Jean Maridor, born November 24, 1920 in Graville, suburb of Le Havre and died August 3, 1944 above Benenden (Kent, England), was a French aviator.
Youth and beginnings of pilot
Passionate about aviation from a very young age, but, coming from a modest background and having been unable to do a good education, he entered an apprenticeship with a hairdresser, while taking flight lessons in an aero-club; and this is how, barely 16 years old, he obtained his "B" patent, and two years later his "A" patent.
In May 1939 he joined the Air Force at the base of Istres, he obtained his "wings" as a military pilot at the end of September of the same year. He then undertook training on Dewoitine D.520, in March 1940, and when he was able to join a combat unit, in June 1940, as a corporal-pilot, he received the order, 48 hours after his arrival, to destroy his device by fire, because of Armistice. He then decided to return to Great Britain, embarking on the Arandora Star, loaded with Polish troops, departing from Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Career in the RAF
After enlisting in the "Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres" and following training at the RAF training center at Sutton Bridge, he was transferred to 615 Squadron where, flying a Hurricane II, he obtained his first aerial victory. , October 14, 1941:a He.59, shot down in cooperation with another pilot near Ostend.
In February 1942, promoted to officer (Pilot Officer), he joined the 91 Squadron, equipped with Spitfires, within which he specialized in the attack of enemy ships, while taking part in numerous dogfights during which he was credited with several homologated victories. From June 1944 he specialized in hunting V1s and had 11 flying bombs to his credit.
On August 3, 1944, during one of these dangerous aerial sorties, Captain Jean Maridor saw a V1 heading straight for Benenden hospital. Unable to shoot it down in flight, he rushes his aircraft against the V1 at full speed, voluntarily sacrificing his life by destroying his eleventh flying bomb.
His remains will be buried near London and will be repatriated to France in 1948. The funeral will be organized in Le Havre on December 19, 1948.
Honours
Jean Maridor was credited with 4 homologated victories (3 individual and 1 in cooperation), 2 probable victories and 3 damaged, aerial successes to which must be added 20 ships sunk.
Decorations
* Liberation Companion
* Commander of the Legion of Honor
* DFC and bar
* Croix de Guerre 39-45 with 8 palms