 |
Site en Français
|
|
Historical
This unit is initially part
of the "Flotilla of Bearn" (future flotilla "F1A"),
under the name of Escadrille 7B1. It takes the designation of AB-1
on October 1st, 1938. At the declaration of the war, all the squadrons
of the aircraft carrier Béarn are disembarked and the AB-1
Squadron joins the base of Lanvéoc-Poulmic. In this field,
the pilots will complete the training with the new Vought 156F,
which replace the old Levasseur PL7 advantageously.
On December 15, the unit
leaves Lanvéoc-Poulmic to join the field of Boulogne-Albrech.
It will perform during the winter, mainly anti-submarine surveillance
missions. On March 22, it is curiously decided by the staff, to
qualify the squadrons at the landing. However, our only aircraft
carrier, the Bearn is not really usable squadron, because too slow
... The tests are still held in Hyères until the German attack
of May 10, 1940. The AB- 1 must then quickly reach the Boulogne-Alprech
field to replace the AB-3 Escadrille, all of whose aircraft were
destroyed on May 10th during the bombing of the hangar housing them
...
The first missions begin
successfully on May 16, but on May 20, the squadron, without the
planned English fighter escort, and attacked by a formation of ME109:
5 Vought 156F are shot down!
Other missions will follow,
and the offensive potential of the unit, is reduced as and until
the losses until the last mission on June 17, 1940. The unit folds
on Hourtin, in Gironde, where the Armistice will surprise them.
4 Aircraft will attempt to reach midday on June 24, just before
the flight ban, but, because of bad weather, only one will succeed.
The squadron will be dissolved
on August 15, 1940.
Staff
|
Commanders
of the Squadron AB-1
|
| MESNY
Gerald - Lieutenant |
October
29,1937
|
August
15, 1940
|
|
Pilots
|
Pilots
and crew members of the squadron AB-1
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
Civil-statut
|
Photos |
Citations
& Decorations |
| AMIEL
Marcel |
Chief
Bosun’s Mate
|
Flying
Radio
|
|
|
|
|
| BESSEY-DE-COTENSON
Louis |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Shot
down in aerial combat on June 9, 1940: His pilot manages to
land in the field and the crew will join the French lines
|
|
|
|
| BODIN
Jean |
Petty
Officer 1st Class
|
Radio
- Machine Gunner
|
|
|
|
|
| BUHOT-LAUNAY
Hyacinthe |
Petty-Officer
|
Pilot
|
Shot
down in aerial combat on June 9, 1940: He managed to land in
the field and the crew joined the French lines |
|
|
|
| CLAUDE
Roland |
Machine-Gunner
|
Pilot
|
On
May 17, 1940, returning from a mission, he lost himself in the
night and must land on a beach in Normandy. He will die on 14/07/1943
aboard a seafire off Sicily. |
Born
on 24 July 1910
Killed on 14 July 1943 |
|
|
| DAVONNEAU
Bernard |
Petty
Officer
|
Pilot
|
|
|
|
|
| EVEN
Eugene |
Machine-Gunner
|
Pilot
|
Shot
down in aerial combat on May 20, 1940. Unwinded, he managed
to land in the countryside and joined the lines. |
|
|
|
| FELTZ
Georges |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Killed
in aerial combat on May 20, 1940
|
Born
on 20th July 1917 at Woippy (57 - Moselle)
Killed on 20 May 1940 at Beaumont en Argonne (08 - Ardennes) |
|
|
| HIRTZ
Alfred |
Petty-Officer
|
Mechanic
- Machine-Gunner
|
Shot
on May 20, 1940, he's taken prisoner |
|
|
|
| JEANDRON
Jean-Louis |
Petty-Officer
|
Radio
- Machine-Gunner
|
Killed
on May 20, 1940 in aerial combat.
