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Air Observation Group GAO 512

Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO 512 is attached to the 5th Army within the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Zone).

Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 512
Commander LECLERE
May 26, 1940
  
Lieutenant REIX
May 26, 1940
  

 

Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
GEORGES
Lieutenant
Pilot
      
LECLERE Jean
Commander
Pilot and Cder of the Group
 On May 26, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 780 was shot down by 4 Me109 after a fierce fight. The crew is killed.      
LICITRI Christian
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
 On May 26, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 780 was shot down by 4 Me109 after a fierce fight. The crew is killed.      
MESNAIN
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
      
NODET Jacques
Lieutenant
Observer
 On May 26, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 780 was shot down by 4 Me109 after a fierce fight. The crew is killed.      
POMPEI
Sergeant
�Pilot
      
REIX
Captain
Observer and Cder of the Group
      

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
 LECLERE Jean
Commander
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 780 : Shot down by German Fighters on May 26, 1940. The crew is killed. Commander LECLERE was the boss of GAO 512.
NODET Jacques
Lieutenant
Observer
LICITRI Christian
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 GEORGES
Lieutenant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 583 : Participates in a research mission to cross the Rhine on 1 June 1940
REIX
Captain
Observer
MESNAIN
Sergeant
Machine Gunner

 

Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Limoges Feytiat
87 - Haute-Vienne
September 3, 1939
Saverne
67 - Bas-Rhin
September 12, 1939
Epinal Dogneville
88 - Vosges
September 13, 1939
Buhl
68 - Haut-Rhin
September 30, 1939
Châtillon-sur-Seine
21 - Côte D'Or
October 27, 1939
La Perthe
51 - Marne
January 3, 1940
Auzainvilliers
88 - Vosges
May 15, 1940
Niedernai
67 - Bas-Rhin
May 20, 1940
Luxeuil Saint-Sauveur
70 - Haute Saône
Juny 13, 1940
Lons-le-Saulnier Courlaoux
39 - Jura
Juny 14, 1940
Saint-Rambert d'Albon
26 - Drôme
Juny 15, 1940
Béziers
34 - Hérault
Juny 17, 1940
Marignane
13 - Bouches du Rhône
Juny 18, 1940
Perpignan La Salanque
66 - Pyrénées-Orientales
Juny 23, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :
Itinerary of the GAO 512

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircrafts

The GAO 512 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 :

  • 1 Potez 25
  • 8 Potez 390
  • 2 Potez 63-11

 

Casualties

Crewmen killed
3
Lieutenant NODET (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Commander LECLERE (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Sergeant LICITRI (Combat)
May 26, 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 : "Ils étaient là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions