Site in French

Fighter Group GC I/5

1st Squadron (Ex SPA 67)
2nd Squadron (Ex SPA 75)


Historical

The GC I / 5 is the first Fighting group equipped with Curtiss H75. It was in February 1939 that 1st Squadron received her first Curtiss for evaluation.

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GC I / 5 belongs to the Fighting Group No. 23 of the ZOAN (North Air Operations Area).

The GC I / 5 retreats to AFN from June 18, 1940. It will have carried out the entire campaign of France on Curtiss H75 and the Armistice, the Group presents a record of 84 Sure Victories and 27 Likely, figures that place the GC I / 5 tops the French Fighting Groups during this period.


Staff

Commanders of the group GC I/5
Commander MURTIN Jacques-Louis
September 1, 1939
October 17, 1941
 
Commanders of the 1st Squadron
Captain ACCART Jean-Mary
september 1, 1939
June 1, 1940
Lieutenant MARIN-LA-MESLEE Edmond
June 2, 1940
Commanders of the 2nd Squadron
Captain MOINGEON Marcel
september 1, 1939
April 7, 1940
 
Lieutenant DORANCE Michel
April 8, 1940
August 20, 1940
Other Members of the Military Staff20
Staff-Sergeant PAGEIX Paul
Hangar manager - 2nd Sqn.
Born on March 29, 1912 at Beaumont (63)
Died on 1970
Lieutenant CONTE
Mechanical Officer
 
DROUET
Doctor
 
Adjutant MAIRE
Hangar manager
 
Adjutant MAZIER
Hangar manager - 1st Sqn.
 

 


Pilots

Pilots of Group
Names of pilots
Rank
Squadron
Victories
Informations
Civil Statut
Photo
Citations
Sure
Prob.
ACCART Jean-Mary
Captain
Staff 1st Sqn.
12
4
Injured in aerial combat on June 1, 1940
 
BOITELET Hubert
Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
5
 
 
BOUVARD Louis
Chief Warrant Officer
1st Sqn.
2
1
Injured in aerial combat May 13, 1940
     
BRESSIEUX Jérémie
Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
8
 
 
BRIAN Georges
Sub-Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
1
     
CHAUSSE André
Sergeant
Assigned to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940.
     
DELPARTE André
Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
1
1
 
 
DORANCE Michel
Lieutenant
Staff 2nd Sqn.
14
3
 
 
EMPRIN Michel
Chief Warrant Officer
1st Sqn.
Killed by accident on April 24, 1940
     
GENTY Pierre
Adjutant
2nd Sqn.
2
1
Leaves GC I / 5 for the CIC of Montpellier on April 21, 1940
 
 
GIROU Jean
Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
7
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940.
     
DE-L'ESTANG DU RUSQUEC Gonzagues
Captain
Assigned to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940.
     
GOUPY Auguste
Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
1
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940. Seriously injured in air combat May 10, 1940
     
HAMSICK Timoteus
Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on DecStaffber 3, 1939. Tacked in aerial combat May 14, 1940
     
KOTHERA Zdennek
Master Corporal
2nd Sqn.
1
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on June 3, 1940.
     
LE-CALVEZ Yves
Sub-Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
3
2
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 20, 1940.
     
LEFOL Georges
Sub-Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
11
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 20, 1940.
     
LEPREUX Jacques
Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
Killed in aerial combat on september 30, 1939
 
 
LE-RESTIF Yves
Sub-Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
Killed in aerial combat on september 30, 1939
 
 
MALAVAL André
Captain
Staff Group
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 14, 1940. Killed in air combat on May 21, 1940.
     
MARIN-LA-MESLEE Edmond
Lieutenant
Staff 1st Sqn.
16
4
 
 
MARIN-LA-MESLEE Raymond
Sergeant
Assigned to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940. Brother of Lieutenant Edmond MARIN-LA-MESLEE
     
MAZIER Henri
Commander
         
 
MOINGEON Marcel
Captain
Staff 2nd Sqn.
     
MORAVEK Emil
Sergeant
1st Sqn.
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on June 3, 1940. Killed in aerial combat on June 15, 1940
     
MOREL François
Staff-Sergeant
1st Sqn.
10
3
Killed in aerial combat on May 18, 1940.
 
 
MULLER Frantisek
Master Corporal
Czech pilot
     
MURTIN Jacques-Louis
Commander
Staff Group
1
     
MUSELLI Gérard
Sergeant
1st Sqn.
5
4
     
PARNIERE Marcel
Sub-Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
8
1
Assigned to GC I / 5 on January 4, 1940. Injured in aerial combat on June 3, 1940
     
PENZINI Dominique
Sergeant
1st Sqn.
9
1
     
PERINA Frantisek
Sub-Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
11
2
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on DecStaffber 3, 1939. Injured in aerial combat on June 3, 1940
 
 
PREUX Edouard
Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
Wounded in aerial combat on May 10, 1940 and taken prisoner on May 21, 1940
     
RAYMOND
Sub-Lieutenant
Assigned to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940.
     
