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Site in French
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Photos
Historical
GAR 511 (Groupement Aérien
Régional) is the military evolution of the Centre Aérien
Régional which was based at Château-Bougon, Nantes
airport, on 15 June 1937.
On 2 September 1938, GAR 511 became GAO 511, which was disbanded
on 12 July 1940, in Pau, where the unit was found after having experienced
fire at Villers-les-Guise and Signy-le-Petit, then after the descent
southwards at the time of the debacle and the Armistice.
On May 10, 1940, the GAO
511 is attached to the 9th Army of the 1st Air Division of the ZOAN
(North Air Operations Area).
Staff
|
Commanders
of the group
GAO 511
|
| Commander
MAINGUY |
|
|
|
Personnel
|
Pilots
and crew of the Group
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
Civil-statut
|
Photos
|
Citations
|
| DE-LA-ROCQUE
Jean-François |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Killed
on May 13, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 288 shot down by the
Flak. |
|
|
|
| DE
SORBIER DE POUGNADORESSE Jean |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
|
|
|
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| FAGET |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
|
|
|
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| GESSIAUME
Jean |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Killed
on May 13, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 288 shot down by the
Flak. |
|
|
|
| GOURDIN-SERVENIERE |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
|
|
|
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| LAFOND
Gilbert |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
|
|
|
|
| MAINGUY |
Commander
|
Commander
du Groupe
|
|
|
|
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| PEIGNE
René |
Captain
|
Observer
|
Killed
on May 13, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 288 shot down by the
Flak. |
|
|
|
| ROBIC
Pierre |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
|
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Group
Mechanics
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Names
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Information
|
Photo
|
| GUIHENEUF
Auguste |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Radio-Mechanic
|
The staff sergeant Auguste
GUIHENEUF carried out the whole French Campaign within the GAO
511 before being demobilised.
After the Liberation, he gave "sound reading" courses
for the Air Force at Château-Bougon airport.
He ended his career as Inspector of Technical Education in the
Academy of Nantes.
|
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| PICHOT |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Mechanic
?
|
Staff
Sergeant PICHOT of GAO 511 appearing on a photo next to the Mechanic
Staff Sergeant Auguste GUIHENEUF, I made the hypothesis that he
is himself a Mechanic, but that remains to be confirmed. |
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| VIARD |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Mechanic
?
|
Staff
Sergeant VIARD of GAO 511 appearing on a photo next to the Mechanic
Staff Sergeant Auguste GUIHENEUF, I made the hypothesis that he
is himself a Mechanic, but that remains to be confirmed. |
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Stories
of crews
|
Crews
of Group
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
|
Crew
|
DE-LA-ROCQUE
Jean-François |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 288 :Shot down by the Flak on May 13, 1940.
The crew is killed. |
| PEIGNE
René |
Captain
|
Observer
|
| GESSIAUME
Jean |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Airfields
|
Period
of use of airfields
|
|
Names
|
County
|
| Nantes |
44
- Loire-Atlantique
|
September
3, 1939
|
| Lesquielles-Saint-Germain |
02
- Aisne
|
September
21, 1939
|
| Le
Cannet-Des-Maures |
83
- Var
|
October
24, 1939
|
| Sisteron
Thèze |
04
- Alpes Haute-Provence
|
December
8, 1939
|
| Monceau-Le-Waast |
02
- Aisne
|
March
29, 1940
|
| Villers-lès-Guise |
02
- Aisne
|
April
11, 1940
|
| Versigny |
89
- Yonne
|
May 11, 1940
|
| Beaulieu |
?
|
May
13, 1940
|
| Chéry-les-Pouilly |
02
- Aisne
|
May
14, 1940
|
| Bouresches |
02
- Aisne
|
May
16, 1940
|
| Tours
Mettray |
14
- Carpiquet
|
May
18, 1940
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| Bordeaux-Mérignac |
33
- Gironde
|
June 06, 1940
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| Denguin |
64
- Pyrénées-Atlantiques
|
June
18, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge
:
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Aircrafts
The GAO 511 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 :
- 6 Potez 390
- 1 Potez 63-11
Casualties
|
Crewmen
killed
|
3
|
| Captain
PEIGNE (Combat) |
May 13,
1940
|
| Sub-Lieutenant
DE-LA-ROCQUE (Combat) |
May 13,
1940
|
| Sub-Lieutenant
GESSIAUME (Combat) |
May 13,
1940
|
Sources
- Mr Pascal GUIHENEUF - Staff
Sergeant Auguste GUIHENEUF was his paternal Grandfather
- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
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