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Site in French
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Historical
Created on 1 January 1937
as the GAR (Regional Air Group), it became the GAO 510 on 1 January
1938.
On May 10, 1940, the GAO
510 is attached to the 2nd Army of the 1st Air Division of the
ZOAN (North Air Operations Area).
Staff
|
Commanders
of the group
GAO 510
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| Captain
LHERITIER |
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Lieutenant
VOITURIEZ Bernard
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May
13, 1940
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| Commander
MEYER-JARDIN Eugène |
May
14, 1940
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Personnel
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Pilots
and crew of the Group
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Names
of crew members
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Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
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Civil-statut
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Photos
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Citations
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| BONNET
Jean |
Corporal
|
Machine-Gunner
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Jean BONNET had joined
the Air Force to be able to continue his studies, but the
Alemmande offensive forced him to leave the platoon of reserve
officer cadets at the Avord base; the cadets were quickly
allocated to units without taking into account the real
level of the officer cadets. Jean BONNET was therefore posted
to GAO 510 with the rank of corporal. He went to the Toulouse-Francazal
base for a fortnight of express training on the Potez 63-11
and returned with the qualification of Machine Gunner -
Bomber - Radio. He was appointed Sergeant on 14 June 1940.
On 16 June 1940, he replaced at short notice the machine-gunner
initially assigned to this mission, who had suffered a toothache.
His aircraft, the Potez 63-11 n°415, was hit by flak
and landed in the field. Unhurt, the crew set fire to the
aircraft before attempting to rejoin their Group, but were
taken prisoner 3 days later after a journey through the
French countryside in an attempt to reach the front lines.
Jean BONNET was interned in Stalag XII A in Limburg-and
der Lahn (Hesse).
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| DESBORDES
Guy - Thomas |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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Guy DESBORDES entered
the Ecole de Pilotage in 1936 after passing the netrée
examination. He obtained his Brevet de Pilote Militaire
on 27 November 1936 and joined the GAO 510 in May 1937.
Wounded on 5 June 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 n°493. The
aircraft was pursued by 8 German fighters and had to make
a makeshift landing in the countryside. Guy DESBORDES, Pilot,
managed to extricate himself from the aircraft, but the
Gunner and the Observer were killed during the fight.
Guy DESBORDES was evacuated to Beauvais Hospital, then transferred
to Saint-Germain en Laye for a 10-day convalescence.
He then managed to reach his parents' home in the Loir et
Cher region, and on 13 September 1940 crossed the demarcation
line to join his group in Pau.
Guy DESBORDES had a 27-year career in the French Air Force
and became a Colonel.
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Born in Crouy sur
Cosson (41 - Loir et Cher) on 7 March 1917
Died at Orléans (45 - Loiret) on 11 May 2008
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| DUBOIS
andré |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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On
May 13, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 n° 393 is
badly damaged by Me109 and crashes in the field. Lieutenant
DUBOIS is seriously injured. |
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| FOURNEL |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Observer
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On
August 18, 1938, he lost his way aboard the Potez 390 No.
53 and the aircraft was hilly during a landing on the beach
of Saint-Laurent-Sur-Mer. the aircraft will be repaired. |
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| GIRARD
André |
Chief
Warrant Officer
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Pilot
|
On
June 16, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 415, hit
by the Flak, landed in the countryside. Unwarmed, the crew
fire the aircraft before attempting to join his group, but
will be taken prisoner 3 days later |
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| GUESNEL
André - Charles |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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On 16 May 1940, Potez
63-11 n°619 was shot down by 3 Me109s. Staff Sergeant
GUESNEL was unhurt.
On 27 May 1940, Potez 63-11 n°623, damaged by flak,
was finally shot down by 7 Me109s. Sergeant-Chef GUESNEL,
unhurt, parachuted out.
Killed on 8 June 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 n°494, shot
down by flak.
André GUENEL was therefore shot down three times
in less than a month... Unfortunately, the last battle
was fatal.
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Born on 30 March 1913
in Rennes (35 - Ille et Vilaine)
Killed on 8 June 1940 at Saumont La Poterie (76 - Seine-Maritime)
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| LHERITIER |
Captain
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Commander
of Group
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| LUCAS
Pierre - Théodore |
Staff-Sergeant
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Machine-Gunner
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On
May 27, 1940, Potez 63-11 No. 623, damaged by the flak, was
finally shot down by 7 Me109. Staff Sergeant LUCAS is Killed. |
Born on 30 October
1908 at Lorient (56 - Morbihan)
Killed on 27 May 1940 at Chaussoy-Espagny (80 - Somme)
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| MARTIN
Robert - Marie |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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- On May 16, 1940,
Potez 63-11 No. 619 was shot down by 3 Me109. Lieutenant
MARTIN is unscathed.
