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Air Observation Group GAO 543


Historical

Created as G.A.R. 543 in June 1937 in Valdahon, he becomes G.A.O. 543 on January 1, 1938
On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO 543 is attached to the 8th Army of "Air Force Cooperation" of the ZOAS (South Air Operations Area).
GAO 543 will be dissolved after the Armistice.


Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 543
Captain SACQUIN
(Cder GAR 543 then GAO 543)
December 1938
 
Commander GARRABOS
January 1st, 1939
August 1939
 
Captain DUBOSC
August 1939
 
Other staff members
Auxiliary Doctor NICOLAIDIS      

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
BARRIBERE
Sergeant
Flight Mechanic
   
BAUDIN
Sergeant
Machine-gunner
   
BERVEILLER François - Marie
Captain
Pilot
- On June 8, 1940, he managed to put Potez 63-11 No336 in the field after being damaged by the Flak.
- He will be killed June 9, 1940 in aerial combat aboard Potez 63-11 No. 682. This Potez was equipped with a reinforced armament, 7 machine guns of 7.5 in hunting, and the pilot succeeds in shooting down 3 ME109E before being himself shot.
Born on 29 June 1914 in Saint-Mihiel (55 - Meuse)
Killed on 9 June 1940 in Epernay (51 - Marne)
 
DELORME Louis - Jean-Michel
Master-Corporal
Machine Gunner
Killed aboard Potez 63-11 No. 682 shot down by German Fighters on June 9, 1940. Before succumbing, the pilot managed to kill 3 Me109, thanks to the reinforced armament of his Potez.
Born on 4 April 1920 in Target (03 - Allier)
Killed on 9 June 1940 in Epernay (51 - Marne)
 
DUBOSC
Captain
Commander of the group
After the Armistice, Captain DUBOSC took command of the Air Company of I/12 in Istres.    
DUMANOIS Emile - Jean-François
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
Second Lieutenant Emile DUMANOIS is from GAO 513. Born on 17 July 1913 in Toulon (83 - Var)
Died on 25 July 2005 in Chalon-sur-Saône (71 - Saône-et-Loire)
   
FAUGERAS Joseph - Jacques
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
Joseph FAUGERAS was called up in 1937. He was posted to GAO 543 in 1938, with which group he took part in the French campaign. Seriously wounded on 8 June 1940 when he landed on board Potez 63-11 n°336, which had been damaged by Flak, he was hospitalised for eight months - then demobilised. He escaped from France via Spain in 1943, and was sent to flying school in the United States. Joseph Faugeras was assigned to the National Defence staff, but was discharged in 1946. Born on 16 June 1916 in Captieux (Gironde)
Died on 10 June 2007 at Châtenay-Malabry (92 - Hauts de Seine).
 
FRANCOIS
Sergeant
Radio
   
GARDEN
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
On May 30, 1940, he must put his Potez 63-11 No. 677 in campaign following a power failure. The Sub-Lieutenant

GARDEN is unharmed.

After the Armistice, Second Lieutenant GARDEN passed his teaching qualification and became a science teacher at the Prytanée military academy.

   
GOLLY
Chief Warrant Officer
Chief Warrant Officer GOLLY will be assigned to the Istres storage base after the group is disbanded.    
GONZALES-LUCAS Fernand - Jacques
Lieutenant
Observer
Killed aboard Potez 63-11 No. 682 shot down by German fighters on June 9, 1940. Before succumbing, the pilot managed to kill 3 Me109, thanks to the reinforced armament of his Potez.
Born on 6 June 1914 in Paris (75)
Killed on 9 June 1940 in Epernay (51 - Marne)
 
