Caption: Aircrew RAF 341Sqn Pierre Clostermann IWM D7264

 Caption: Spitfire LFIX RAF 341Sqn NLS PL223 George Lents and fellow pilots 13 Oct 1944

RAF No 341 (GC/III/2 'Alsace') Squadron

RAF No 341 (GC/III/2 'Alsace') Squadron

Motto: Friendship

Formed from Free French personnel at Turnhouse on 15 January 1941, who had previously been operating as a Flight in the Western Desert. It was equipped with Spitfire VBs and moved south in March, receiving Spitfire IXs for offensive sweeps over its home country.

When it moved to Perranporth in October 1942, it reverted to Mk VBs but regained Mk IXs in February 1944. In April it joined No 145 Wing of the 2nd Tactical Air Force and began preparatory operations for Operation Overlord as well as covering the landings themselves in June.

Together with the rest of the Wing, No 341 moved to France in August and supported the Allied armies during their advances, arriving in Belgium in September. The squadron remained with the Wing, except for a month's rest at Turnhouse in February 1945, as it advanced into Germany and briefly joined the occupation forces until 7 November 1945 when it gave up its aircraft and was transferred to Armée de l'Air control, ceasing to be a RAF unit.

No. 341 Squadron was formed on 15 January 1943[2] at RAF Turnhouse, with personnel from the Free French Air Forces (Forces aériennes françaises libres). Pilots included veterans of the Free French Flight No.2 (FF Fighter Flt.) and of the Première Escadrille de Chasse (E.F.C. 1)). They had fought in the Western Desert alongside RAF fighter squadrons, such as No. 33 and No. 73 squadrons, and had been awarded the Ordre de la Libération on 21 June 1941.

The squadron was equipped with Spitfire VBs, its first commander being Squadron Leader René Mouchotte. The squadron moved to RAF Biggin Hill on 21 March 1943 and, re-equipped with Supermarine Spitfire L.F Mk.IXs, began to take part in sweeps over France. The squadron moved to Cornwall on 11 October 1943 for similar operations over Brittany, returning to RAF Merston on 14 April 1944 to join No. 145 Wing. Pierre Clostermann experienced his first aerial combat as a wingman of Sqn Ldr Mouchotte.

After covering the Allied landings in France in June 1944, No. 341 Squadron moved from Tangmere to Sommervieu (B8 airfield) in Normandy on 19 August and arrived in Belgium in September. Armed reconnaissance sweeps over Germany were directed mainly at enemy communications for the rest of the war, apart from a month at Turnhouse during February 1945 to equip with the Spitfire Mark XVI. On 28 May 1945 the squadron was presented with the Ordre de la Libération (Cross of Liberation).

On 27 November 1945, the squadron gave up its aircraft on transfer to Friedrichshafen and on the following day passed to the control of the Armée de l'Air. During the war the Squadron flew 5,469 operations, claiming some 30 aircraft shot down, and losing 21 pilots killed and 6 taken prisoner.

Squadron Codes used: - PL Allocated Apr - Sep 1939; NL Jan 1943 - Nov 1945