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Air Observation Group GAO 509

Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO 509 is attached to the IV Army in the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (East Air Operations Zone).

Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 509
Captain MAISONNOBE Germain
January 7, 1940
Captain DU-TERTRE Jean
January 7, 1940
May 25, 1940
Commander TROYNO
May 25, 1940

 

Personnel

Pilots et Membres d'Crews du Groupe
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
ANTHONIOZ Jean
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
 Born in 1904 in Montbazon  
BERTHET Jean
Lieutenant
Observer
  
BLANCHET Michel Ivan
Sub-Lieutenant
Machine-Gunner
 On June 5, 1940, the Potez 63-11 No. 588 was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is killed.
Born August 21, 1918 in Paris
Killed on June 5, 1940 at Campneuseville (76 - Seine-Maritime)
BOLO Paul Ernest
Sub-Lieutenant
Machine-Gunner
 Killed on March 17, 1940 in a target shooting exercise: the aircraft, the Potez 63-11 n° 590 hit the cable and sink at sea
Born November 22, 1915 in Nantes (44 - Loire-Atlantique)
Killed on March 17, 1940 off Port-Saint-Louis-Du-Rhône (13 - Bouches du Rhône)
  
BOUDINIER Emile Maxime
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
 On June 5, 1940, the Potez 63-11 No. 588 was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is killed.
Born April 10, 1915 at Levergies (02 - Aisne)
Killed on June 5, 1940 at Campneuseville (76 - Seine-Maritime)
CHOLET Gabriel
Sergeant
Pilot
 He was sent for training in the winter of '39 and only returned on June 10, 1940, unable to take part in the fighting.  
COLIN Paul Maurice
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 On June 5, 1940, the Potez 63-11 No. 588 was shot down by German Fighters. The crew is killed.
Born April 14, 1909 at Tours (37 - Indre et loire)
Killed on June 5, 1940 at Campneuseville (76 - Seine-Maritime)
COLOMINES
Sergeant
Pilot
 He was sent for training in the winter of '39 and only returned on June 10, 1940, unable to take part in the fighting.  
CORNEILLE
Sub-lieutenant
Pilot
 He was sent for training in the winter of '39 and only returned on June 10, 1940, unable to take part in the fighting.  
CRETENIER Adolphe
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
  
DEMESMAY Marcel
Staff-Sergeant
Machine-Gunne
  
DEPREZ
Sub-Lieutenant
 
DUTARTRE Eugène Hector
Lieutenant
Machine-Gunner
 On June 5, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 592 was shot down by 6 Me109. The crew is killed. Born in Calais on September 10, 1900
Killed on June 05, 1940 at Thil Manneville (76 - Seine-Maritime)
DU-TERTRE Jean
Captain
Commander du Groupe
  
FAURE Pierre Louis
Sergeant
Pilot
 Killed on March 17, 1940 in a target shooting exercise: the aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.590 hit the cable and sink at sea
Born in Paris on October 19, 1916
Killed on March 17, 1940 off Port-Saint-Louis-Du-Rhône (13 - Bouches du Rhône)
  
GIRON André Louis
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 On June 5, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 592 was shot down by 6 Me109. The crew is killed.
Born April 09, 1917 in Saint Maurice (75 - Paris)
Killed on June 05, 1940 at Thil Manneville (76 - Seine-Maritime)
GUILLERME Henri Emile
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
 On June 5, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 592 was shot down by 6 Me109. The crew is killed.
Born September 17, 1916 at Saint-Nazaire (44 - Loire-Atlantique)
Killed on June 05, 1940 at Thil Manneville (76 - Seine-Maritime)
GUILLOT
Sergeant
Pilot
 He was sent for training in the winter of '39 and only returned on June 10, 1940, unable to take part in the fighting.  
KLEIN
Adjudant-Chef
Pilot
  
LEVY Marcel
Aspirant
Pilot

He was sent for training in the winter of '39 and only returned on June 10, 1940, unable to take part in the fighting.

He was killed on August 15, 1944 in Algeria while serving with GB 2/63.
Born November 30, 1917 at Koenigsmacker (57 - Moselle)
Killed August 15, 1944 at Misserghin (Algeria)
  
MAISONNOBE Germain
Capitain
Staff Group
 Commander of the group  
MANO
Lieutenant
Observer
  
MARY Raymond Hyacinthe
Chief Warrant Officer
Machine-Gunner
 Killed on May 13, 1940 aboard a Potez 63-11 by shots from the ground.
Born March 29, 1903 at Mesnil-Germain (14 - Calvados)
Killed May 13, 1940 at Burthecourt (54 - Meurthe et moselle)
  