LE-BLEVENNEC Guy - Alexis
Sub-lieutenant
Observer
Guy LE-BLEVENNEC enlisted in 1937 and joined the Saint-Maixent school. He was posted to GAO 543 in 1939. He joined the FAFL at Kairoman in June 1943 and was posted to the Bretagne group, with which he took part in missions over Italy.
Guy LE-BLEVENNEC was posted successively to the Cognac, Avord and Marrakech schools, then to Algeria in 1947. He was appointed to the 3rd bureau, then to the DAT in 1951 before returning to Algeria in Blida, commanding the GATAC in Algiers. A trainee at the ESGA in 1958, he was then posted to the Direction centrale du matériel in 1960 before becoming commander of the Maison-Blanche base in 1961. In 1964, he was appointed Chief of Staff of COTAM. In 1967, he was appointed commander of the Rochefort school and base, and left the active army in 1970 with the rank of Colonel.
Born 17 October 1917 in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes)
Died in Saint-Germain en Laye (78 - Yvelines) on 21 November 1996
   
MADHY
Sub-Lieutenant
After the Armistice, Sub Lieutenant MADHY resumed his job as a miller at the Montpont mill (Saône-et-Loire).    
MARNET
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub Lieutenant MARNET will join GR II/14 after the Armistice.    
MAROTEL
Chief Warrant Officer
Chief Warrant Officer MAROTEL will be assigned to the Istres storage base after the group is disbanded.    
MOLLE
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On June 8, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No 336 was destroyed on landing after being damaged by the Flak. Lieutenant GONZALES is unharmed.    
ORSAT
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Injured on May 30, 1940 following an engine failure aboard the Potez 63-11 No 677: The pilot managed to land in the field, but Sergeant ORSAT had already jumped, and was injured during the evacuation of the aircraft.    
PERRET
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
On May 30, 1940, his Potez 63-11 No 677 was forced to land in the field following an engine failure: the
Sub-Lieutenant PERRET is unharmed.
   
SAINT-BONNET Aimé
Sergeant
Pilot
Born on 28 September 1918 in La Chapelle-Du-Bard (38 - Isère)
Died on 6 October 1995 in Vienne (38 - Isère)
   
UZZEIN
Sergeant
Sergeant UZZEIN will become a ski instructor at a youth camp in the Alps after the group disbands.    
WEISSMANN
Sergeant
   

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
GARDEN
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 677 : Put in campaign on May 30, 1940 following an engine failure. Sergeant ORSAT gets injured while parachuting.
PERRET
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
ORSAT
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
BERVEILLER François
Captain
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 336 : Damaged by the Flak on June 8th, 1940, it is destroyed on landing: Sub-Lieutenant FAUGERAS is seriously injured
FAUGERAS Joseph
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
MOLLE
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
BERVEILLER François
Captain
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 682 : Shot down by German Fighterson June 9, 1940: the crew is killed. This aircraft was equipped with a reinforced weapon with 7 machine guns on the hunt, and the pilot managed the feat of shooting down 3 BF 109E before being himself shot.
GONZALES Fernand
Lieutenant
Observer
DELORME Joseph
Master-Corporal
Machine Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Belfort Chaux
90 - Territoire de Belfort
September 3, 1939
Chambran Marcilloles
38 - Isère
November 1939
Saint-Etienne De Saint-Geoirs
38 - Isère
Luxeuil saint-Sauveur
70 - Haute-Saône
April 1940
Montbéliard
25 - Doubs
Villeneuve-Renneville-Chevigny
51 - Marne
May 27, 1940
Romilly sur Seine
10 - Aube
Juny 1940
Gisy-les-Nobles
89 - Yonne
Briare
45 - Loiret
Le Subdray
18 - Cher
Cognac Segonzac
16 - Charente
Toulouse Francazal
31 - Haute-Garonne
Perpignan La Salanque
66 - Pyrénées Orientales
Béziers
34 - Hérault
Sisteron Thèse
04 - Alpes Haute Provence
Juny 24, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GAO 543

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Aircrafts

The GAO 543 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 :

  • 5 Potez 63-11

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
3
Lieutenant GONZALES (Combat)
Juny 9, 1940
Captain BERVEILLER (Combat)
Juny 9, 1940
Master-Corporal DELORME (Combat)
Juny 9, 1940
Crewmen injured
2
Sergeant ORSAT (Accident)
May 30, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant FAUGERAS (Combat)
Juny 8, 1940

 


Sources

- Mr Dominique SAINT-BONNET : The Sergeant Aimé SAINT-BONNET 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 Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions