermarine Spitfire Mk II (P7436)
    21 Mai 1941 - Circus N°10 - KIA

    Victories in air combat:

    14 August 1938 - Polikarpov I-16
    1 September 1938 - Grumman Delfin
    22 September 1938 - Polikarpov I-15 and Polikarpov I-16
    2 October 1938 - Polikarpov I-16
    3 October 1938 - Polikarpov I-16
    2 November 1938 - Polikarpov I-15
    3 November 1938 - Polikarpov I-15
    12 November 1938 - Polikarpov I-16
    3 January 1939 - Polikarpov I-15
    + 4 other, unconfirmed victories (i.e. not officially homologated) in Spain
    16 August 1940 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E
    17 August 1940 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E (damaged)
    18 August 1940 - Dornier Do 17Z (in collaboration)

    Note: some discrepancies exist between de Grunne's claimed victories and 32 Squadron's logs

    Source: Jean-Louis Roba's 'Cieux de Guerre', Uitgeverij De Krijger, p.178-179

    Kind Regards,
    Christian
     
    Waddell likes this.

Share This Page