Draft:James Denis

 was a French fighter pilot who became a flying ace during World War II.

Early life
James Denis was born into a farming family. He was a son of Georges Edmond Denis (1867-1928) and Marie Julia Simon (1872-1949).

At the age of 19 he joined French Air Forces as an air gunner. Eventually he received training as a fighter pilot and became one in 1929.

During the Battle of France Denis served as an instructor at the School of Navigators and Radio Operators (École de Radio-navigants, ERN) at the Saint-Jean-d'Angély base.

Free French Forces
On June 18, 1940 General de Gaulle made a speech aired by the BBC. He invited French soldiers and civilians to contact him in order to continue fight against Nazi Germany.

On June 20, 1940 Denis stole Farman 222 bomber from the airfield at Saint-Jean-d’Angely and flew to the United Kingdom to join de Gaulle's cause. He took 20 French servicemen with him. Among those were Georges Goumin, André Cantès, Jean-Albert Dupont, Roger Speich and Louis Ferrant.

In the United Kingdom he received training by the RAF on Hurricanes. His first battle as an officer of Free French forces became the Battle of Dakar.

In 1940-1941 he served in Groupe de Chasse I, Free French unit attached initially to 274 RAF Squadron, and later to 73 Squadron.

During the Battle of Tobruk Denis became a flying ace credited with six certified victories. There he twice shot down, on 23 April and 21 May, a German aviation ace Hans-Joachim Marseille. On 21 June, his squadron became the first military unit to receive the Liberation Cross.

From 1943 to 1945 Denis held few military offices. He served as the head of the Deuxième Bureau (French military intelligence) in Beirut, later he took a position in the Commissariat de l’Air in liberated Algiers. After the Liberation of France Denis worked as an expert on defence matters for the National Assembly in Paris.

After World War II
After World War II Denis continued his military service. He retired from the French army in 1954 with the rank of colonel. After the retirement Denis worked as a director of several companies.

Decorations
Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur

Compagnon de la Libération

War Cross 39/45 (8 citations)

Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

Air Medal (USA)