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Reconnaissance Group GR II/36
3rd Squadron
4th Squadron


Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GR II / 36 is attached to the 5th Army within the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Area).

 


Staff

Commanders of the group GR II/36
Commander POUTIER
December 28, 1939
Commander BAILLY Paul
December 29, 1939
June 3rd, 1940
Commander of the 3rd Squadron
Captain PARDAILLAN Salvat
 
Commander of the 4th Squadron
Captain HOQUETIS Lionel

 

 

 


Pilots

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
BAILLY Paul
Commander
Staff Group
Commandant Bailly was a veteran of the French Air Force who fought in the Djebel operations in 1926, during which he was severely wounded.
He also took part in the Black Cruise in November 1933.
Previously assigned to the Air Force General Staff, Commander Paul BAILLY replaced Commander POUTIER in December 1939.
He left the Group on 3rd June 1940.
In 1942, he joined the FAFL and took command of GB n°1 on 23 August 1943.
In 1955, he became Chief of Staff of the French Air Force. He was granted aircrew leave in September 1959.
Paul Bailly was killed in a road accident on 31 May 1976, aged 72.
Born on 2 September 1903 in Nice (06 - Alpes-Maritimes)
Killed on 31 May 1976 at Ligny-En-Barrois (55 - Meuse)
   
BOURGOIN René - Léon
Lieutenant
Observer
On May 22, 1940, his aircraft, a Potez 63-11 was hit by the Flak during a low-altitude mission. The Pilot is seriously injured and it is the Observer, Lieutenant BOURGOIN who succeeds in bringing the aircraft back to the ground and putting the train back in.
Born on 17 May 1916 in Carry-le-Rouet (13 -
Bouches du Rhône)
Died in Marseille (13 - Bouches du Rhône) on 10 March 2012
 
CAMBEFORT Jacques - Jean
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
Mentioned in the official journal of October 28th 1940 for two missions carried out within the GR II/36 on April 1st and May 26th 1940. He also belonged to GAO 517 (see photo), without precise date to date
Born on 4 September 1911 in Salvagnac (81 - Tarn)
Died in Paris on 6 April 1983
CASTERAN Roger
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
  Roger CASTERAN left Groupe GR II/36 in mid-May 1940 to join GAO I/520.  
CATHALA Adrien - Jean-Baptiste
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
- On September 29, 1939, his aircraft, the Potez 540 No.160, was accidentally destroyed on landing when returning from a night mission. Chief Warrant Officer CATHALA is unharmed.
- On May 22, 1940, his aircraft, a Potez 63-11 was hit by the Flak during a low-altitude mission. The Chief Warrant Officer CATHALA is seriously injured and it is the Observer, Lieutenant BOURGOIN who manages to bring the aircraft back to the ground and the landing gear. Staff Sergeant CATHALA will die shortly after landing.
Born on 23 July 1908 at La Livinière (34 - Hérault)
Killed on 22 May 1940 at Metz (57 - Moselle)
 
COUDERC Jean
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
 
DARRE Paul -
Jean
Lieutenant
Pilot
He was killed in Algeria on 15 August 1944 while fighting with GB 2/63 "Sénégal".
Born on 22 June 1907 in Lahitte-Toupière (65 - Hautes-Pyrénées)
Killed on 15 August 1944 at Misserghin (Algeria)
 
DELASSAUX
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner
On May 22, 1940, his aircraft, a Potez 63-11 was hit by the Flak during a low-altitude mission. The Pilot is seriously injured and it is the Observer who manages to bring the aircraft back to the ground and put the train back in. He had previously asked the Staff-Sergeant DELASSAUX to evacuate in parachute, and this one, unscathed poses without incident.    
DELIOT Jean
Chief-Warrant-Officer
Machine-Gunner
 
DERVILLE Ignace - Louis
Lieutenant
Observer
Born 15 May 1914 in Wervicq-Sud (59 - Nord)
Died at Neuilly sur Seine (92 - Haut de Seine) on 28 February 2004
 
GENAY Claude - François
Lieutenant
Observer
4th Sqn.

