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Last Wartime Rank: Wing Commander Unit(s): – Free French Air Force. Victories: 6 Born: August 15, 1917 Passed: January 21, 2005 Birthplace: Lorient, France |
At the time of the invasion of France, Andrieux fled on a fishing boat from Brittany to Great-Britain on December 16, 1940 and joined the Free French Air Force.
Posted to Odiham as a trainee Sergeant pilot, after training he was assigned to No. 130 Squadron in September 1941, flying Spitfires. He achieved his first aerial victory by downing a Fw 190 near Cherbourg 28 February 1943.
Promoted to Lieutenant in 1943, he was posted to No. 91 Squadron in April 1943 and shot down three more German fighters with this unit.
In June 1944 he joined No. 341 Squadron, also known in French as Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace", with the rank of Captain. On August 26, 1944 he took command of the unit when Jacques-Henri Schloesing was killed in combat. During this period he destroyed another two German fighters, thus becoming a fighter ace.
He ended the war with the rank of Wing Commander commanding 80 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ouston. His final claim total was 6 destroyed, 4 'probables' and 2 damaged.
Decorations
French decorations
• Grand Croix of the French Légion d'Honneur
• Compagnon de la Libération
• Grand Croix of the Ordre National du Mérite
• Croix de Guerre 1939-45 with 13 citations
• Croix de la Valeur Militaire with two citations
• Médaille de l'Aéronautique
• Chevalier du Mérite agricole
Foreign decorations
• Distinguished Flying Cross with Bar
• Silver Star
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