France's highest-scoring fighter ace during the Second World War, who came to Britain from America after the fall of France in 1940, joined the Free French Air Force 'Alsace' squadron and flew on operations with RAF squadrons, first in Spitfires in both the fighter and ground-attack roles and later in Hawker Typhoons and Tempests, supporting the Allied advance in northwest Europe.
Clostermann was regarded by his RAF superiors as a first-class pilot. He, in turn, had a great affection for what he described as the clean, frank, open atmosphere of the RAF.
His wartime service, in which he flew a colossal 420 sorties, earned him two DFCs, the Croix de Guerre avec Palme, the American Silver Star and a Belgian decoration.
