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Air Observation Group GAO 546


Historical

On May 10, 1940, the GAO 546 is attached to the 3rd Air Division of the ZOAE (Eastern Air Operations Area) as a Reserve Group.


Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 546
Commander SAGET      

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
COMPIN Henri
Captain
Observer
On May 15, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.584 was shot down by 3 Me109. Captain COMPIN is unharmed.      
DE STADIEU Jacques - Joseph
Sub-Lieutenant
Observer
Jacques DE STADIEU was called up for military service in 1938 and attended reserve officer courses. He qualified as an observer in 1939 and joined GAO 546. After escaping from France on 23 June 1940, he went to England and was posted to GRB 1 in Douala, then to Fort Lamy. He was taken prisoner by the Italians, but managed to escape on 25 December 1943. He was transferred to GT I/15 Touraine in 1946 before being demobilised in December of the same year and transferred to the reserves.
Born in Lagrasse (11 - Aude) on 17 January 1914
Died in Pontivy (56 - Morbihan) on 21 January 2010
   
LECORRE
Sergeant
Machine Gunner
On June 9, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.702 is hit by the flak. Sergeant LECORRE is injured.      
MAZIERE
Sergeant
Pilot
       
PRADELLE
Lieutenant
Pilot
Wounded aboard Potez 63-11 No. 584 shot down by 3 Me109 on May 15, 1940.      
REVELLI
Corporal
Machine Gunner
Wounded aboard Potez 63-11 No. 584 shot down by 3 Me109 on May 15, 1940.      
SAGET
Commander
Commander of Group
     
THOMAS DE-PANGE Marie - Jean
Lieutenant
Observer and Chief Flight Officer
Marie THOMAS DE PANGE attended the Ecole d'Officier de Réserve (EOR) in Avord in 1937. He was posted to GAO 546 in Pau, with which he took part in the French Campaign; at the Armistice, he decided to continue the fight and escaped from France. He left Saint-Jean-de-Luz for England on a Polish boat and joined the FAFL on 25 June 1940. He attended British schools before being posted to GRB 1 in Douala. He took part in operations in Gabon, Abyssinia and Eritrea. On his return to the UK in 1942, he was posted to the Normandy group in the USSR, with which he took part in operations until 1944. Marie THOMAS DE PANGE was demobilised in 1945.
Born on 29 March 1917 in Paris (75)
Died at Pange (57 - Moselle) on 6 October 1999
   

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
PRADELLE
Lieutenant
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 584 : Shot in air combat on May 15, 1940. Lieutenant PRADELLE and Corporal REVELLI are wounded.
COMPIN
Captain
Observer
REVELLI
Corporal
Machine Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Sézanne Saint-Rémy
51 - Marne
September 3, 1939
Valenciennes La Briquette
59 - Nord
May 14, 1940
Dieppe - Saint-Aubin
76 - Seine-Maritime
May 17, 1940
Clermont-Ferrand
63 - Puy de Dôme
May 18, 1940
Sézanne Saint-Rémy
51 - Marne
May 23, 1940
Cormeilles en Vexin
95 - Val D'Oise
Juny 7, 1940
La Neuvillette
51 - Marne
Juny 8, 1940
La Colombe
41 - Loire et Cher
Juny 10, 1940
Chavanne
70 - Haute-Saône
Juny 15, 1940
Agen La Garenne
47 - Lot et Garonne
Juny 17, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GAO 546

 

 


Aircrafts

The GAO 546 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 Potez 63-11

 


Casualties

Crewmen injured
3
Lieutenant PRADELLE (Combat)
May 15, 1940
Corporal REVELLI (Combat)
May 15, 1940
Sergeant LECORRE (Combat)
Juny 9, 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