Page 102 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

GASTON FRANS MERTENS , Flying Officer/Navigator - RAF - 320 (Dutch)
Squadron
1920 - 13th January 1945

The Son of Francas and Louise Mertens, 25-year-old Gaston Mertens was a Belgian citizen.
Whilst serving in the RAF with the Dutch Squadron, Gaston met and fell in love with Norah
Brunt, a 24-year-old schoolteacher living at "Wychwood" Parsonage Lane, North Cray.

Norah's father, William, who was an assistant manager with the Royal Arsenal Co-operative
Society, gave his daughter away when the couple married on 29th October 1944 at All
Saints Church, Foots Cray. Their local Church of St. James had been damaged by recent
air-raids. Norah's parents signed the register as witnesses, and it is unlikely that anyone
from Gaston's family were able to attend the brief service. Gaston's father was employed as
a schoolmaster in Belgium.

No. 320, (Dutch) Squadron RAF The Dutch unit of the RAF was formed on 1st June
1940 at Pembroke Dock from personnel of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service who
flew from the Netherlands in eight Fokker T.VIIIW twin-engined patrol seaplanes. The pilots
were originally engaged as part of Coastal Command, undertaking coastal and anti-
submarine patrols.

August 1940 - When the Fokker aircraft became unserviceable due to lack of spares, they
were re-equipped with Avro 652a Ansons.

January 1941 - Due to insufficient personnel, the Squadron were absorbed with No. 321
(Netherlands) Squadron and on 30th March 1943 they moved to RAF Attlebridge, near
Norwich, Norfolk.

1st June 1943 - The Squadron was reassigned to second tactical Air Force being
engaged in attacking enemy communication targets and airfields. On 30th August they
were again re-located. this time to RAF Lasham near Alton in Hampshire followed by yet
another move to RAF Dunsfold in Surrey on 18th February 1944.

18th October 1944 - After the liberation of Belgium, the Squadron was moved to
Melsbroek in Belgium - and they were once again on European soil.

On 13th January 1945 - Flying Officer Mertens and his crew set off from their Belgium
base for yet another sortie over enemy territory. He was not to return as the plane was
brought down with the loss of all the crew.

In Memoriam: His grieving family arranged for Gaston to be buried in their family vault in
the south-east of the Liedekerke Communal Cemetery, Belgium. The Commonwealth War
Graves Commission state: "Liedekerke Communal Cemetery contains one Commonwealth
burial of the Second world War, that of a Belgian airman who served with the Royal Air
Force."

Awarded the Croix des Evades The King of Belgium awarded Gaston Mertens the
Croix des Evades. This award was instituted on 25th February 1944 by the exiled Belgian
Government in London and bestowed only on those who had escaped from the enemy
occupied territories of Germany itself, and then subsequently served again in a patriotic
fashion in the war effort.

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