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Captain Robert WILLIAME

Biography

Robert Williame was born on February 24, 1911 in Saint-Martin-les-Boulogne, in the Pas-de-Calais.

Test in pocket, this passionate aviation enters the Prytanée military La Flèche. He was admitted to Saint-Cyr in October 1930 where he was appointed sergeant and left the school on August 1, 1932 with the rank of second lieutenant. He then joined the school of application of the Air Force of Versailles. He is a pilot on 4 August 1933 at the Ecole d'Avord. He will complete his training as a pilot by obtaining a civil tourism certificate in March 1934 and doing an aerobatic apprenticeship at Etampes.

On October 1, 1934, he was posted to the 1st Squadron of the 2nd Fighter Wing, based in Tours, equipped with Nieuport Deulage NiD 62 and 622. At the end of 1935, Lieutenant Williame took part in the first military parachute training organized in Avignon. Pujaut. At the end of this internship, he becomes the third paratrooper air force monitor. Becoming the 1st Squadron of the GC I / 2, his unit moved to Chartres at the end of 1936 and re-equipped himself in Dewoitine 500 and 501. Becoming commander of his Squadron a year later, Robert Williame was promoted to Captain in September 1938.

On September 3, 1939, the day France declared war on Germany, Captain Williame commanded the 1st Squadron of GC I / 2 now equipped with MS 406 and based in Beauvais-Tillé. In October, the Group turned over its planes to receive new aircraft equipped with HS 404 cannons that performed better than traditional HS 9. As promises to an agricultural worker of the region, seven pilots of the Squadron receive as godmother one of his seven daughters. For Captain Williame, it will be the youngest, Juliette, first name by which he will name his planes in his memories of Juliette I to Juliette III Fall is a terrible time for the Captain. On October 21, while taking part in one of Squadron pilots' favorite occupations, rifle marksmanship, a bullet fired by him strikes the Adjutant De Chasteigner. Although cleared by the commission of inquiry, it will remain marked by this accident. From November 14, a strong angina nails him in bed, followed by a persistent fever that leads him to the hospital. Declared convalescent until March 1, 1940, however, he returned to his squadron February 12, 1940, the fever having disappeared. The Group left Beauvais for Lorraine to help protect reconnaissance aircraft.

GC I / 2 is dissolved in Nimes after the Armistice. Captain WILLIAME receives command of the 6th squadron of GC.III / 9, equipped with MB.152. Exhausted physically, he will kill himself during an aerial combat exercise near Salon-de-Provence, October 31, 1940

 

Some feats of arm