|
Born
on 22 February 1915 at Chateauneuf du Faou (29 - Finistère)
Killed on 20th May 1940 at Urvillers (02 - Aisne) |
|
|
| LAFON
Roger |
Petty-Officer
|
Radio
- Machine-Gunner
|
Killed
on May 20, 1940 after an air fight. his pilot managed to land
in the field, but he was strafed on the ground by a German fighter. |
Born
on 01 March 1931 in Brest (29 - Finistère)
Killed on 20 May 1940 |
|
|
| LECOANET
Aimé |
Petty-Officer
|
Pilot
|
Shot
on May 20, 1940, he is taken prisoner |
|
|
|
| LEVEILLE
Gaston |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Wounded
May 20, 1940 in aerial combat. He managed to land in the countryside. |
|
|
|
| LOURDELLE
Maurice |
Petty
Officer
|
Radio
|
|
|
|
|
| LUCAS
Edouard |
Petty-Officer
|
Pilot
|
After
the Armistice, he is the only pilot to succeed to join Saint-Laurent
La Salanque despite the ban on flying |
|
|
|
| MARTIN
Julien Thermod |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Killed
on May 20, 1940 in aerial combat. |
Born
on 18 February 1906 at Saint-Mandé (94 - Val de Marne)
Killed on 20 May 1940 at Urvilliers (02 - Aisne) |
|
|
| MESNY
Gérald |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Commander
of the AB-1 Escadrille from October 1937 to August 15, 1940 |
|
|
|
| NELIAS
Albert Félix |
Petty-Officer
|
Radio
- Machine-Gunner
|
Killed
in aerial combat on May 20, 1940 |
Born
on 3 August 1915 in Pont-Aven (29 - Finistère)
Killed on 20 May 1940 at sea |
|
|
| PENNOGON
Pierre |
Petty
Officer
|
Radio
- Machine-gunner
|
|
|
|
|
| PIQUEMAL
René |
Petty
Officer
|
Pilot
|
|
|
|
|
| RIGOURD
Alexis |
Chief
Bosun’s Mate
|
Radio
- Machine-Gunner
|
|
|
|
|
| SAULNIER
Christian |
Petty
Officer
|
Pilot
|
|
|
|
|
| TARQUIS
Yves |
Petty
Officer 1st Class
|
Mechanic
- Machine-Gunner
|
|
|
|
|
| WALGER
Marcel |
Petty-Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Shot
down in air combat on May 20, 1940. Unwilling, he managed to
parachute himself and join the lines. |
Born
on 10 April 1918 at Reppe (90 - Territoire de Belfort)
Killed on 14 August 1944 at Livet Et Gavet (38 - Isère)
|
|
|
|
Squadron
Mechanics
|
|
Name
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
Photo
|
| DERIVE |
|
Mechanical
Engineer
|
|
|
| DUBALLET |
Chief Bosun’s
Mate
|
Armorer
|
|
|
| GUICHARD
Emile Louis |
Seaman
|
Reserve
Furrier
|
Born on 20 October 1910
at Redon (35 - Ille et Vilaine)
Killed on 06 June 1940 at Boulogne sur Mer (62 - Pas de Calais)
|
|
| HAIBERLIN |
|
Mechanical
Engineer
|
|
|
| KERVAREC |
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
| LE-ROLLAND
Louis Joseph |
Petty Officer
|
Mechanical
Engineer
|
Born on 30 November 1911
at Plouisy (22 - Côte d'Armor)
Killed on 28 June 1941 in Palmyra (Syria)
|
|
| PASQUES
Georges |
|
Mechanic
|
Born on 12 April 1910
in Ain Témouchent (Algeria)
Killed on 11 May 1940 during the bombing of Berck (62 - Pas
de Calais)
|
|
| PEYRADE-TRAMAZAIGUES
Adrien |
Chief Petty
Officer
|
Aeronautical
Mechanic
|
Born on 20 December 1908
in Lourdes (65 - Hautes Pyrénées)
He joined the Corps Francs, Pionniers, and was killed on 10
July 1944 at Nigueres Souye (64 - Pyrénées Atlantique)
|
|
| PURON |
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
| SUINAT |
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
Stories
of crews
|
Crews
of Squadron AB-1
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
|
Crew
|
LECOANET
Aimé |
Petty Officer
|
Pilot
|
Vought
156 AB1-2 : Shot down by fighters on 20 May 1940 : The crew was
taken prisoner |
| HIRTZ
Alfred |
Petty Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
FELTZ
Georges |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Vought
156 AB1-4 : Shot down by hunting on 20 May 1940 : Crew killed |
| NELIAS
Albert |
Petty Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
EVEN
Eugène |
Maitre
|
Pilot
|
Vought
156 No9 AB1-5 : Damaged in aerial combat on 20th May 1940
: The pilot managed to land in the field and rejoined the lines.
