of destroying five aircraft in one flight he was promoted to 2nd lieutenant. Due to the military situation of France on 20 June GC III/6 was withdrawn to Algiers in Algeria. After the armistice between France and Germany, and the subsequent British attacks on the French navy, French forces in North Africa, including Le Gloan's unit, became subordinated to the Vichy government. In May 1941 GC III/6 was moved to the French colony of Syria. In June 1941, Allied forces, including some Free French units, attacked Syria and Lebanon. On 8 June 1941, Le Gloan shot down his first RAF fighter, a Hawker Hurricane. By 5 July he had claimed five Hurricanes and a Gloster Gladiator. Later the depleted GC III/6 was withdrawn back to Algiers. During Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942, French fighter squadrons based in Algiers, unlike those in Oran or Casablanca, did not oppose the Allied landings. Soon all French forces in North Africa had sided with the Allies. In May 1943 Le Gloan's unit, then renamed GC 3/6 Roussillon, was re-armed with new Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters. In August Le Gloan took the command of 3rd escadrille (flight) of the squadron. The unit's primary task at the time were offshore patrols. On 11 September 1943, Le Gloan flew on patrol with another pilot. Over the sea smoke started to come out of Le Gloan's engine. He returned towards the shore but the engine stopped. He attempted a forced landing on the shore but, probably forgetting that his Airacobra still had an underbelly fuel tank attached (which were not used on earlier French fighters), the fuel in his plane exploded while trying to land, killing him instantly. During his complicated combat career Pierre Le Gloan shot down 18 aircraft (four German, seven Italian and seven British), which made him the fourth leading French flying aces of the war. References Notes Bibliography Musciano, Walter A. "Mystery Ace of World War Two." Air Progress, Volume 22, Number 6, June 1968. Shores, Christopher. Fighter Aces. London: Hamlyn Publishing, 1975. 1913 births 1943 deaths Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents People from Côtes-d'Armor French Air and Space Force personnel French military personnel killed in World War II French Air Force personnel of World War II French World War II flying aces Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Algeria Victims of aviation accidents or