MUDRY Auguste
Sergeant
Pilot
 He was sent for training in the winter of '39 and only returned on June 10, 1940, unable to take part in the fighting.  
O'KELLY André Marie
Captain
Pilot
 Captain O'Kelly was killed on July 27, 1943 in Kherba, Algeria.
Born August 30, 1911 in Nouméa (988 - New Caledonia)
Killed July 27, 1943 at Kherba - Algeria
RAGONNEAU Jean
Lieutenant
Observer
 Killed on March 17, 1940 in a target shooting exercise: the aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.590 hit the cable and sink at sea
Born June 9, 1912 in Blesmex
Killed on March 17, 1940 off Port-Saint-Louis-Du-Rhône (13 - Bouches du Rhône)
  
RIDEAU Jean
Born in Tours in 1906.
Died October 19, 1975
  
TONICHON Robert Georges
Sergeant
Pilot
 He was killed in Indochina in May 1946.
Born August 02, 1916 in Dijon (21 - Côte d'Or)
Killed May 22, 1946 at Muong Kassy - Laos
  
TROYNO
Commander
Commander of Group
  

 

 

Stories

Names
Photos
Descriptive
Lieutenant DUTARTRE Eugène
Source : Gérard ACKERMANN : Eugène DUTARTRE was the brother of Mr Ackermann's grandmother.
Sub-Lieutenant GIRON André
Source : Mr MENUT Gérard, Son of the widow of Second Lieutenant André Giron

 

 

 

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
 FAURE Pierre
Sergeant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 590 : Falling into the sea on March 17, 1940 during a target shooting exercise: the aircraft hits the cable: the crew is killed.
RAGONNEAU Jean
Lieutenant
Observer
BOLO Paul
Sub-Lieutenant
Machine-Gunner
Crew
 GIRON André
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° ? : Damaged by ground fire on May 13, 1940, Chief Warrant Officer MARY is killed
GUILLERME Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
MARY Raymond
Chief Warrant Officer
Machine-Gunner
Crew
 GIRON André
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 592 : Shot by German fighters on June 5, 1940. The crew is killed.
GUILLERME Henri
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
DUTARTRE Eugène
Lieutenant
Machine-Gunner
Crew
 COLIN Paul
Sub-Lieutenant
Pilot
 Potez 63-11 n° 588 : Shot by German fighters on June 5, 1940. The crew is killed.
BOUDINIER Emile
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
BLANCHET Michel
Sub-Lieutenant
Machine-Gunner

 

Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Delme
57 - Moselle
September 3, 1939
Nancy-Azelot
54 - Meurthe et Moselle
September 15, 1939
Morhange
57 - Moselle
September 24, 1939
Delme
57 - Moselle
October 3, 1939
Nancy-Azelot
54 - Meurthe et Moselle
October 16, 1939
Lyon-Bron
69 - Rhône
October 21, 1939
Challes-Les-Eaux
73 - Savoie
October 23, 1939
Marignane
13 - Bouches du Rhône
March 9, 1940
Chambaran Marcilloles
38 - Isère
March 25, 1940
Delme
57 - Moselle
March 29, 1940
Saint-Valéry-en-Caux
76 - Seine-Maritime
May 31, 1940
Caen-Carpiquet
14 - Calvados
June 6, 1940
Vers-sur-Mer
14 - Calvados
June 13, 1940
Fontenay-Le-Comte
85 - Vendée
June 15, 1940
Cazaux
33 - Gironde
June 19, 1940
Sanint-Laurent De-La-Salanque
66 - Pyrénées-Orientales
June 20, 1940
Alger Maison-Blanche
Algérie
June 22, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :
Itinerary of the GAO 509

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircrafts

The GAO 509 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 :

  • 9 Breguet 270
  • 7 Potez 63-11

 

Casualties

Crewmen killed
10
Lieutenant RAGONNEAU (Accident)
March 17, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant BOLO (Accident)
March 17, 1940
Sergeant FAURE (Accident)
March 17, 1940
Chief Warrant Officer MARY (Combat)
May 13, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant GUILLERME (Combat)
June 5, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant GIRON (Combat)
June 5, 1940
Lieutenant DUTARTRE (Combat)
June 5, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant BOUDINIER (Combat)
June 5, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant COLIN (Combat)
June 5, 1940
Sub-Lieutenant BLANCHET (Combat)
June 5, 1940

 

Sources

- Mr Gérard ACKERMANN : Eugène DUTARTRE was the brother of Mr Ackermann's grandmother.
- Mr MENUT Gérard, Mr MENUT Gérard, Son of the widow of Second Lieutenant André Giron
- Mr LEMARCHAND Hervé, Flag-bearer of the commune of Thil-Manneville where Potez 63-11 n�592 crashed
- Site "Aeroplmane de Touraine" : "Le GAO 509 dans la tourmente"
- 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