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Reconnaissance Group GR I/22
1st Squadron
2nd Squadron


Historical

Originally, the 22nd Wing was a Bombing Wing stationed on the Chartres field and composed of GB I/22 and GB II/22. On September 18, 1936, 22nd Wing left Chartres for Orléans-Bricy. The two Squadrons flew on Amiot 143.
On February 13, 1939, 22nd Bombing Wing changed its speciality and became a Reconnaissance unit. GB I/22 and GB II/22 become GR I/22 and GR II/22.
On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GR I / 22 is attached to the Third Army in the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Area).
GR I / 22 received from Glenn-Martin in late July 1940. GR I / 22 sent a detachment to the Levant in June 1941 to support GB I / 39 engaged in the Syrian Campaign. Only eight of the eighteen aircraft reached their destination.
In 1941, the GR I / 22 was gradually re-equipped in Leo 451 whose production had resumed in France. Its transformation ended in October 1942, it is transformed into a Bombardment Group. The Group lost a large number of aircraft on the ground under the Allied Bombardments during Operation Torch.


Staff

Commanders of the group GR I/22
Commander LUCQUES  
Commander NAST Robert
 
Commander SAVART  
Commander of the 1st Squadron
Captain FLECK Maurice
 
Lieutenant MERCEUR Auguste
June 21, 1940
 
Commander of the 2nd Squadron
Captain LAINEY Paul
May 12, 1940
 
Captain DUPARC

May 13, 1940

 

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Civil Statut
Photos
Citations
CAPDEVILLE
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
Killed on September 17, 1939 aboard Bloch MB131 No. 86. This one, attacked by 5 Me109 lands in flame and finishes his race in the trees.      
CATTOEN Arthur
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner
On May 10, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No. 425 was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is killed.      
CHAUMONT Albert
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
On May 10, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No. 425 was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is killed.      
DASPET
Adjutant
Radio
       
DETRIE Roger
Lieutenant
Observer
On May 12, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No. 444, was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is taken prisoner.      
DUPARC
Captain
Staff 2nd Sqn.
     
EDEL Robert
Captain
Observer
       
FLECK Maurice
Captain
Staff 1st Sqn.
     
GRES Pierre
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
On May 12, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No. 444, was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is taken prisoner.      
GUARNERI Jean
Chief Warrant Officer
Observer
Killed on June 21st, 1940 while trying to join the Group in Oran aboard a LeO 451 borrowed on the ground of Salon: After three attempts, the Aircraft ends up taking off but crushes on the ground: the crew is killed.      
HATIER Julien
Lieutenant
Pilot
         
HILT
Master-Corporal
Machine-Gunner
On March 11, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 n° 22, was destroyed on landing following an air fight with 5 Me109: Master Corporal HILT is unharmed.      
JOCQUEL
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner
Killed on June 21st, 1940 while trying to join the Group in Oran aboard a LeO 451 borrowed on the ground of Salon: After three attempts, the Aircraft ends up taking off but crushes on the ground: the crew is killed.      
JOUQUANT Jean
Chief-Warrant-Officer
       
LAINEY Paul
Captain
Pilot
Staff 2nd Sqn.
On May 12, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No. 444, was shot down by German Fighters. Captain LAINEY, wounded, is taken prisoner.      
LEROY
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Wounded on September 17, 1939 aboard Bloch MB131 No. 86. This one, attacked by 5 Me109 lands in flame and finishes his race in the trees.      
LUCQUES
Commander
Staff Group
     
MEITRET
Lieutenant
Pilot
On March 11, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 22 was destroyed on landing after an aerial combat with 5 Me109: Lieutenant MEITRET is wounded      
MERCEUR Auguste
Lieutenant
Pilot
Staff 1st Sqn.
Killed on June 21st, 1940 while trying to join the Group in Oran aboard a LeO 451 borrowed on the ground of Salon: After three attempts, the Aircraft ends up taking off but crushes on the ground: the crew is killed.      
MOYNOT Jean
Lieutenant
Observer
       
