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Site in French
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Historical
On the date of the outbreak
of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO 581, undergoing transformation
and training, is attached to the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAA
(Zone d'Aériennes Alpes).
Staff
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Commanders
of the group
GAO 581
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Commander
DUPOND
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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
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Function
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Informations
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Civil-statut
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Photos
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Citations
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| CARRERE
Pierre - René |
Sergeant
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Pilot
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On 18 April 1940 in Cannes-Mandelieu,
René CARRERE was involved in an accident aboard the
Potez 63-11 No. 397: he escaped unharmed.
Assigned to BA 206, the Meknès flying school, he was
involved in a landing accident on 14 March 1944. The B-26
Marauder was piloted by Lieutenant François COMBIER.
Two of the six crew members were killed, including Sergeant
René CARRERE, who was serving as radio operator on
board.
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Born on 5 April 1920
in Bègles (33 – Gironde)
Killed on 14 March 1944 in Telergma (Algeria)
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| CHAPERON
Marie - Jules - Paul |
Captain
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Observer
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Marie CHAPERON was a graduate
of the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, part of the ‘Maréchal
GALLIENI’ intake of 1927–1929.
On 18 April 1940 in Cannes-Mandelieu, Paul CHAPERON was involved
in an accident aboard the Potez 63-11 No. 397: he escaped
unharmed
In 1943, Marie CHAPERON fought with the 3rd Foreign Infantry
Regiment and was killed on 29 April 1943 in Tunisia.
Captain Marie CHAPERON’s career followed a similar path
to that of Captain VENARD and he was killed by the same shell
in Tunisia...
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Born on 14 February
1906 in Arveyres (33 – Gironde)
Killed on 29 April 1943 in Hemchir Dhamda (Tunisia)
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| DUPOND |
Commander
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Commander
of the Group
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| DUVAL |
Master-Corporal
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Machine
gunner
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On
June 13, 1940, his Potez 63-11 is damaged by the Flak: he is
unscathed. |
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| GAUTRON
Jean |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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Seriously
injured on June 14, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 837 shot down
by 9 Me109. He will be taken prisoner. |
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| GIROUD
Pierre |
Adjutant
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Machine
gunner
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Seriously
injured on June 14, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 837 shot down
by 9 Me109. He will be taken prisoner. |
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| MASDOU
Jean |
Staff-Sergeant
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Mechanic
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On
18 April 1940 in Cannes-Mandelieu, Jean MASDOU was involved
in an accident aboard the Potez 63-11 No. 397: he escaped unharmed. |
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| MERMET
François |
Captain
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Observer
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Killed
on June 13, 1940 aboard a Potez 63-11 hit by the Flak. |
Born on 13 May 1911
in Tassin-la-Demi-Lune (69 – Rhône)
Killed on 13 June 1940 in Troyes (10 – Aube)
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| VARET
Baptiste |
Sergeant
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Pilot
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On
June 13, 1940, his Potez 63-11 is damaged by the Flak : he is
unscathed. |
Born on 15 October 1917
in Saint-Mamet-La-Salvetat (15 – Cantal)
Died on 30 March 2007 in Sarlat-La-Canéda (24 –
Dordogne)
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| VENARD
Robert |
Captain
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Observer
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Robert
VENARD, a brilliant student, entered the Saint-Cyr Military
Academy in July 1928 as part of the ‘Maréchal FOCH’
intake. He graduated two years later in 1930 with the rank of
second lieutenant and chose to join the Foreign Legion. He was
initially posted to western Algeria, to the 6th Regiment of
Algerian Riflemen, where he commanded the signals section. He
left his post to get married, before returning with the rank
of lieutenant, posted to Morocco. He took part, in particular,
in the fighting against the rebels in 1933 and 1934. Promoted
to Captain, he was due to enter the École Supérieure
de Guerre in 1939, but mobilisation disrupted his plans. He
then joined the Air Observation Service and joined GAO 581 as
an observer.
He was seriously wounded on 14 June 1940 aboard Potez 63-11
No. 837, which was shot down by nine Me109s. He was taken prisoner
and transported to the hospital in Troyes, but managed to escape.
After the Armistice, Robert VENARD was posted to the 3rd Regiment
of the Foreign Legion, based in Fez, Morocco. The years 1941
and 1942 were relatively quiet, but in 1943, following the Allied
landings in North Africa, his regiment was incorporated into
the Free French Forces, and Robert VENARD took part in the Tunisian
campaign. During these battles, Robert VENARD was killed on
29 April 1943 by the explosion of a shell. |
Born on 29 April 1908
in Berchères-sur-Vesgre (28 – Eure-et-Loir)
Killed on 29 April 1943 in Hemchir Dhomda (Tunisia)
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Stories
of crews
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Crews
of Group
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Names
of crew members
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Rank
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Function
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Informations
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Crew
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VARET |
Sergeant
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Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° ? : Damaged by Flak on June 13, 1940: Captain
MERMET is killed |
| MERMET
François |
Captain
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Observer
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| DUVAL |
Master-Corporal
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Machine
gunner
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Crew
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GAUTRON |
Staff-Sergent
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Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° 837 :Shot down by German Fighters on June
14, 1940: The crew, seriously wounded, is taken prisoner. |
| VENARD |
Captain
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Observer
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| GIROUD |
Adjutant
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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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Marrakech
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Morocco
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September
3, 1939
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Ksar
El-souk
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Morocco
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December
2, 1939
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Marignane
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13
- Bouches du Rhône
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February
6, 1940
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Rabat
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Morocco
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April 5, 1940
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Denain
Prouvy
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59
- Nord
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May
23, 1940
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Clermont-Ferrand
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63
- Puy-de-Dôme
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May
29, 1940
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Avord
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18
- Cher
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Juny
11, 1940
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Romilly-sur-Seine
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10
- Aube
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Juny
12, 1940
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Montargis
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45
- Loiret
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Juny
14, 1940
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Bourges
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18
- Cher
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Juny
15, 1940
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Cognac
Segonzac
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16
- Charente
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Juny
17, 1940
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Dax
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40
- Landes
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Juny
19, 1940
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Mont-De-Marsan
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40
- Landes
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Juny
20, 1940
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Bordeaux
Mérignac
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33
- Gironde
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Juny
21, 1940
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Limoges
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87
- Haute-Vienne
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Juny
22, 1940
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Moissac
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82
- Tarn et Garonne
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Juny
23, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge :
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Aircrafts
The GAO 581 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 :
Casualties
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Crewmen
killed
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1
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| Captain
MERMET (Combat) |
Juny
13, 1940
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Crewmen
injured
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3
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| Captain
VENARD (Combat) |
Juny
14, 1940
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| Staff-Sergeant
GAUTRON (Combat) |
Juny
14, 1940
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| Adjutant
GIROUD (Combat) |
Juny
14, 1940
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Crewmen
Prisoner
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3
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| Captain
VENARD |
Juny
14, 1940
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| Staff-Sergeant
GAUTRON |
Juny
14, 1940
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| Adjutant
GIROUD |
Juny
14, 1940
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- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
|