The gunner ejected during the fight, parachuted and was taken
prisoner. |
| WALGER
Marcel |
Petty Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
MARTIN
Julien |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Vought
156 AB1-7 : Shot down by hunting on 20 May 1940 : Crew killed |
| JEANDRON
Jean-Louis |
Petty Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
LEVEILLE
Gaston |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Vought
156 AB1-11 : Damaged in aerial combat on 20 May 1940 : The pilot
is wounded, but the gunner is killed, strafed on the ground by
a German fighter |
| LAFON
Roger |
Petty Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
BUHOT-LAUNAY
Hyacinthe |
Petty Officer
|
Pilot
|
Vought
156 AB1-6 : Damaged in aerial combat on 9 June 1940 : The pilot
managed to land in the field. The crew will join the French lines |
| BESSEY-DE-COTENSON
Louis |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Airfields
|
Various
used Airfields
|
|
City
|
Department
or country
|
Period
of use
|
|
Lanvéoc-Poulmic
|
29 -
Finistère
|
September
1939 to November 21, 1939
|
|
Querqueville
|
50 -
Manche
|
From
November 21st to December 15th, 1939
|
|
Boulogne-Alprech
|
62 -
Pas de Calais
|
From
December 15, 1939 to March 27, 1940
|
|
Lanvéoc-Poulmic
|
29 -
Finistère
|
From
March 27 to April 22, 1940
|
|
Hyères
|
83 -
Var
|
From
April 22 to May 13, 1940
|
|
Boulogne-Alprech
|
62
- Pas de Calais
|
May 13
to May 21, 1940
|
|
Mardyck
|
59 -
Nord
|
May 21
to May 23, 1940
|
|
Querqueville
|
50 -
Manche
|
From
May 23 to June 11, 1940
|
|
Hourtin
|
33 -
gironde
|
From
June 11 to the Armistice
|
Aircrafts
The
Squadron AB-1 was equipped since its creation , following aircrafts:
-
Vought 156F from August 1939
The used aircrafts
are dSqnribed 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 :
Casualties
|
Killed Pilots
|
5
|
| FELTZ
Georges Sub-Lieutenant |
May 20,1940
|
| LAFON
Roger Petty Officer |
May 20,1940
|
| NELIAS
Albert Petty Officer |
May 20,1940
|
| MARTIN
Julien Lieutenant |
May 20,1940
|
| JEANDRON
Jean-Louis Petty Officer |
May 20,1940
|
|
Wounded
Pilots
|
1
|
| LEVEILLE
Gaston Lieutenant |
May 20,1940
|
|
Prisoners
Pilots
|
3
|
| LECOANNET
Aimé Petty Officer |
May 20,1940
|
| HIRTZAlfred
Petty Officer |
May 20,1940
|
| WALGER
Marcel Petty Officer |
May 20,1940
|
Sources
- The
dates and places of birth of the Group's personnel are taken mainly
from the site : "Mémoires
des Hommes"
- Hors série AVIONS No1
- "L'Aéronautique Navale Française de Septembre
1940 à Juin 1940" by L. Morareau - Editions LELA Presse
- Aéro-Journal No18
"L'Aéronautique Navale en Guerre 1939-1940": by Christian-Jacques
EHRENGARDT - Editions Aéro-Editions
- ...
|
