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Air Observation Group GAO 513

Historical

Originally, the Group has for designation GAR 513. It will become GAO 513 on September 2, 1938.

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO 513 is attached to the 8th Army of "Air Force Cooperation" of the ZOAS (South Air Operations Area).

Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 513
Commander BILLOT  
Captain PERRON Michel
 

 

Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
BARAT Gilbert
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
      
BERDELLOU Louis
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
        
BERNARDIE René
Staff-Sergent
Pilot
      
BILLOT
Commander
Commander of the Group
      
BOUILLER René
Chief-Warrant-Officer
Pilot
        
CLEMENT Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
 Killed on May 28, 1940 following an accident on takeoff aboard POTEZ 63-11 n ° 448      
DUMANOIS Emile
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
        
FERAN
Captain
Pilot
      
GILBERTRAS
Lieutenant
Observer
      
MARINET Gabriel
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
        
MARTINANT-SURIN
Staff-Sergent
Machine gunner
Injured on May 28, 1940 following an accident on takeoff aboard POTEZ 63-11 n ° 448      
MATHY Pierre
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
        
PERRON Michel
Captain
Commander of the Group
      
PONCET
Sergeant
Pilot
 Injured on May 28, 1940 following an accident on takeoff aboard POTEZ 63-11 n ° 448      
ROY
Sergeant
Machine gunner
     
VAULOT Hubert
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
        
WEINMANN Jacques
Sergeant
Pilot
        

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
 PONCET
Sergeant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 448 : Crashes on takeoff on May 28, 1940. CLEMENT Sub-Lieutenant is killed. Sergeant PONCET and Staff-Sergeant MARTINANT-SURIN are injured.
CLEMENT Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
MARTINANT-SURIN
Staff-Sergeant
Machine gunner

 

Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Montbéliard
25 - Doubs
September 3, 1939
Belfort Chaux
90 - Territoire de Belfort
May 10, 1940
Roye
80 - Somme
May 30, 1940
Pontarlier
25 - Doubs
Juny 14, 1940
Nantua
01 - Ain
Juny 15, 1940
Feurs
42 - Loire
Juny 16, 1940
Feurs / Darsac
43 - Haute-Loire
Juny 17, 1940
Millau
12 - Aveyron
Juny 18, 1940
Servian
34 - Hérault
Juny 19, 1940
Saint-André-de-Roquelongue
11 - Aude
Juny 24, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :
Itinerary of the GAO 513

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircrafts

The GAO 513 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 :

  • 8 Potez 390
  • 2 Potez 63-11

 

Casualties

Crewmen killed
1
Sub-Lieutenant CLEMENT (Accident)
May 28, 1940
Crewmen Injured
2
Sergeant PONCET (Accident)
May 28, 1940
Staff-Sergeant MARTINANT-SURIN (Accident)
May 28, 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