SC30a RAF Uxbridge Signed by Lt Gen Baron Michel Donnet  Belgium Spitfire Pilot

18 Sep 71 BFPS 1172 31st Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Special Postmark  RAF Uxbridge.31th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Flown in Spitfire

Personally Signed Lt Gen Baron Michel Donnet

Michael Donnet In the second World War took part in the campaign of May 1940 with the 9th reconnaissance squadron. Prisoner of War from 1st June 1940 and was re-patriated to Belgium  on the 10th January1941 after passing through 11 different prisoners camps.

On the night of the 4th /5th july 1941, he escaped from occupied Belgian in a training aircraft which had been kept in a heavily guarded German Ammunition depot.  Having arrived in great Britain he joined the RAF on the 26 July 1941 .He underwent fighter training   in No 61 operation training unit and on the 6th September was posted to No 64 fighter squadron ,equipped with Spitfires. In this Sqn took part in fighter operational missions from September 1941 to November 1943.He commanded No 64 Sqn from March 1943 until November 1943.He took part  in the operations against the cruisers Sharnhorst and Gneisenau, in the Dieppe Operation and in the provision of fighter escort for the first of the United States Flying Fortresses missions..in March 1944 appointed to command No 350 sqn, which was the first Belgian Sqn formed in Great Britain.As commander of the Sqn took part  notably in the support operations for the landings in Normandy, operations against the flying bomb, the Arnhem operation and in fighter escort of strategic bombers.  November 1944 promoted to Wing Commander  and appointed to command the Hawkinge Wing comprising Nos 432,440 (Canadian)450 (Australian)and 611 Squadrons. Total offensive operation undertaken by General Donnet were 375,comprising 615 operational flying hours.He was credited with 4 victories and 5 enemy aircraft damaged. He took part in the destruction of enemy vehicles, locomotives, ships and submarines. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Croix de Guerre.

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