Remy Van Lierde was born on 14 August 1915 in Overboelaere, Belgium, and enlisted in Aviation Militaire Belge on 16 September 1935.
He was first trained as an observer, but then became a pupil pilot with the 73e Promotion on 1 May 1937. By 1940 he was a Sgt in 3e Escadrille/IIe Groupe/1eme Regiment flying FoxIIIs. He was shot down and wounded on 16 May 1940. He escaped via France and Spain (where he was held in the Miranda concentration camp) and finally reached UK on 20 July. On 5 September he joined RAFVR and in October he attended 57 OTU. He was then posted to 609 Squadron on 9 January 1942, flying Typhoons.
He was awarded a DFC on 25 June 1943, attended Central Gunnery School on 22 December and posted to Manston in February 1944 as a Gunnery Leader.
On 20 April 1944 he joined 3 Squadron flying Tempests, where he operated against V-1s until August. He was awarded a Bar to his DFC in August. On 20 August he joined 164 Squadron and flew with this squadron until 16 May 1945, when he was posted to 84 GSU. In July he was awarded a Second Bar to his DFC.
After the war he commanded a number of units; 350 Sqn (21 August 1945-), "A" Wing ex 160 Wing of the Belgian service (1 Nov 1946-), 7th Fighter Wing (December 1950-). He commanded Kamina Air Base in the Belgian Congo 1959-60, and in 1963 was on Staff of 7 Wing. In 1967 he commanded Chièvres Air Base, but retired as a Colonel on 1 January 1968. Remy van Lierde's victories in World War 2 were 6 destroyed, 1 damaged, 1 destroyed on ground, 35 and shared V-1s.
He died at Lessines on 8 June 1990.
| Most of Remy van Lierde's V-1s where claimed while flying his personal aircraft JF-Z(JN862). Note the three narrow bands at the spinner tip, they were probably painted in the Belgian national colours. |
Sources:
Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2 (Chris Thomas)
Aces High 2 by Christopher Shores
Dirk De Quick - Wing of Memory