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Air Observation Group GAO I/551

Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO I / 551 is attached to the III Army within the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Zone).

Staff

Commanders of the group GAO I/551
Commander AGACCIO      
Commander ENSELME      
Captain TERNANT      

 

Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
AGACCIO
Commander
Commander of Group
      
CAPDEVIELLE
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
 On May 23, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.685 was damaged by the Flak and returned to airfield with the tank on fire. Sergeant Capdevielle is unharmed.      
COTTE Damiens
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
 - On May 23, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.387 was hit by the Flak.and returned to the airfield seriously damaged. Staff-Sergeant COTTE is unharmed.
- On June 8, 1940, he was seriously injured aboard the Potez 63-11 No.284 shot down by 6 Me109.		      
DEPLANQUE
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 On May 19, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.678, hit by the Flak, returned to the airfield, but was declared unusable. The crew is unscathed.      
ENSELME
Commander
Commander of Group
      
GUILBERT
Sergeant
Pilot
 On May 23, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.685 was damaged by the Flak and returned to airfield with the tank on fire. Sergeant GUILBERT is unharmed.      
HILD René
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner
 On June 8, 1940, he was killed aboard Potez 63-11 No.284 shot down in flames by 6 Me109.      
LANGLOIS
Chef Warrant Officer
    
 
LEBEL Henri
Lieutenant
Observer
 On May 15, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.681 was hit by the Flak and crashed to the ground. Lieutenant LEBEL parachutes but, seriously injured, will die soon after his arrival on the ground.      
LENCLUD
Lieutenant
Observer
 On May 11, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.774 crashes on landing after an air fight: the crew is unscathed      
LOMBARD Louis
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
 - On May 11, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.774 crashes on landing after an air fight: the crew is unscathed
- On May 15, 1940, he was wounded and taken prisoner aboard Potez 63-11 No.681. The latter, hit by the Flak, crashed to the ground.		      
MASSONI
Captain
Observer
 On May 19, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.678, hit by the Flak, returned to the ground, but was declared unusable. The crew is unscathed.      
MENARD
Lieutenant
Observer
 On May 23, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.685 was damaged by the Flak and returned to airfield with the tank on fire. Le Lieutenant MENARD is unharmed.      
PEGAZ
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
 - On May 19, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.678, hit by the Flak, returned to the airfield, but was declared unusable. The crew is unscathed.
- On May 23, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.387 was hit by the Flak.and returned to the airfield seriously damaged. Sergeant PEGAZ is unscathed.		      
RIESSER Jean
Captain
Pilot
 - Potez 63-11 No.774: Crash on landing May 11, 1940 after an air fight: the crew is unscathed
- On May 15, 1940, he was killed aboard the Potez 63-11 No.681. This one, touched by the Flak, crashed on the ground		      
ROUIG Jean
Lieutenant
Observer
 - On May 23, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.387 was hit by the Flak.and returned to the airfield seriously damaged. Lieutenant ROUIG is unharmed.
- On June 8, 1940, he was seriously wounded aboard the Potez 63-11 No.284 shot by German fighters		  
 
TERNANT
Captain
Commander of Group
      

 

 

Histoires d'Crews

Crews du Groupe
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
 RIESSER
Captain
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 774 : Crashes on landing on May 11, 1940 following an air fight: the crew is unscathed
LENCLUD
Lieutenant
Observer
LOMBARD
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 RIESSER Jean
Captain
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 681: Touched by the Flak on May 15, 1940, he crashed to the ground. Captain RIESSER and Lieutenant LEBEL are killed. Sergeant LOMBARD, wounded, is taken prisoner.
LEBEL Henri
Lieutenant
Observer
LOMBARD
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 DEPLANQUE
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 678 : Touched by the Flak, the device returns to the field, but it is unusable. The crew is unscathed.
MASSONI
Captain
Observer
PEGAZ
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 GUILBERT
Sergeant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 685 :Damaged by the Flak on May 23, 1940. The aircraft returns to the airfield with the tank on fire. The crew is unscathed.
MENARD
Lieutenant
Observer
CAPDEVIELLE
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 COTTE
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 387 : Hit by Flak on May 23, 1940. Heavily damaged, the aircraft returns to the airfield. The crew is unscathed.
ROUIG
Lieutenant
Observer
PEGAZ
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 COTTE
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 284 : Shot by German Fighters on June 8, 1940. Lieutenant ROUIG and Staff-Sergeant COTTE are seriously injured. Staff-Sergeant HILD is killed
ROUIG
Lieutenant
Observer
HILD René
Staff-Sergeant
Machine Gunner

 

Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Attigny
08 - Ardennes
September 3, 1939
Etain Busy
55 - Meuse
April 1940
Connantre
51 - Marne
May 12, 1940
Hans
51 - Marne
May 14, 1940
Remicourt
Belgique
Juny 10, 1940
Orconte
51 - Marne
Juny 11, 1940
Perthes-Les-Brienne
10 - Aube
Juny 12, 1940
Châtillon-sur-Seine
21 - Côté d'Or
Juny 13, 1940
Avord le Colombier
13 - Bouches du Rhône
Juny 15, 1940
Moissac
82 - Tarn et Garonne
Juny 17, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :
Itinerary of the GAO I/551

 

Aircrafts

The GAO I/551 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 :

  • 3 Mureaux 117
  • 6 Potez 63-11

 

Casualties

Crewmen killed
3
Lieutenant LEBEL (Combat)
May 15, 1940
Captain RIESSER (Combat)
May 15, 1940
Staff-Sergeant HILD (Combat)
Juny 8, 1940
Crewmen injured
3
Sergeant LOMBARD (Combat)
May 15, 1940
Lieutenant ROUIG (Combat)
Juny 8, 1940
Staff-Sergeant COTTE (Combat)
Juny 8, 1940
Crewmen Prisoner
1
Sergeant LOMBARD
May 15, 1940

 

Sources

- 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