- Killed on June 8,
1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 494 shot down by the Flak.
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Born on 20 February
1914 at Lambézellec (29 - Finistère)
Killed on 8 June 1940 at Saumont La Poterie (76 - Seine-Maritime)
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| MENET |
Sergeant
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Machine-Gunner
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Wounded
on June 8, 1940 aboard the Potez 63-11 n° 494 shot by
the Flak. He succeeds in parachuting, but will be taken prisoner. |
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| MEYER-JARDIN
Eugène - Jean |
Commander
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Commander
of Group
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Jean MEYER-JARDIN entered
the Ecole Spéciale Militaire in 1921. On graduating,
he was posted to the 21st Aviation Regiment, the 2nd and
finally the 37th, based in Morocco in 1928. He took part
in the fighting against the "dissidents". He became
commander of the 10th Fez Squadron. He returned to Metropolitan
France and was posted to the training centre at Dijon air
base in 1933. He left for Indochina in 1935, and joined
the Versailles Air School in 1937.
On 14 May 1940, he replaced Major Voituriez, who had been
wounded in air combat, as head of GAO 510.
After the war, he went to French East Africa, where he was
second-in-command of the AOF Group, then Chief of Staff
at the AOF Air Command.
Appointed Colonel in 1945, he became Air Commander of the
Middle East in Algeria in 1948, then Commander of the Tactical
Air Forces in AFN, and finally French representative to
the Supreme Command of the Atlantic Forces in Europe.
He ended his career with the rank of Air Brigadier General.
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Born 8 May 1903, Saint-Maur
les Fossés (94 - Val de Marne)
Died at Gradignan (33 - Gironde) on 10 December 1998
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| MOLINIER
Georges - Louis |
Master-Corporal
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Machine-Gunner
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On 16 May 1940, Potez
63-11 n°619 was shot down by 3 Me109s. Master Corporal
MOLINIER was wounded.
He later joined the Free French Forces and fought with the
GB 2/23 Guyenne Bombardment Group, equipped with four-engined
Halifax bombers.
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Born on 2 October
1921 in Montpellier (34 - Hérault)
Died at Hyères (83 - Var) on 29 July 2006
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| NOIRET
Lucien - César |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Killed
on 5 June 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 n°493. The aircraft
was being chased by 8 German fighters and had to make a makeshift
landing in the countryside. The pilot managed to extricate
himself from the aircraft, but Lucien NOIRET was killed in
action... |
Born in Tulle (19
- Corrèze) on 4 April 1915
Killed on 5 June 1940 at Brassy (80 - Somme)
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| RAGE
Henri - Louis |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
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Killed
on 5 June 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 n°493. The aircraft
was being chased by 8 German fighters and had to make a makeshift
landing in the countryside. The pilot managed to extricate
himself from the aircraft, but Henri RAGE was killed during
the fight. |
Born on 18 January
1907 in Lyon (69 - Rhône)
Killed on 5 June 1940 at Brassy (80 - Somme)
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| RIMLINGER
Georges - André |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
On
May 13, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 n° 393 is
badly damaged by Me109 and crashes in the field. Sergeant
RIMLINGER is seriously injured. |
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| ROBERT |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
On
August 18, 1938, he lost his way aboard the Potez 390 No.
53 and the aircraft was hilly during a landing on the beach
of Saint-Laurent-Sur-Mer. the aircraft will be repaired. |
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| ROULLAND
Guy |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
On
June 16, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No. 415, hit
by the Flak, landed in the countryside. Unwarmed, the crew
fire the aircraft before attempting to join his group, but
will be taken prisoner 3 days later |
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| SMET
Roger - Jean |
Captain
|
Observer
|
Former Polytechnique
student: class of 1931.
Seconded from the Artillery to be an Air Reconnaissance
Observer.
On May 27, 1940, Potez
63-11 No. 623, damaged by the flak, was finally shot down
by 7 Me109. Captain SMET, unharmed, parachutes.
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Born 16 August 1910
Died 20 November 1946
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| TALABARDON
Marcel - Yves |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Former student of Saint-Cyr,
"Roi Alexandre 1er" class (1934 - 1936)
An officer in the 1st Moroccan Rifle Regiment, he was seconded
to GAO 510 as an aircraft observer during the French Campaign.
He was killed on 8 November 1942, while leading his section
of the Vichy Army's 1st Moroccan Rifle Regiment under fire
from the Allies who had just landed in North Africa.
