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Bomber Group GB II/38

3rd Squadron
4th Squadron


Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GB II / 38 is attached to the Group No. 10 of the "Reserved Air Forces" of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Zone).


Staff

Commanders of the group GB II/38
Commander BODET André
 
Captain DESTANNES Louis
May 16, 1940
 
Captain DU-BESSAY-DE-CONTENSON Gérard
May 17, 1940
 
Captain FLEURIAU
 
Commander of the 3rd Squadron
Captain DU-BESSAY-DE-CONTENSON Gérard
May 16, 1940
 
Commander of the 4th Squadron
Lieutenant JACOB
 

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
BARRAU De LORDE Joseph - Gaston
Adjutant
Pilot
On May 30, 1940, an Amiot 143, probably damaged by the Flak, crashes on landing. Adjutant BARRAU-DE-LORDE is killed.
Born on 1 June 1912 at Houdan (78 - Yvelines)
Killed at Chaumont (52 - Haute-Marne) on 30 May 194
 
BAUER
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On May 16, 1940, at the start of a mission, the Amiot 143 No 136 crashes after a power failure. Staff Sergeant BAUER is unharmed.
   
BECK Joseph - Arsène
Chief-Warrant-Officer
Pilot
Joseph BECK was killed in an air accident on 8 July 1941 at Istres aboard LéO 451 n°315.
Born on 30 March 1908 in Bidestroff (57 - Moselle)
Killed on 8 July 1941 at Istres (13 - Bouches du Rhône)
BENOIT
Lieutenant
   
BODET André - Raymond
Commander
Cder of Group
Born 8 May 1911, Bordeaux (33 - Gironde)
Died 13 September 1990, Limoges (87 - Haute-Vienne)
   
BOUSSICUT Guy - Edme
Chief-Warrant Officer
Pilot
On 10 May 1940, during the Assault on the Sedan Bridges, he managed to land his aircraft in the countryside with one engine on fire.
Born 15 January 1904 in Paris (75)
Died at Saint-Amant-Tallende (63 - Puy de Dôme) on 6 November 1975
   
CHERY
Sergeant
Pilot
     
CHRISTOPHE
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
     
DESHOGUES Paul - Albert
Paul DESHGUES died in December 1942 at Saint Lô Hospital.
Born 28 June 1923 at Coutances (50 - Manche)
Died at Saint Lô Hospital (50 - Manche) on 4 December 1942
   
DESTANNES Louis - Charles
Captain
Cder of Group
and Crew Chief
On May 16, 1940, at the start of a mission, the Amiot 143 No 136 crashes after a power failure. Captain DESTANNES is killed.
Born on 24 April 1905 in Aurillac (15 - Cantal)
Killed on 16 May 1940 at Bricon (52 - Haute-Marne)
 
DORANGEON Ernest
Chief-Warrant-Officer
Crew Chief
Ernest DORANGEON was killed on 30 October 1952 at Lahr-Baden in Germany. He held the rank of Captain at the time.
Born on 27 May 1906 in Neuvry Saint-Sepulcre (36 - Indre)
Killed on 30 October 1952 at Lahr-Baden (Germany)
 
DU-BESSEY-DE-CONTENSON Gérard - Roger
Captain
Cder of 3rd Sqn
then
Cder of Group
Born on 27 January 1910 in Rambouillet (78 - Yvelines)
Died in Versailles on 3 November 1990
 
FERRY
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
     
FLEURIAU
Captain
Cder of Group
   
GAUSSEN Jean-François - Maurice
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 
Born on 6 November 1914 in Barcelona (Spain)
Died in Beaumont-sur-Oise (95 - Val d'Oise) on 29 October 1992
   
HAMEL
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
   
JACOB
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
and
Cder 4th Sqn.

   
JEAN Henri Simon
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
  See dedicated page in the "Stories" section below
Born in Toulon (83 - Var) on 17 March 1915
Died at Hyères (83 - Var) on 9 May 2000
LECLERC
Chief Warrant Officer
Radio
On May 16, 1940, at the start of a mission, the Amiot 143 No 136 crashes after a power failure. Chief Warrant Officer LECLERC is injured.
   
MAREY Levy - Robert
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
 
Born 20 May 1905 in Cereste (04 - Alpes de Haute-Provence)
Died at Fréjus (83 - Var) on 3 November 2001
   
MULTRIER François - Augustin
Sergeant
Pilot
 
Born on 29 August 1916 in Annecy (74 - Haute-Savoie)
Died at Vannes (56 - Morbihan) on 3 June 2001
   
PERONNE
Lieutenant
Observer
     
PONS
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
On May 16, 1940, at the start of a mission, the Amiot 143 No 136 crashes after a power failure. Sub-Lieutenant PONS is unscathed.
   
ROY
Aspirant
Radio
  Confirmed presence in the Group in April 1940    
VIAL Louis - Achile
Lieutenant
Navigateur
On May 16, 1940, at the start of a mission, the Amiot 143 No 136 crashes after a power failure. Lieutenant VIAL is killed.
Born on 16 April 1917 at Cagnes-sur-Mer (06 - Alpes-Maritimes)
Killed on 16 May 1940 at Bricon (52 - Haute-Marne)
 
VIVIER
Sergeant
Pilot
     

 

 


Stories

Names
Photos
Descriptive
Lieutenant Henri JEAN
Source Mrs Sonia FRELOT, daughter of Lieutenant Henri JEAN

 

 

 

 


Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Crew
PONS
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Amiot 143 No 136 : Following an engine failure, he crashed on May 16, 1940. Captain DESTANNES and the VIAL VIAL are killed, the Chief Warrant Officer LECLERC is injured.
DESTANNES Louis
Captain
Crew Chief
VIAL Louis
Lieutenant
Navigateur
LECLERC
Chief Warrant Officer
Radio
BAUER
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Troyes Barberey
42 - Loire
October 15, 1939
Chaumont
52 - Haute-Marne
May 5, 1940
Nuits-Saint-Georges
21 - Côte D'Or
June 13, 1940
Feurs
42 - Loire
June 15, 1940
Avignon Pujaut
84 - Vaucluse
June 16, 1940
Perpignan
66 - Pyrénées-Orientales
June 18, 1940
Avignon Châteaublanc
84 - Vaucluse
June 19, 1940
Arles Mas-de-Rus
13 - Bouche du Rhône
June 21, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GB II/38

 


Aircrafts

The GB II/38 was equipped since its creation, following aircrafts :

The used aircrafts are described in the accessible file by the link below. You will find N ° of series, Registration, date of affectation to the group, and fate of the plane there.

In this list are identified :

  • 12 Amiot 143

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
3
Captain DESTANNES (Accident)
May 16, 1940
Lieutenant VIAL (Accident)
May 16, 1940
Adjutant BARRAU-DE-LORDE (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Crewmen injured
1
Chief Warrant Officer LECLERC (Accident)
May 16, 1940

 


Sources

- Mrs Sonia FRELOT, daughter of Lieutenant Henri JEAN
- Mr Adrien LEBOUT, Great Grandson of Chief Warrant Officer Joseph BECK
- The citations or decorations listed are extracted from the Official Journals archived in « Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France »
- The dates and places of birth of the Group's personnel are taken mainly from the site : "Mémoires des Hommes"
- Book : "Ils étaient là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
- Book : "Amiot 143 " byJérome RIBEIRO / Michel LEDET - Editions LELA-PRESSE (Immatriculations of Amiot 143 of the aircraft list)