Around noon on Saturday 2 March 1940, Lieutenant Xavier Henrard and his wingmen Lt. Lelièvre and Sgt. Edmond Lieutenant were patrolling over the Belgian Ardennes when they intercepted a Luftwaffe Dornier Do 17 near Saint-Hubert. Rules of engagement during the "Phoney War" imposed to force intruders to land on a Belgian airfield. Unfortunately this was not how the Luftwaffe rear-gunner saw this interception and promptly shot down Henrard who at a height of 8.000 m. was flying somewhat lower and behind the Luftwaffe bomber. Mortally wounded Henrard crashed to his dead near Bastogne in his Hurricane H-34, thus becoming the first Belgian to be killed by the German aggressor.
Daniel Brackx Collection
Last updated 30/12/05 12:50 Daniel Brackx