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Air Observation Group GAO 516

Historical

On May 10, 1940, GAO 516 is attached to the 7th Army of the 1st Air Division of the ZOAN (North Air Operations Area).

Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 516
Commander DURAND  

 

 

Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
DURAND
Commander
Commander of the Group
      
GILBERTAS
Adjutant
Machine Gunner
Seriously injured on May 22, 1940 following an accident during the landing in fog on the Breguet 27 No. 53      
NOUVEL
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
 Injured May 22, 1940 following an accident landing on foggy weather aboard the Breguet 27 No. 53      
RELAT
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On May 22, 1940, following a mechanical failure aboard the Breguet 27 No. 94, the aircraft abyss at sea, and despite the intervention of a trawler, Lieutenant RELAT will die.      
TRIOL
Lieutenant
Observer
 Left the Group May 28, 1940 to join GR I/35      

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
 NOUVEL
Staff-Sergent
Pilot
 Breguet 27 n° 53 : Destroyed on landing in foggy weather on May 22, 1940. Warrant Officer GILBERTAS seriously injured, Staff-Sergeant NOUVEL slightly
GILBERTAS
Adjutant
Machine Gunner
Crew
 ??
Pilot
 Breguet 27 n° 94 :Is forced to land at sea due to mechanical problems on May 22, 1940. The crew is collected by a trawler, but Sergeant RELAT is killed.
RELAT
Sergeant
Machine Gunner

 

Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Calais-Saint-Inglevert
62 - Pas de Calais
September 3, 1939
Rouen-Boos
76 - Seine-Maritime
May 22, 1940
Clermont-Ferrand
63 -Puy de Dôme
May 30, 1940
Bordeaux-Mérignac
33 - Gironde
May 31, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :
Itinerary of the GAO 516

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircrafts

The GAO 516 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 :

  • 2 Breguet 27

 

Casualties

Crewmen killed
1
Sergeant RELAT (Combat)
May 22, 1940
Crewmen Injured
2
Adjutant GILBERTAS (Combat)
May 22, 1940
Staff-Sergeant NOUVEL (Combat)
May 22, 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