René Lunden

Henri René Théophile Florent Joseph Marie Lunden ( born June 2, 1902 in Brussels, † April 3, 1942 in Chichester, West Sussex / UK ) was a Belgian officer and Bobsportler.

Career

After the death of his father Léopold Lunden (1868-1921), he inherited the title of baron and the s'Gravenkasteel Castle at Humbeek. He studied mining engineering at the Catholic University of Leuven. In 1925 he first made ​​on the Belgian armed forces in the cavalry, then in the Air Force his military service. After the accession of Leopold III. In 1934 he worked for the Belgian diplomatic service in South America.

Bobs

At the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch -Partenkirchen Lunden occupied each eighth place in the two-man and four-man bobsleigh.

In 1939 he was in St. Moritz together with jeans Coops world champion in the two-.

Death

At the time of the attack on German troops Belgium on 10 May 1940 Lunden belonged to a regiment that initially fled to France and from there to England. He joined the Royal Air Force. Due to his age, he was not employed as a pilot, but as a navigator. 1942 crashed his plane, a Douglas Boston Mk III, from during a reconnaissance flight over France. Lunden was brought to a hospital in Chichester in southern England, where he succumbed to his injuries. In 1949 his body was transferred to Belgium.

Achievements

• St. Moritz 1939: World Champion in the two-

• Garmisch -Partenkirchen 1936: 8th place in the two-man and four-man bobsleigh