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Site in French
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Historical
At the outbreak of the conflict,
the GB I/23 is equipped with Bloch MB210 and the first LeO 451
will arrive at the Group from March 15, 1940. They will however
be sold to the GB II/23 May 18 and they will be replaced by old
Bloch MB210 ...
On May 10th, 1940, the GB
I/23 belongs to the Groupement N ° 7 of the Southeast Bombardment
Aviation Control Group of the ZOAA (Air Operations Zone of the Alps)
Staff
Commanders
of the group
GB I/23
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Commander
BORDES |
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Commander
of the 1st Squadron
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Captain
MEIFFREN
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Commander
of the 2nd Squadron
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Captain
MENARD |
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Captain
DE-PAMPELONNE
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Personnel
Pilots
and crew of the Group
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Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Sqn.
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Informations
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Etat
Civil
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Photos |
Citations
& Décorations
|
BORDES
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Commander
|
Cder
of Group
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DE-PAMPELONNE
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Captain
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Cder
2nd Sqn.
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FICHEUX |
Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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On May
24, 1940, on the return of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.170
struck a LeO451 GB I/11 on landing and ignited. Sergeant FICHEUX
is injured.
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GARDIOL |
Master
Corporal
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Machine
Gunner
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On May
24, 1940, on the return of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.170
struck a LeO451 GB I/11 on landing and ignited. The Corporal
Corporal GARDIOL is injured.
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GAUTIER
Henri |
Staff-Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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At the
start of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.25 hit the take off
an Amiot 143 down in the field. The device ignites and its
bombs explode. Staff Sergeant GAUTIER is wounded.
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GUILLOTEAU |
Lieutenant
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Pilot
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On the
25th of May, at the start of a mission, he hit Amiot 143 on
his takeoff. His aircraft, a Bloch MB210, damaged, however,
fulfilled his mission, but he could not return to his ground
and would have to land on a closer terrain.
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KALENSKY |
Sergeant
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Co-Pilot
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At the
start of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.25 hit the take off
an Amiot 143 down in the field. The device ignites and its
bombs explode. Sergeant KALENSKY (Czech) is injured.
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LAROCHE
Robert |
Chief
Warrant Officer
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Pilot
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At the
start of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.25 hit the take off
an Amiot 143 down in the field. The device ignites and its
bombs explode. Chief Warrant Officer LAROCHE is killed.
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LAVENNE
Pierre |
Sub-Lieutenant
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�
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At the
start of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.25 hit the take off
an Amiot 143 down in the field. The device ignites and its
bombs explode. Sub-Lieutenant LAVENNE is killed.
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MEIFFREN |
Captain
|
Cder
1st Sqn.
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MENARD
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Captain
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Cder
2nd Sqn.
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N'GUYEN |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Crew
Chief
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On the
night of June 17 to 18, 1940, during a bombing mission on
the Fiat factories in Italy, his aircraft suffered a motor
failure over the Alps, and must turn around. Its engine catches
fire and the crew must evacuate the aircraft that will crash
on Mont Ventoux. Sub-Lieutenant N'GUYEN is unharmed.
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ROURE |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Crew
Chief
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On May
24, 1940, on the return of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.170
struck a LeO451 GB I/11 on landing and ignited. Sub-Lieutenant
ROURE is killed.
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SUAU |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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On May
24, 1940, returning from a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.170
struck a LeO451 GB I/11 on landing and ignited .. Staff Sergeant
SUAU is wounded.
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TERRIEN |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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On May
24, 1940, on the return of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.170
struck a LeO451 GB I/11 on landing and ignited. Lieutenant
TERRIEN is injured.
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VERNERET
Charles |
Sergeant
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Radio
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At the
start of a mission, the Bloch MB 210 No.25 hit the take off
an Amiot 143 down in the field. The device ignites and its
bombs explode. Sergeant VERNERET is killed.
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Stories
of crews
Crews
of Group
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Sqn.
|
Informations
|
Crew
|
SUAU |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
|
Bloch
MB 210 No170 : On May 24, 1940, returning from a
mission, Bloch MB 210 No.170 struck a LeO451 GB I/11 on landing
and ignited. Sub-Lieutenant ROURE was killed. The other members
of the crew are injured. |
ROURE |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Crew
Chief
|
TERRIEN |
Lieutenant
|
Observateur
|
FICHEUX |
Sergeant
|
Machine
Gunner
|
GARDIOL |
Master
Corporal
|
Machine
Gunner
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Crew
|
LAROCHE
Robert |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
|
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Bloch
MB 210 No 25 : At the start of a mission, the Bloch
MB 210 No.25 hit the take off an Amiot 143 down in the field.
The aircraft ignites and its bombs explode. Sub-Lieutenant LAVENNE,
Chief Warrant Officer LAROCHE and Sergeant VERNERET are killed.
Staff-Sergeant GAUTIER and Sergeant KALENSKY (Czech) are injured. |
LAVENNE
Pierre |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
�
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VERNERET
Charles |
Sergeant
|
Radio
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GAUTIER
Henri |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Machine
Gunner
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KALENSKY |
Sergeant
|
Co-Pilot
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Airfields
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Period
of use of airfields
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Names
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County
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Istres
Le-Paty |
13
- Bouches du Rhône
|
September
3, 1939
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Gisy-Les-Nobles |
89
- Yonne
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May
18, 1940
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Chaumont
Semoutiers |
52
- Haute-Marne
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May
24, 1940
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Toulouse-Francazal |
31
- Haute-Garonne
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May
31, 1940
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Orange
Plan-De-Dieu |
84
- Vaucluse
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June
2, 1940
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Blida |
Algérie
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June
19, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge
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Aircrafts
The GB I/23 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 :
Casualties
Crewmen
killed
|
4
|
Sub-Lieutenant
ROURE (Accident)
|
May 24,
1940
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Sub-Lieutenant
LAVENNE (Accident)
|
May 25,
1940
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Chief
Warrant Officer LAROCHE (Accident)
|
May 25,
1940
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Sergeant
VERNERET (Accident)
|
May 25,
1940
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Crewmen
injured
|
6
|
Staff-Sergeant
SUAU (Accident)
|
May 24,
1940
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Lieutenant
TERRIEN (Accident)
|
May 24,
1940
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Sergeant
FICHEUX (Accident)
|
May 24,
1940
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Master
Corporal GARDIOL (Accident)
|
May 24,
1940
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Staff-Sergeant
GAUTIER (Accident)
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May 25,
1940
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Sergeant
KALENSKY (Accident)
|
May 25,
1940
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Sources
- 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
- ...
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