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Bomber Group GB I/15

1st Squadron
2nd Squadron


Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GB I / 15 is attached to the Group No. 15 of the "Reserved Air Forces" of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Area).


Staff

Commanders of the group GB I/15
Commander QUERAT  
Commanders of the 1st Squadron
Captain DUTERTRE
 
Captain TERRASSIER
 
Commanders of the 2nd Squadron
Captain FLEURIAN

 
Captain VANHOUTTE
May 30, 1940
 
Captain CHARLAN
May 31, 1940
 

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos Citations & Decorations
AVENARD
Lieutenant
Pilot
   
BALASC Paul - Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Born on 2 September 1903 at Le-Mas-D'Azil (09 - Ariège)
Died at Villenave-d'Ornon (33 - Gironde) on 14 February 1988
 
BARATIER Marie - Georges
Lieutenant
Observer
Born at Boulieu-Les-Annonay (07 - Ardêche) on 5 December 1913
Died at Annonay (07 - Ardêche) on 16 October 1973
 
BARBAZANGE
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
   
BARBERAIN
Master-Corporal
Machine Gunner
   
BERNARD
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
   
BODIN
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
   
CANTINI
Staff-Sergeant
   
CASSE Serge - Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
On May 18, 1940, Farman F222.2 No. 32 was destroyed because of frost. The 7 crew members parachute, but Sub-Lieutenant CASSE is killed, his parachute did not work

Born on 25 April 1908 in Paris (75)
Killed on 18 May 1940 at Misy-sur-Yonne (77 - Seine-et-Marne)

 
CHARLAN Yves - Charles
Captain
Cder 2nd Sqn.
Crew Chief
Born on 16 February 1911 in Ottawa (Canada)
Killed on 8 June 1944 in Cairo (Egypt)
 
CLASSET
Sergeant
On May 17, 1940, the Farman F222-1 No 7 was taken by Frost. The Crew Chief ordered the evacuation, but the Pilot managed to regain control. 3 crewmen have already jumped ...
   
CORRIOL Jean
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
1ere Esc
Born on 16 May 1914 in Meuchin (62 - Pas de Calais)
Died at Nice (06 - Alpes-Maritimes) on 25 May 2008
   
DE-LACCABE Marie
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
On May 18, 1940, Farman F222.2 No. 32 was destroyed because of frost. The 7 crew members parachute. Lieutenant DE-LACCABE is injured.
 
DESROCHES Pierre - Marie
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
On May 18, 1940, Farman F222.2 No. 32 was destroyed because of frost. The 7 members of the crew parachute, but the Staff-Sergeant DESROCHES is killed, his parachute not having worked.
Born on 17 July 1912 at Mâcon (71 - Saône-et-Loire)
Killed on 18 May 1940 at Misy-sur-Yonne (77 - Seine-et-Marne)
 
DUTERTRE
Captain
Cder 1st Sqn.
   
FLEURIAN
Captain
Cder 2nd Sqn.
   
FROMAGET Robert
Chief-Warrant-Officer
Pilot
 
GAUVAIN
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
   
GILLET
Lieutenant
Navigator
   
HUMBERT Roge - Charles
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
The Farman F222-2 No 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes on May 30, 1940. Sub-Lieutenant HUMBERT is killed.
Born 8 April 1914, Paris (75)
Killed on 30 May 1940 at Lérigny (10 - Aube)
 
LOYER Robert - Marcel
Chief Warrant Officer
Bombardier
The Farman F222-2 No 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes May 30, 1940. The Chief Warrant Officer LOYER is killed.
Born on 22 October 1901 in Paris (75)
Killed on 30 May 1940 at Lérigny (10 - Aube)
 
MILLE
Staff-Sergeant
Radio
   
MOREAU
Adjutant
Machine Gunner
 
PAILLOUX Jean - Lucien
Lieutenant
Observer
The Farman F222-2 No. 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes on May 30, 1940. Lieutenant PAILLOUX is killed.
Born 8 January 1915 at Isles et Bardais (03 - Allier)
Killed on 30 May 1940 at Lérigny (10 - Aube)
 
PELLETIER
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
   
PUISSESSEAU Gustave - Pierre
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
On May 17, 1940, the Farman F222-1 No 7 was taken by Frost. The Crew Chief ordered the evacuation, but the Pilot managed to regain control. 3 crewmen have already jumped ...
Born on 2 February 1908 in Sainte-Adresse (76 - Seine-Maritime)
Died at Biarritz (64 - Pyrénées-Atlantiques) on 10 May 1973
 
QUERAT Raymond
Commander
Cder of Group
Born on 26 February 1897    
RICHARD André
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner
 

André RICHARD joined the French Air Force in April 1933. Posted to Compiègne Air Base until 1935, he was then transferred to the 15th Bombardment Wing at Avord Air Base. He obtained his Brevet de Mitrailleur in 1937. He served in the GB I/15 during the French Campaign. After the Armistice, he went on Armistice leave in December 1940.

