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Air Observation Group GAO 516


Historical

On May 10, 1940, GAO 516 is attached to the 7th Army of the 1st Air Division of the ZOAN (North Air Operations Area).


Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 516
Commander DURAND  

 

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
ALLAIRE Robert
Sub-lieutenant
Pilot
On 28 May 1940, Robert ALLAIRE left the Group to join GR I/35. Wounded on 16 June 1940, he was taken prisoner but managed to escape on 18 June. Born 5 January 1913, Paris
Died 12 January 1981, Versailles (78 - Yvelines)
   
DURAND
Commander
Commander of the Group
   
FILLIATRE Jean - Marie
Staff-Sergeant
Coming from the GR I/35, he was killed on 27 May 1940. Born on 12 February 1914 in Mireval (34 - Hérault)
Died at Oye Plage (62 - Pas-de-Calais) on 27 May 1940
   
GILBERTAS
Adjutant
Machine Gunner
Seriously injured on May 22, 1940 following an accident during the landing in fog on the Breguet 27 No. 53    
NOUVEL Louis - Jean
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot

Injured May 22, 1940 following an accident landing on foggy weather aboard the Breguet 27 No. 53

Louis NOUVEL was killed on 7 February 1944 in Ismailia, Egypt.

Born on 30 August 1917 at Saint Jean de Valensie (30 - Gard)
Killed on 7 February 1944 at Ismaïlia (Egypt)
   
REGIS Pierre - Marie
Lieutenant
Observer

On 26th May 1940, Pierre REGIS left the Group to join GR I/35.
He was killed on 7th June 1940.

Born on 17 December 1912 at Marseille (13 - Bouches du Rhône)
Killed on 7 June 1940 at Roye (80 - Somme)
   
RELAT Marcel - André
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On May 22, 1940, following a mechanical failure aboard the Breguet 27 No. 94, the aircraft abyss at sea, and despite the intervention of a trawler, Lieutenant RELAT will die.
Born on 10 November 1918 in Saint-Brice sur Vienne (87 - Haute-Vienne)
Killed on 22 May 1940 at sea
   
TONI Charles - Joseph
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer

On 1 April 1940, Charles TONI left the Group to join GR I/35.
Wounded on 16 June 1940, he was taken prisoner but managed to escape on 18 June.

Born 24 August 1916, Noves (13 - Bouches du Rhône)
Died 12 February 1992, Nimes (30 - Gard)
   
TRIOL André - Gabriel
Lieutenant
Observer
Left the Group May 28, 1940 to join GR I/35
Born on 17 January 1901 in Greece
Died at Lunel (34 - Hérault) on 12 July 1991
   

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
NOUVEL Louis
Staff-Sergent
Pilot
Breguet 27 n° 53 : Destroyed on landing in foggy weather on May 22, 1940. Warrant Officer GILBERTAS seriously injured, Staff-Sergeant NOUVEL slightly
GILBERTAS
Adjutant
Machine Gunner
Crew
??
Pilot
Breguet 27 n° 94 :Is forced to land at sea due to mechanical problems on May 22, 1940. The crew is collected by a trawler, but Sergeant RELAT is killed.
RELAT Marcel
Sergeant
Machine Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Calais-Saint-Inglevert
62 - Pas de Calais
September 3, 1939
Rouen-Boos
76 - Seine-Maritime
May 22, 1940
Clermont-Ferrand
63 -Puy de Dôme
May 30, 1940
Bordeaux-Mérignac
33 - Gironde
May 31, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GAO 516

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Aircrafts

The GAO 516 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 Breguet 27

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
1
Sergeant RELAT (Combat)
May 22, 1940
Crewmen Injured
2
Adjutant GILBERTAS (Combat)
May 22, 1940
Staff-Sergeant NOUVEL (Combat)
May 22, 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