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Born on 3 January
1913 in Toulon (83 - Var)
Killed on 8 November 1942 at Médhia (Morocco)
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| VOITURIEZ
Bernard - Marie |
Captain
|
Pilot
and Cder of Group
|
On
May 13, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 n° 393 is
badly damaged by Me109 and crashes in the field. Captain VOITURIEZ
is injured. |
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Stories
of crews
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Crews
of Group
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Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
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|
Crew
|
ROBERT |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
390 n° 53 : the crew was lost, it is accidented
August 18, 1938 during a landing on the beach of Saint-Laurent-Sur-Mer.
the aircraft will be repaired. |
| FOURNEL |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
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Crew
|
VOITURIEZ
Bernard |
Captain
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 393 :Shot down in air combat May 13,
1940. Lieutenant DUBOIS and Sergeant RIMLINGER are seriously
injured, and Captain VOITURIEZ is wounded slightly. |
| DUBOIS
André |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| RIMLINGER
Georges |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
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Crew
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GUESNEL
André |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 619 : Shot by the Flak on May 16, 1940.
The Master-Corporal MOLINIER is wounded. |
| MARTIN
Robert |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| MOLINIER
Georges |
Master-Corporal
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Machine-Gunner
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Crew
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GUESNEL
André |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 623 : Shot by Flak on May 27, 1940. Staff-Sergeant
LUCAS is killed. |
| SMET
Roger |
Captain
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Observer
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| LUCAS
Pierre |
Staff-Sergeant
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Machine-Gunner
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Crew
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DESBORDES
Guy |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° 493 : Shot by German fighters on June
5, 1940. Chief Warrant Officer RAGE and Lieutenant BLACK are
killed. Staff-Sergeant DESBORDES, wounded, parachutes and
is taken prisoner. |
| NOIRET
Lucien |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| RAGE
Henri |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Machine-Gunner
|
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Crew
|
GUESNEL
André |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 494 : Shot by the Flak on June 8, 1940.
Lieutenant MARTIN and Staff Sergeant GUESNEL are killed. Sergeant
MENET, injured, is taken prisoner |
| MARTIN
Robert |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| MENET |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
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Crew
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GIRARD
André |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 415 : Destroyed by the Flak on June 16,
1940, he landed in campgne. The crew, unharmed, burned the
aircraft, but was taken prisoner three days later. |
| ROULLAND
Guy |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| BONNET
Jean |
Corporal
|
Machine-Gunner
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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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Rennes
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35
- Ille et Vilaine
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August
28, 1939
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Attigny
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08
- Ardennes
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September
19, 1939
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Cuers-Pierrefeu
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83
- Var
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October
22, 1939
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Fayence
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83
- Var
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March
22, 1939
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Attigny
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08
- Ardennes
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April
26, 1940
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Suippes
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51
- Marne
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May
15, 1940
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Remenécourt
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54
- Meuse
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May
19, 1940
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Mantes-Gassicourt
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78
- Yvelines
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May
24, 1940
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Etrépagny
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27
- Eure
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May
31, 1940
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Evreux-Fauville
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27
- Eure
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June
9, 1940
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Caen-Carpiquet
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14
- Carpiquet
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June
11, 1940
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Voves-Baignolet
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28
- Eure et Loir
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June
13, 1940
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Romorantin
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41
- Loir-et-Cher
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June
15, 1940
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Niort
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79
- Deux-Sèvres
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June
18, 1940
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Landes-De-Bussac
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17
- Charente-Maritime
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June
19, 1940
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Pau
Pont-Long
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64
- Pyrénées-Atlantiques
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June
24, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge
:
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Aircrafts
The GAO 510 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 :
- 7 Potez 390
- 6 Potez 63-11
Casualties
|
Crewmen
killed
|
5
|
| Staff-Sergeant
LUCAS (Combat) |
May
27, 1940
|
| Lieutenant
NOIRET (Combat) |
June
5, 1940
|
| Chief
Warrant Officer RAGE (Combat) |
June
5, 1940
|
| Lieutenant
MARTIN (Combat) |
June
8, 1940
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| Staff-Sergeant
GUESNEL (Combat) |
June
8, 1940
|
|
Crewmen
injured
|
6
|
| Lieutenant
DUBOIS (Combat) |
May
13, 1940
|
| Captain
VOITURIEZ (Combat) |
May
13, 1940
|
| Sergeant
RIMLINGER (Combat) |
May
13, 1940
|
| Master-Corporal
MOLINIER (Combat) |
May
16, 1940
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| Staff-Sergeant
DESBORDES (Combat) |
June
5, 1940
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| Sergeant
MENET (Combat) |
June
8, 1940
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|
Crewmen
Prisoner
|
5
|
| Staff-Sergeant
DESBORDES |
June
5, 1940
|
| Sergeant
MENET |
June
8, 1940
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| Chief
Warrant Officer GIRARD |
June
16, 1940
|
| Lieutenant
ROULLAND |
June
16, 1940
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| Corporal
BONNET |
June
16, 1940
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- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
|