In 1942, he rejoined the Air Force with the rank of Warrant Officer and joined the Resistance. He was wounded in 1944 while fighting with the Auvergne Light Division. He was appointed a Lieutenant in the Air Force, and after being posted to the Ecole des Cadres de Meudon, then to Marrakech, he joined the C.S.E.A (Commandement Supérieur des Ecoles de l'Air). He was killed on 16 December 1945 in the crash of an NC-701 Martinet.

Source "cétaitautemps.net"

Born on 14 May 1913 in Clary (59 - Nord)
Killed on 16 December 1945 near Massy-Palaiseau
 
RION Gilbert
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
2nd Squadron
He joined the Free French Air Force and was seconded to the RAF School on 1 September 1944
Born in Sermiers (51 - Marne) on 15 March 1908
Died at Reims (51 - Marne) on 22 May 1972
 
SEGUIN Guy
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
The Farman F222-2 No 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes on May 30, 1940. The Staff-Sergeant SEGUIN is killed.
Born 13 July 1924, Koléa, Algeria
Killed on 19 November 1943 in Damascus (Syria)
 
SERVIER Dieudonné - François
Chief Warrant Officer
Radio
The Farman F222-2 No 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes May 30, 1940. The Chief Warrant Officer SERVIER is killed.
Born on 28 October 1907 at Bollène (84 - Vaucluse)
Killed on 30 May 1940 at Lérigny (10 - Aube)
 
SIMEONI Joachim
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
The Farman F222-2 No. 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes on May 30, 1940. The crew is killed, only Staff Sergeant SIMEONI, seriously injured, survives the accident.
Born on 18 May 1913 in Lozzi (20 - Corsica)
Died at Nice (06 - Alpes-Maritimes) on 23 June 1991
 
TERRASSIER André - Victor
Captain
Cder 1st Sqn.
Born in Sauze-Vaussais (79 - Deux-Sèvres) on 18 March 1904
Died at Dreux (28 - Eure) on 13 November 1995
   
VANHOUTTE Théotime - Charles
Captain

Cder 2nd Sqn.

Crew Chief

The Farman F222-2 No 25 probably damaged by the Flak, crashes May 30, 1940. Captain VANHOUTTE is killed.
Born 8 May 1911 at Tourcoing (59 - Nord)
Killed on 30 May 1940 at Lérigny (10 - Aube)
 

 

 

Group mechanics and non-flying personnel
Name
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Civil Statutl
Photo
DUTERNE
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
     
LE BRETON Pierre
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
       
PERRIN
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
       

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Crew
DE-LACCABE
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
Farman F222.2 No 32 : Destroyed due to frost on May 18, 1940. The 7 crew members parachute, but Sub-Lieutenant BREAK and Staff-Sergeant DESROCHES crash on the ground, their parachutes not working.
CASSE Serge
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
DESROCHES Pierre
Staff-Sergeant
Mechanic
Crew
HUMBERT Roger
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Farman F222-2 No 25 : Damaged by the Flak, he crashed on landing on May 30, 1940. The crew was killed, only Staff-Sergeant SIMEONI, seriously injured, survived the accident.
VANHOUTTE Théotime
Captain
Crew Chief
PAILLOUX Jean
Lieutenant
Observer
LOYER Robert
Chief Warrant Officer
Bombardier
SERVIER Dieudonné
Chief Warrant Officer
Radio
SEGUIN Guy
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
SIMEONI
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
PUISSESSEAU
Lieutenant
Crew Chief
Farman F222-1 No7 : On 17 May, taken by Frost, the Crew Chief ordered the evacuation, but the Pilot managed to regain control. 3 crewmen have already jumped �
CLASSET
Sergeant

 


Airfield

 

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Avord
18 - Cher
September 3, 1939
Romilly-sur-Seine
10 - Aube
November 24, 1939
Reims
51 - Marne
Décember 21, 1939
Romilly-sur-Seine
10 - Aube
May 9, 1940
Saint-Yan
71 - Saône et Loire
May10, 1940
Lézignan
11 - Aude
Juny 16, 1940
Oran-La-Sénia
Algeria
Juny 18, 1940
Sétif
Algeria
Juny 19, 1940
Thelepe
Tunisia
Juny 23, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GB I/15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Aircrafts

The GB I/15 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 Mureaux 115
  • 1 Farman F221-1
  • 4 Farman F222-1
  • 5 Farman F221-2
  • 3 Farman F223-3

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
8
Sub-Lieutenant CASSE (Accident)
May 18, 1940
Staff-Sergeant DESROCHES (Accident)
May 18, 1940
Captain VANHOUTTE (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant HUMBERT (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Lieutenant PAILLOUX (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer LOYER (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Staff-Sergeant SEGUIN (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer SERVIER (Combat)
May 30, 1940
Crewmen injured
2
Lieutenant DE-LACCABE (Accident)
May 18, 1940
Staff-Sergeant SIMEONI (Combat)
May 30, 1940

 


Sources

- Mr Laurent MOYAUX : Warrant Officer Gilbert RION was his Great Uncle
- 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
- ...