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Bomber Group GB I/62

1st Squadron
2nd Squadron


Historical

At the declaration of War, GB I / 62, stationed in Algeria, is equipped with old LéO20B bombers. Its transformation on Glenn-Martin 167F is scheduled for January 1940, but will be delayed. The Group will finally join the Metropolis only in early May 1940.

On May 10, 1940, GB I / 62 is attached to Group No. 1 of the Southeast Bombardment Aviation Training Group of the ZOAA (Alpine Air Operations Area).

In June 1940, the Group returned to North Africa, then was transferred to Senegal in July 1940 before joining Bamako in September 1940.


Staff

Commanders of the group GB I/62
Commander PIOLLET  
Captain CHERON
 
Commander FOURESTIER  
Commander of the 1st Squadron
Captain CHERON
 
Lieutenant DALMAS
 
Captain CHERON
 
Commander of the 2nd Squadron
Captain QUERETTE  

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
BEUCHET Paul
Lieutenant
Pilot
         
BONNEFOUS Paul
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
On June 12, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No. 161 was shot down by the Flak. Chief Warrant Officer BONNEFOUS is killed.
     
BONTEMPS
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Staff-Sergeant BONTEMPS was wounded on June 6, 1940 aboard the Glenn Martin 167F No. 75 damaged in air combat.
     
CHERON
Lieutenant puis Captain
Cder 1st Sqn. then Cder of Group
     
DALMAS
Lieutenant
Cder 1st Sqn.
     
FOURESTIER
Commander
Cder of Group
     
GAUCHE René
Chief Warrant Officer
Machine Gunner
Seriously injured June 5, 1940 aboard the Glenn Martin 167F No. 74 shot by german Fighters
     
HARDY Maxime
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On June 6, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No 147 was hit hard by the Flak and exploded in flight. The three crew members are killed.
     
JOURDON Charles
Adjutant
Pilot
       
LANGLOIS René
Lieutenant
Pilot
- May 26, 1940, his aircraft, the Glenn Martin 167F No 74 is damaged during an air fight. Lieutenant LANGLOIS is injured
- On June 12, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No. 161 is shot down by the Flak. Lieutenant LANGLOIS, wounded, will be taken prisoner.
     
MALLET Alexandre
Lieutenant
Observer
On May 26, 1940, his aircraft, the Glenn Martin 167F No 89, was shot down by German Fighters. Lieutenant MALLET is killed.
     
MANCELIN Lucien
Adjutant
Machine-Gunner
       
MARCHAND Gustave
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On May 26, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No 96 was damaged by 6 Me109, but the Pilot manages to return to the airfield. Staff Sergeant Marchand is seriously injured.
     
METRAUX Louis
Staff-Sergeant
Observer
On May 26, 1940, Glenn Martin 167F No. 39 was destroyed by the Flak. Staff-Sergeant METRAUX manages to parachute, but this one does not open. He is killed when he arrives on the ground.
     
PAINCHAUX Pierre
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
On June 6, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No 147 was hit hard by the Flak and exploded in flight. The three crew members are killed.
     
PIOLLET
Commander
Cder of Group
     
PLANTIER Jules
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
Seriously injured on May 26, 1940 aboard the Glenn Martin 167F No. 89 shot by German fightersing on May 26, 1940.
     
POURKAT
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On June 12, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No. 161 was shot down by the Flak. Sergeant POURKAT, wounded, will be taken prisoner.
     
QUERETTE
Captain
Cder 2nd Sqn.
     
REYNAUD Jean-Louis
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunner
  He will be killed on November 1, 1943 at sea, under the colors of FAFL    
RIGAUX Maurice
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
On June 6, 1940, the Glenn Martin 167F No 147 was hit hard by the Flak and exploded in flight. The three crew members are killed.
   
SARTON-DU-JONCHAY
Commander
Observer
On May 31, 1940, his aircraft, Glenn Martin 167F No. 37, was shot down by enemy fighters. Commander DU-JONCHAY is injured
     
SEGEAT
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Seriously injured on May 26, 1940 aboard the Glenn Martin 167F No. 89 shot by German fightersing on May 26, 1940.
     
SELVA Joseph
Lieutenant
Pilot
On June 6, 1940, his aircraft, the Glenn Martin 167F No. 25 was badly damaged by the Flak. Lieutenant SELVA is injured
     
TERRIE Robert
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
On May 26, 1940, Glenn Martin 167F No. 39 was destroyed by the Flak. Staff Sergeant TERRIE is killed.
 
 
TOURNIE
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On May 26, 1940, Glenn Martin 167F No. 39 was destroyed by the Flak. Staff-Sergeant TOURNIE parachutes but is taken prisoner when arriving on the ground.
     