REY Jean-Marie
Sub-Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
9
Injured in aerial combat May 18, 1940
 
 
REZNICEK Jiri
Staff-Sergeant
1st Sqn.
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on June 3, 1940.
     
RICHARD André
Captain
Staff Group
     
ROUQUETTE Marcel
Sub-Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
8
6
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940.
     
RUBIN René
Sergeant
1st Sqn.
     
SALMAND André
Chief Warrant Officer
2nd Sqn.
1
Killed in aerial combat on April 7, 1940
     
SCOTTE Pierre
Sub-Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
1
1
Assigned to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940. Wounded in air combat on May 13 and killed in air combat on June 3, 1940.
     
TALLENT Maurice
Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
11
1
     
VASATKO Alois
Captain
1st Sqn.
11
2
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on May 12, 1940.
     
VASEK Vladimir
Master Corporal
1st Sqn.
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 Dec. 3 1939. Killed by accident on inhaler failure on January 2, 1940
     
VRANA Adolf
Lieutenant
1st Sqn.
2
2
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on May 12, 1940.
     
VUILLEMAIN Léon
Staff-Sergeant
1st Sqn.
9
5
     
VYBIRAL Tomas
Lieutenant
2nd Sqn.
7
Czech pilot assigned to GC I / 5 on May 12, 1940.
     
WARNIER François
Staff-Sergeant
2nd Sqn.
8
2
 
 

 


Mechanics

Group Mechanics
Name
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Photo
CARRAZ
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
COUVELAERE André
Mechanic
  Sub-Lieutenant BOITELET's mechanic
GIRAUD
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
GRIESBACH
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
LANGLADE
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
LE-CARVENNEC
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
LERICHE
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
LUTHRINGER
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
MANEYROL
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
MENNEIRET
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
NYS
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
ROUGERIE
Staff-sergeant
Mechanic
 
WENISH Henri
Mechanic
 
Born on August 7, 1917 at Bouguenais
Died on January 31, 2013 at Tinqueux (51)
After graduating from the Rochefort School of Mechanics, he was posted to Air Base 112 in 1936 and became Edmond MARIN LA MESLEE's mechanic at GC I/5. He will follow the pilot throughout the French Campaign in North Africa after the Armistice. Raised in rank, he will have to leave GC I/5 in 1944.

 


Airfields

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Suippes
51 - Marne
August 27, 1939
Saint-Dizier
52 - Haute-Marne
May 14, 1940
Saint-Parres-les-Vaudes
10 - Aube
June 11, 1940
Avallon
89 - Yonne
June 12, 1940
Bourges Le Bubdray
18 - Cher
June 15, 1940
Carcassonne - Salvaza
11 - Aude
June 17, 1940
Alger Maison-Blanche
Algeria
June 20, 1940
Saint-Denis-du-Sig
Algeria
June 22, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GC I/5

 


Aircrafts

The GC I/3 was equipped since its creation in September 1933, 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 :

    - 2 Dewoitine D500
    - 1 Dewoitine D501
    - 2 Potez 630
    - 35Curtiss H75-A1
    - 18 Curtiss H75-A2
    - 18Curtiss H75-A3
    - 3 Curtiss H75-A4

     


Records

1/2 or 1/3 of victories were obtained in association with another Group.

Confirmed Victories
82.5
Messerschmitt BF109
7
Messerschmitt BF110
13
Henschel Hs126
11
Junker JU87
13
Dornier Do215
2
Dornier Do17
13.5
Junker JU86
1
Heinkel He111
22
Likely Victoires
27
Messerschmitt BF109
5
Messerschmitt BF110
2
Henschel Hs126
2
Junker JU87
7
Dornier Do 215
2
Dornier Do 17
5
Junker JU88
1
Heinkel He111
3

 


Casualties

Killed Pilots
10
Sergeant LEPREUX (Combat)
september 30, 1939
Sub-Lieutenant LE-RESTIF (Combat)
september 30, 1939
Master Corporal VASEK (Accident)
January 2, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer SALMAND (Accident)
April 7, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer StaffPRIN (Accident)
April 24, 1940
Lieutenant HAMSICK (Combat)
May 14, 1940
Staff-Sergeant MOREL (Combat)
May 18, 1940
Captain MALAVAL (Combat)
May 21, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant SCOTTE (Combat)
June 3, 1940
Sergeant MORAVEK (Combat)
June 15, 1940
Wounded Pilots
8
Lieutenant GOUPY (Combat)
May 10, 1940
Sergeant PREUX (Combat)
May 10, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer BOUVARD (Combat)
May 13, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant SCOTTE (Combat)
May 13, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant REY (Combat)
May 18, 1940
Captain ACCART (Combat)
June 1, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant PARNIERE (Combat)
June 3, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant PERINA (Combat)
June 3, 1940
Prisoners Pilots
1
Sergeant PREUX
May 21, 1940

 


Sources

- 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 "Curtiss H75" from Lionel PERSYN - Editions LELA Presse
- Book : "Ils étaient là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions