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Site in French
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Historical
GAR 552 was formed on 15
January 1937; it became GAO 552 on 2 September 1938.
On 10 May 1940, GAO 552 was
attached to the 7th Army of the 1st Air Division of the ZOAN (Northern
Air Operations Zone).
GAO 552 was disbanded on
1 July 1940.
Staff
|
Commanders
of the group
GAO 552
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| Commander
CLAUSSE |
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Captain
CHAUVET
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Personnel
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Pilots
and crew of the Group
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Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
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Informations
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Civil-statut
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Photos
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Citations
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| CHAUVET
|
Captain
|
Commander
of the Group
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| CLAUSSE
|
Commander
|
Commander
of the Group
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On
4 August 1937, near Herbecourt in the Eure department, Raymond
CLAUSSE and his observer Lieutenant DE-VANDEUVRE were involved
in an accident aboard the Mureaux 117 No. 113. |
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| COCHART |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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| COLPIN
Paul - Louis |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Killed
on 13 May 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 689, hit by anti-aircraft
fire. Severely damaged, he was unable to return to base and
crashed just 3 km away. |
Born on 19 June 1915
in Busigny (59 - Nord)
Killed on 13 May 1940 in Nieuwkerke (Belgium)
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| DEBORT
Octave - Jean |
Lieutenant
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Observer
|
On
19 May 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 637, was damaged
by anti-aircraft fire and crashed on landing. Lieutenant DE-BORT
was unharmed. |
Born on 11 October 1905
in Charly (69 - Rhône)
Died on 31 August 1988 in Portet-sur-Garonne (31 - Haute-Garonne)
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| DE-VILLANCOURT
or DE-VILLAUVOURT |
Lieutenant
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On
15 May 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 606, suffered
engine failure on take-off and crashed. DE-VILLANCOURT was injured. |
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DOMAIN Louis
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Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
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On 21 February 1938, in
the Ardennes, Louis DOMAIN and his observer Lieutenant BECOURT-FOCH
were victims of an accident aboard the Mureaux 117 No. 85.
On 19 May 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 637, was
damaged by anti-aircraft fire and crashed on landing. Staff
Sergeant DOMAIN was unharmed.
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| DOUCET |
Corporal
|
Machine
Gunner
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Wounded
on 18 May 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 226. The aircraft, damaged
by enemy fire, crashed to the ground. |
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| FURST
Roger - Alphonse |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
After
the Armistice, Roger FURST joined the Free French Air Force
and was assigned to the ‘Lorraine’ bombing group.
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Born on 22 May 1912
in Belfort (90 - Territoire de Belfort)
Died on 14 November 1972 in Soultz-Haut-Rhin (68 - Haut-Rhin)
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| LUX
Jean - Joseph |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
|
Killed
on 13 May 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 689, hit by anti-aircraft
fire. Severely damaged, he was unable to return to base and
crashed just 3 km from it. |
Born on 16 August 1905
in Verdun (55 - Meuse)
Killed on 13 May 1940 in Nieuwkerke (Belgium)
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| MADRU
Pierre - Alfred |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
After
the Armistice, Pierre MADRU joined the Resistance. With the
rank of Captain, he became the leader of the F.F.I. (French
Forces of the Interior) in the Sermaize sector. |
Born on 26 October 1916
in Belfort (90 - Territoire de Belfort)
Died on 17 February 1979 in Paris (75)
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| MAHISTRE
Philippe |
Staff-Sergeant
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| MOULS
René - Louis |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
René
MOULS was arrested by the Germans in April 1944. Initially interned
in France, he was deported to Neuengamme concentration camp
in Germany in May 1944. René MOULS was killed on 8 April
1945 during a transfer. |
Born on 19 June 1916
in Epernay (51 - Marne)
Killed on 8 April 1945 in Neuengamme (Germany)
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| PLANTIER
|
Sergeant
|
Machine
Gunner
|
On
19 May 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 637, was damaged
by anti-aircraft fire and crashed on landing. Sergeant PLANTIER
was unharmed. |
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| RIBEREAU-GAYON
François - André |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
François RIBEREAU-GAYON
was an engineer who graduated from the École Centrale
de Paris.
On 18 May 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 226, was
shot down by the Chasse. Second Lieutenant RIBEREAU-GAYON
was unharmed.
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Born on 25 January 1915
in Bordeaux (33 - Gironde)
Died on 12 February 2006 in Garches (92 - Hauts-de-Seine)
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| SACQUEPEE
Robert - Eugène |
Adjutant
|
Machine
Gunner
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On 6 July 1938, near Rochefort-sur-Mer,
Robert SAQUEPEE was involved in an accident aboard the Mureaux
117 No. 132 piloted by Lieutenant DE CASSAN-FLOYRAC.
He was killed on 13 May 1940 aboard the Potez 63-11 No. 689,
which was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Seriously damaged, he
was unable to return to base and crashed just 3 km away. Robert
SACQUEPEE was seriously injured and died while being transferred
to hospital.
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Born on 2 August 1912
in Hussigny-Godbrange (54 - Meurthe-et-Moselle)
Killed on 13 May 1940 in Nieuwkerke (Belgium)
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| VERSINI
Antoine - François |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
On 18 May 1940, his aircraft,
the Potez 63-11 No. 226, was shot down by the Chasse. Lieutenant
VERSINI was unharmed.
After the Armistice, Antoine VERSINI joined the Resistance
under the pseudonym ‘Vasseur’. He formed the Rochefort
du Gard ‘Le Grand Belly’ maquis during the winter
of 1943/44.
After the war, he continued his career in the Air Force, retiring
with the rank of Colonel.
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Born on 22 July 1902 in
Sétif (Algeria)
Died on 9 November 1979 in Avallon (89 - Yonne)
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Stories
of crews
|
Crews
of Group
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Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
|
Crew
|
LUX
Jean |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 689 :Shot down by the Flak on May 13, 1940.
The crew is killed. |
| COLPIN
Paul |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| SACQUEPEE
Robert |
Adjutant
|
Machine
Gunner
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Crew
|
VERSINI
Antoine |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 226 : Destroyed May 18, 1940 following
an aerial combat: Corporal DOUCET is wounded. |
| RIBEREAU-GAYON
François |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| DOUCET |
Corporal
|
Machine
Gunner
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Crew
|
DOMAIN
louis |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n°637 :Hit by the Flak May 19, 1940. The aircraft
crashes on landing. The crew is unscathed: Lieutenant DE-BORT,
Staff-Sergeant DOMAIN, and Sergeant PLANTIER. |
| DE-BORT
Octave |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| PLANTIER |
Sergeant
|
Machine
Gunner
|
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Crew
|
COCHART |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 : Participates in an observation mission May 15,
1940 on the axis Antwerp - Breda - Tilburg |
| MOULS
René |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| PLANTIER |
Sergeant
|
Machine
Gunner
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Airfields
|
Period
of use of airfields
|
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Names
|
County
|
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Mourmelon
|
51
- Marne
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September
3, 1939
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Senon-Spincourt
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55
- Meuse
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September
20, 1939
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Valenciennes
La Briquette
|
59
- Nord
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November
11, 1939
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Clastres
Saint-Simon
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02
- Aisne
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December
1, 1939
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Prouvy
Denain
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59
- Nord
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January
15, 1940
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Saint-Omer
Wizernes
|
62
- Pas de Calais
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March
28, 1940
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Basqueville
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27
- Eure
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May
20, 1940
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Aulnat
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63
- Puy de Dôme
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May
21, 1940
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Caen-Carpiquet
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14
- Calvados
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May
27, 1940
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Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
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14
- Calvados
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May
29, 1940
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Chartres
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28
- Eure et Loir
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Juny
5, 1940
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Aulnat
|
63
- Puy de Dôme
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Juny
13, 1940
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Agen
La Garenne
|
47
- Lot et Garonne
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Juny
20, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge :
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Aircrafts
The GAO 552 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 Liore & Olivier
LeO C30
- 4 Potez 63-11
Casualties
|
Crewmen
killed
|
3
|
| Lieutenant
COLPIN (Combat) |
May 13,
1940
|
| Chief
Warrant Officer LUX (Combat) |
May 13,
1940
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| Adjutant
SACQUEPEE (Combat) |
May 13,
1940
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Crewmen
injured
|
2
|
| Lieutenant
DE-VILLANCOURT (Accident) |
May 15,
1940
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| Corporal
DOUCET (Combat) |
May 18,
1940
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- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
|