VANWORMHOUDT
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On June 12, 1940, his aircraft, the Glenn Martin 167F No. 34 was badly damaged by the Flak and crashed on landing. Corporal Chief VANWORMHOUDT is injured.
     

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Sqn.
Informations
Crew
TERRIE Robert
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 39 : Destroyed by the Flak on May 26, 1940. Staff-Sergeant TERRIE and METRAUX are killed. Staff-Sergeant TOURNIE is a prisoner.
METRAUX Louis
Staff-Sergeant
Observer
TOURNIE
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
PLANTIER
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 89 : Shot by German fighters May 26, 1940. Lieutenant MALLET is killed. Chief Warrant Officer PLANTIER and Staff Sergeant SEGEAT are seriously injured.
MALLET Alexandre
Lieutenant
Observer
SEGEAT
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 74 : Damaged in air combat on May 26, 1940. Lieutenant LANGLOIS is wounded
LANGLOIS
Lieutenant
Observer
Machine Gunner
Crew
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 96 : Damaged by German fighters on May 26, 1940, he manages to return to the field. Staff Sergeant MARCHAND is seriously injured.
Observer
MARCHAND
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 74 : Shot down by German fighters on June 5, 1940. The Chief Warrant Officer GAUCHE is seriously injured
Observer
GAUCHE
Chief Warrant Officer
Machine Gunner
Crew
RIGAUX Maurice
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 147 : Shot down by the Flak on June 6, 1940. The crew is killed.
PAINCHAUX Pierre
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
HARDY Maxime
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 75 : Damaged in air combat on June 6, 1940. Staff-Sergeant BONTEMPS is injured.
Observer
BONTEMPS
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
SELVA
Lieutenant
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 25 : Severely damaged by the Flak on June 6, 1940. Lieutenant SELVA is injured
Observer
Machine Gunner
Crew
BONNEFOUS Paul
Chief Warrant Officer
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 161 : Shot by Flak on June 12, 1940. Chief Warrant Officer BONNEFOUS is killed. Lieutenant LANGLOIS and Sergeant POURKAT, wounded, are taken prisoner
LANGLOIS
Lieutenant
Observer
POURKAT
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
Pilot
Glenn Martin 167F No 34 : Severely damaged by the Flak on June 12, 1940, he crashed on landing. Corporal Chief VANWORMHOUDT is injured.
Observer
VANWORMHOUDT
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Meknès
Maroc
September 2, 1939
Blida
Algérie
September 3, 1939
Meknès
Maroc
November 16, 1939
Oran
Algérie
April 30, 1940
Marignane
13 - Bouches du Rhône
May 6, 1940
Orange Plan-De-Dieu
84 - Vaucluse
May 9, 1940
Claye-Souilly
77 -Seine et Marne
May 11, 1940
Evreux-Fauville
27 - Eure
May 18, 1940
Saint-Martin-La-Campagne
27 - Eure
May 20, 1940
Damville
27 - Eure
June 2, 1940
Châteauroux La Champenoise
36 - Indre
June 10, 1940
Cognac Segonzac
16 - Charente
June 14, 1940
Lézignan
11 - Aude
June 16, 1940
Oran
Algérie
June 18, 1940
Canrobert
Algérie
June 19, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GB I/62

 

 

 


Aircrafts

The GB I/62 was equipped since its creation, following aircrafts :

- Lioré & Olivier LeO 206
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 Lioré & Olivier LeO 206
  • 15 Glenn Martin 167F

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
7
Staff-Sergeant TERRIE (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Staff-Sergeant METRAUX (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Lieutenant MALLET (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant PAINCHAUX (Combat)
June 6, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant RIGAUX (Combat)
June 6, 1940
Sergeant HARDY (Combat)
June 6, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer BONNEFOUS (Combat)
June 12, 1940
Crewmen injured
11
Chief Warrant Officer PLANTIER (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Staff-Sergeant SEGEAT (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Lieutenant LANGLOIS (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Staff-Sergeant MARCHAND (Combat)
May 26, 1940
Commander DU-JONCHAY
May 31, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer GAUCHE (Combat)
June 5, 1940
Staff-Sergeant BONTEMPS (Combat)
June 6, 1940
Lieutenant SELVA (Combat)
June 6, 1940
Lieutenant LANGLOIS (Combat)
June 12, 1940
Staff-Sergeant POURKAT (Combat)
June 12, 1940
Corporal-Chef VANWORMHOUDT (Combat)
June 12, 1940
Prisoner Crewmen
3
Staff-Sergeant TOURNIE
May 26, 1940
Lieutenant LANGLOIS
June 12, 1940
Staff-Sergeant POURKAT
June 12, 1940

 


Sources

- Mr Frédéric BENTLEY: Delegate of the Fondation de la France Libre - Information on Staff Sergeant Jean-Louis REYNAUD
- 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
- ...