MOYON Hubert
Lieutenant
Observer
       
NAST Robert
Commander
Staff Group
     
PARMENTIER
Lieutenant
Observer
On March 11, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 22 was destroyed on landing after an aerial combat with 5 Me109: Lieutenant PARMENTIER is unscathed      
PELLETIER René
Sergeant
Pilot
On May 10, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No. 425 was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is killed.      
PRESSARD Louis
Captain
Observer
       
PREVAUD Pierre
Chief-Warrant-Officer
Machine-Gunner
       
ROULIN Albert
Adjutant
Pilot
       
ROUSSET
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
Wounded on September 17, 1939 aboard Bloch MB131 No. 86. This one, attacked by 5 Me109 lands in flame and finishes his race in the trees.      
SARON
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
Killed on September 17, 1939 aboard Bloch MB131 No. 86. This one, attacked by 5 Me109 lands in flame and finishes his race in the trees.      
SAVART
Commander
Staff Group
     
TRUCHOT
Staff-Sergeant
Radio
       
WITTMANN Charles
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
       

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
LEROY
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Bloch MB131 n° 86 : Shot down in air combat September 17, 1939. Sub-Lieutenant CAPDEVILLE and Adjutant SARON are killed, the other two crew members are wounded
ROUSSET
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
CAPDEVILLE
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
SARON
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
Crew
MEITRET
Lieutenant
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 22 : Destroyed on landing following an aerial combat on March 11, 1940: Lieutenant MEITRET is wounded
PARMENTIER
Lieutenant
Observer
HILT
Master-Corporal
Machine-Gunner
Crew
PELLETIER René
Sergeant
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 425 : Shot down by German Fighters on May 10, 1940. The crew is killed
CHAUMONT Albert
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
CATTOEN Arthur
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner
Crew
LAINEY
Captain
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 444 : Shot down by German Fighters on May 12, 1940. The crew is taken prisoner, and Captain LAINEY is wounded.
DETRIE
Lieutenant
Observer
GRES
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
Crew
MERCEUR
Lieutenant
Pilot
LéO 451 n° ? : On June 21, 1940, the crew crashes on takeoff with a Léo 451 borrowed from Salon attempting to join the Group at Oran since June 20, 1940. The crew is killed.
GUARNERI
Chief Warrant Officer
Observer
JOCQUEL
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Chatel-Chéhéry
08 - Ardennes
September 3, 1939
Metz-Frescaty
57 - Moselle
February 23, 1940
Toul-Ochey
54 - Meurthe et Moselle
June 12, 1940
Auzainvilliers / Ambérieux-En-Bugey
01 - Ain
June 13, 1940
Montélimar
26 - Drôme
June 17, 1940
Lézignan / Marignane
11 - Aude
June 18, 1940
Salon-De-Provence
13 - Bouches du Rhône
June 19, 1940
Perpignan La Salanque
66 - Pyrénées Orientales
June 20, 1940
Alger La Maison-Blanche
Algeria
June 21, 1940
Oran / Rabat
Morocco
June 22, 1940
Oulad-Okba
Morocco
June 23, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GR I/22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Aircrafts

The GR I/22 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 :

  • 2 Bloch MB131
  • 3 Potez 63-11
  • 2 Gleen-Martin 167F

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
8
Sub-Lieutenant CAPDEVILLE (Combat)
September 17, 1939
Adjutant SARON (Combat)
September 17, 1939
Sub-Lieutenant CHAUMONT (Combat)
May 10, 1940
Sergeant PELLETIER (Combat)
May 10, 1940
Staff-Sergeant CATTOEN (Combat)
May 10, 1940
Lieutenant MERCEUR (Accident)
June 21, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer GUARNERI (Accident)
June 21, 1940
Staff-Sergeant JOCQUEL (Accident)
June 21, 1940
Crewmen injured
4
Lieutenant ROUSSET (Combat)
September 17, 1939
Sub-Lieutenant LEROY (Combat)
September 17, 1939
Lieutenant MEITRET (Combat)
March 11, 1940
Capitaine LAINEY (Combat)
May 12, 1940
Crewmen prisoners
3
Lieutenant DETRIE
May 12, 1940
Captain LAINEY
May 12, 1940
Adjutant GRES
May 12, 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
- ...