On September 29, 1939, his aircraft, the Potez 540 No.160, was accidentally destroyed on landing when returning from a night mission. Lieutenant GENAY is injured.

Lieutenant Claude GENAY was killed during a bombardment on 13 October 1944.

Killed on 13 October 1944  
GIRARD Max
Staff-Sergeant
Radio
 
GOAILLE Roger - Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
Born on 7 June 1916 in Bordeaux (33 - Gironde)
Died at Pau (64 - Pyrénées-Atlantiques) on 3 October 2004
 
HENON Albert
Lieutenant
Pilot
 
HOQUETIS Lionel - Marie
Captain
Crew Chief
Staff 4th Sqn.
On September 29, 1939, his aircraft, the Potez 540 No.160, was accidentally destroyed on landing when returning from a night mission. Captain HOQUETIS is unscathed.
Born on 3 July 1908 in Bordeaux (33 - Gironde)
Died at Bordeaux on 4 April 1997
 
MATIGNON
Chief Warrant Officer
Machine-Gunner
4th Sqn.
On September 29, 1939, his aircraft, the Potez 540 No.160, was accidentally destroyed on landing when returning from a night mission. Chief Warrant Officer MATIGNON is injured.    
PARDAILLAN Salvat
Captain
EM 3rd Sqn.
Salvat PARDAILLAN, then Adjutant in the 3rd Aviation Regiment, was appointed in August 1929 for his involvement in the fighting in the Djebel. He already had 9 years of active experience.
Born on 2 February 1899 at Urugne (64 - Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
Died at Pau (64 - Pyrénées-Atlantiques) on 29 April 1979
 
POUTIER
Commander
Staff Group
   

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
CATHALA Adrien
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
Potez 540 n° 160 :September 29, 1939, accidentally destroyed on landing. Lieutenant GENAY and Chief Warrant Officer MATIGNON are injured
HOQUETIS Lionel
Captain
Crew Chief
GENAY Claude
Lieutenant
Observer
MATIGNON
Chief Warrant Officer
Machine-Gunner
Crew
CATHALA Adrien
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
Potez ? : Hit by Flak May 22, 1940. The Pilot, Chief Warrant Officer CATHALA is killed. It's the Observer, Lieutenant BOURGOIN who puts the train gear back.
BOURGOIN René
Lieutenant
Observer
DELASSAUX
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner

 


Stories

Names
Photos
Descriptive
Sub-Lieutenant Jacques CAMBEFORT
Source Mr Yves CAMBEFORT, his Son

 

 

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Malamison
02 - Aisne
August 28, 1939
Couvron
02 - Aisne
September 16, 1939
Nancy
54 - Meurthe et Moselle
February 19, 1940
Azelot
54 - Meurthe et Moselle
April 22, 1940
Neufchâteau
88 - Vosges
May 29, 1940
Ambérieu-En-Bugey
01 - Ain
June 13, 1940
Loyettes
01 - Ain
June 16, 1940
Montélimar
26 - Drôme
June 17, 1940
Marignane
13 - Bouches du Rhône
June 18, 1940
Salon-de-Provence
13 - Bouches du Rhône
June 19, 1940
Perpignan La Salanque (Potez)
66 - Pyrénées Orientales
June 20, 1940
Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed (Bloch)
Tunisia
June 20, 1940
Tunis El Aouina
Tunisia
June 21, 1940
Sétif (Bloch)
Algéria
June 21, 1940
Alger Maison-Blanche
Algéria
June 22, 1940
Sétif
Algéria
June 23, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GR II/36

 


Aircrafts

The GR II/36 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 540

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
1
Chief Warrant Officer CATHALA (Combat)
May 22, 1940
Crewmen injured
2
Lieutenant GENAY (Accident)
September 29, 1939
Chief Warrant Officer MATIGNON (Accident)
September 29, 1939

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sources

- Mr Yves CAMBEFORT : The Sub-Lieutenant Jacques CAMBEFORT was his Father
- 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 Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions