 |
Site in French
|
|
Historical
The GB II/11 was created
on 1 March 1938 in Toulouse.
After the declaration of war in September 1939, the most experienced
crews of GB II/11 were transferred to GB I/11. The GB II/11 then
took on the role of Training Group.
The first Lioré & Olivier LéO 451 arrived at the
Group on 20 February 1940.
On 10 May 1940, the GB II/11 belonged to Groupement No11 of the
south-east bombing aviation training group of the ZOAA (Alps air
operations zone): the Group then had 19 Bloch MB210s at its disposal.
It was only after the Italians entered the war that the Group took
part in the fighting, carrying out a few missions against Italy.
The GB II/11 was transferred to Marrakech after the Armistice in
preparation for being sent to Dakar. But the Group was disbanded
on 15 August 1940.
Staff
|
Commanders
of the group
GB II/11
|
| Commander
POUPART Eugène |
May 1939
|
|
|
|
Commanders
of the 3rd Squadron
|
|
Captain
MENTRE Gustave
|
|
|
|
|
Commanders
of the 4th Squadron
|
|
Lieutenant
VANDEVEN Pierre
|
|
|
|
| Captain
BOUYER Moise |
|
|
|
Personnel
|
Pilots
and crew of the Group
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Sqn.
|
Informations
|
Etat
Civil
|
Photos |
Citations
& Décorations
|
| BOUYER
Moise |
Captain
|
Cder
4th Sqn.
|
4th
Sqn.
|
In 1944, he joined the
American base at SELFRIDGE, in Michigan. P47 Thunderbolt and
B26 Marauder pilots were trained there. Moise BOUYER took
on a supervisory role.
In 1945, he took command of the GB I/32 Bourgogne bomber group
of the Free French Air Force.
From 1950 to 1956, Moise BOUYER, then Colonel, commanded the
BA 702 air base at Avord.
|
Born on 4 April 1908
Died 25 December 1958
|
|
|
| CALMEL
Jean - Louis - Casimir |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
|
After graduating from
the Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in 1935, Jean
CALMEL joined the French Air Force in October 1937. He was
posted to the GB II/11 of the 11th Air Wing based in Toulouse,
then joined the Avord flying school.
He fought with the GB II/11 during the Campaign.
After the Armistice, he left the Group, before rejoining the
GB I/11 in February 1943, after the Allied landings in North
Africa (8 November 1942). He was first second-in-command of
the Group, then commander of the 2nd Squadron. He took part
in the fighting in Tunisia in April 1943.
With GB I/11 disbanded, he joined the 340th Squadron based
at Elvington (Great Britain) in May 1944. As a pilot with
this unit, he took part in a number of missions in France
in preparation for the Normandy landings, then over Germany
and the Netherlands.
Captain Jean CALMEL completed his tour of operations in January
1945, and was assigned to the Air Force General Staff.
He was appointed Commander in 1945, and took command of the
GB II/23 Group in April 1946.
In February 1948, he
was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the General Inspectorate
of the Air Force before joining the Air War College in November
1949.
On completion of his training in 1951, he was appointed Head
of the Air Force Staff Employment Plans Office.
He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1950 and
in June 1955 was appointed Chief of Staff to the General Chief
of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Air Force in March 1958, Chief
of Staff of the General Inspectorate of the Air Force and
finally Director of the Private Office of the General Chief
of Staff of the Air Force in October 1958.
Promoted to Air Brigadier General in December 1958, he was
assigned to the General Chief of Staff of the Air Force, while
retaining his position as Director of Cabinet.
In 1960, he was appointed Commander of the Groupement Aérien
Tactique, before becoming Head of the Plans Division at SHAPE
in 1962, then Commander of the 1st Air Region in Dijon in
1964.
General Jean CALMEL clocked up a total of 2,860 flying hours,
including 425 hours at night.
After leaving the French Air Force, Jean CALMEL became Director
of External Relations at Sud-Aviation in 1967, and took part
in the great Concorde adventure, culminating in its maiden
flight in March 1969.
Jean CALMEL published a book entitled ‘Pilotes de Nuit’
(Night Pilots), which recounts his struggles within the heavy
bomber groups.
|
Born 4 March 1913, Paris
(75)
Died 7 August 1987, Paris
|
|
|
| CHOPIN
Marcel - Edouard |
Colonel
|
|
|
Marcel CHOPIN fought in
the Chasseurs à pied from January 1915. He joined the
air force in May 1917 and obtained his pilot's licence. He
ended the conflict with the rank of second lieutenant.
In September 1942, Marcel CHOPIN went to Spain to join the
Free French Air Force, arriving in London in February 1943.
On 18 October 1944, a four-engined Farman from AFN failed
to land at Toulouse-Francazal and caught fire. The occupants
managed to evacuate, except for one passenger. Two officers,
Lt/Col Chopin and Cdt Bachouè, returned to the wreckage
to try to extract it. But just then, the tanks exploded and
the two men perished in the inferno, along with the woman
they were trying to save.
Source: http://aerostories.celeonet.fr/~aeroforums/forumhist/aff.php?nummsg=85224
|
Born on 24 April 1897
at Hannogne-Saint-Martin (08 - Ardennes)
Killed on 18 October 1944 at Cugnaux (31 - Haute-Garonne)
|
|
|
| CRUMIERE
Paul - Marie |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Radio
|
|
On
23 June 1940, LéO 451 No 144 was accidentally destroyed
on landing on return from a night mission. The crew was killed. |
Born on 4 December 1908
in Lyon (69 - Rhône)
Killed on 23 June 1940 in Korba (Tunisia)
|
|
|
| DROGUE
Emile - Marie |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
|
On
23 June 1940, LéO 451 No 144 was accidentally destroyed
on landing on return from a night mission. The crew was killed. |
Born on 6 March 1904
in Rmeyer (26 - Drôme)
Killed on 23 June 1940 at Korba (Tunisia)
|
|
|
| HUET
Pierre |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Crew
Chief
|
|
On
23 June 1940, LéO 451 No 144 was accidentally destroyed
on landing on return from a night mission. The crew was killed. |
Born on 7 November 1911
in Buxy (71 - Saône et Loire)
Killed on 23 June 1940 in Korba (Tunisia)
|
|
|
| LIGNON
Jean - Jules |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
On
23 June 1940, LéO 451 No 144 was accidentally destroyed
on landing on return from a night mission. The crew was killed. |
Born on 11 May 1919
in Saint-Chinian (34 - Hérault)
Killed on 23 June 1940 at Nabeul (Tunisia)
|
|
|
| MENTRE
Gustave - Louis |
Captain
|
Cder
3rd Sqn.
|
3rd
Sqn.
|
Gustave MENTRE joined
the Free French Air Force and was in command of Bombardment
Group I/20 Lorraine from 15 February to 24 July 1945.
During the Algerian War, as an Air Division General, he was
Joint Commander of the Sahara.
He took part in the Algiers putsch in 1961, but his limited
involvement only earned him a 5-year suspended prison sentence
with retirement.
|
Born in Brehain la Ville
(54 - Meurthe et Moselle) on 18 July 1909
Died at Oucques (41 - Loir et Cher) on 14 October 1975
|
|
|
| POHER
Robert - Yves |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
The
Bloch MB 210 No 143 was reported missing with all its crew on
13 June 1940 during a night bombing raid. |
Born on 2 August 1910
in Brest (29 - Finistère)
Missing on 13 June 1940 (Italy)
|
|
|
| POUPART
Eugène - Jean |
Commander
|
Cder
of Group
|
|
Eugène POUPARD
took part in the fighting of the First World War. Initially
an artilleryman from December 1914 to March 1916, he joined
the Air Force and became an observer. He fought in the BR
104 reconnaissance squadron.
After the war, he was posted as an observer to the 33rd Rhine
Aviation Regiment from September 1919 to July 1922. He qualified
as a military pilot in September 1919, and became an instructor
pilot in Czechoslovakia from 20 February to 15 March 1924,
before joining the General Staff in Prague.
From 1932 to 1939, he was Air Attaché for Austria,
Hungary and Czechoslovakia and was based in Prague.
He took command of GB
II/11 in May 1939 and, after the Armistice, joined the 2nd
Bureau of the Air Staff in Vichy, a post he held until October
1942.
He was then appointed Air Attaché in Turkey, in Ankara
from October 1942 to October 1944, during which time he was
appointed Colonel (September 1943).
Source Albindenis.free.fr
|
Born on 29 July 1896
in Laval (53 - Mayenne)
Died June 30th 1969 at Laval
|
|
|
| RANNOU
Mathieu - Yves |
Staff-Sergeant
|
|
|
The
Bloch MB 210 No 143 was reported missing with all its crew on
13 June 1940 during a night bombing raid. |
Born on 11 July 1914
in Clohars (29 - Finistère)
Missing on 13 June 1940 (Italy)
|
|
|
| SENCIEL
Georges |
Adjutant
|
|
|
The
Bloch MB 210 No 143 was reported missing with all its crew on
13 June 1940 during a night bombing raid. |
Born on 7 December 1908
in Angers (49 - Maine-Et-Loire)
Missing on 13 June 1940 (Italy)
|
|
|
| VANDEVEN
Pierre - Henri |
Lieutenant
|
Cder
4th Sqn.
|
4th
Sqn.
|
Pierre VANDEVEN's family
was severely affected by the First World War. His father,
a soldier, died of his wounds in 1916 while a prisoner in
Germany. In 1914, his grandfather and sister died of smoke
inhalation after taking refuge in a cellar, and his grandmother
was killed by shrapnel. Pierre VANDEVEN, then aged 17, was
deported to the fort at Hirson and taken hostage.
After the war, in 1919, he joined the Artillery before joining
the Air Force, where he had a successful career in Indochina.
During the French Campaign, he fought with the GB II/11 and
took part in missions against Italy. He managed to reach North
Africa with his aircraft, but was put on Armistice leave for
refusing to bomb the British base at Gibraltar.
He was recalled for a time to take charge of the Villefranche
de Rouergue air lighthouse, but was again dismissed by Vichy
in 1942. He then joined the Resistance under the pseudonym
of ‘Vaugirard’. To escape the Germans, he went into
hiding in Montauban and became head of the 4th Bureau of the
Secret Army. Spotted by the German police, he had to flee
to Gaillac and made contact with the local Resistance.
Colonel ‘Vendôme’,
his new pseudonym, created the Group of the same name, and
at the head of the Corps Francs, led a harassing battle against
the Germans and Vichy. In particular, he attacked the Gaillac
prison and managed to free 46 political prisoners.
After the reorganisation of the Resistance, he was placed
in charge of the FFI (Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur)
and the FTPF (Francs Tireis Partisans Français) in
the Tarn area. The ‘Vendôme’ group comprised
7 maquis and 22 corps-francs. It took part in the attack on
a 350-strong German unit in August 1944. After several hours
of fierce fighting, the Germans were forced to withdraw, unable
to achieve their objectives.
After the liberation of the Tarn, Pierre VANDEVEN set up a
unit within the French Army, bringing together Corps-francs
and a battalion of White Russians who had deserted the German
Army. This unit, integrated into the 54th Air Artillery Group,
remained in Germany until March 1946.
Pierre VANDEVEN retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1947.
Source www.ardenne-wallone.fr
|
Born 27 September 1901
at Haybes (08 - Ardennes)
Died at Tinqueux (51 - Marne) on 30 March 1965
|
|
|
| YVERNAULT
Georges - Justin |
Sergeant
|
|
|
The
Bloch MB 210 No 143 was reported missing with all its crew on
13 June 1940 during a night bombing raid. |
Born on 23 September
1917 in Crozon sur Vauvre (36 - Indre)
Missing on 13 June 1940 (Italy)
|
|
|
| ZIMMERMANN
Charles - Edmond |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
|
Charles
ZIMMERMANN obtained his pilot's licence in October 1921 (n°19218) |
Born on 17 July 1901
at Fleury sur Andel (27 - Eure)
Killed on 6 October 1942 at Istres (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)
|
|
|
Stories
of crews
|
Crews
of Group
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Sqn.
|
Informations
|
|
Crew
|
POHER
Robert |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
Bloch
MB 210 No 143 :The aircraft and its crew disappeared
on June 13, 1940 during a night bombardment. |
| RANNOUX
Mathieu |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilote
|
| SENCIEL
Georges |
Adjutant
|
|
| YVERNAULT
Georges |
Sergeant
|
|
|
Crew
|
DROGUE
Emile |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
|
LéO
451 No 144 : Destroyed by accident on landing on
June 23, 1940 after returning from a night mission. The crew
is killed. |
| HUET
Pierre |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Crew
Chief
|
| CRUMIERE
Paul |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Radio
|
| LIGNON
Jean |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Airfields
|
Period
of use of airfields
|
|
Names
|
County
|
| Istres
Retour-Des-Aires |
13
- Bouches du Rhône
|
September
3, 1939
|
| Istres
Groupe 1 |
13
- Bouches du Rhône
|
October
16, 1939
|
| Arles
Mas-De-Rus |
13
- Bouches du Rhône
|
December
9, 1939
|
| Avignon
Châteaublanc |
84
- Vaucluse
|
May
27, 1940
|
| Blida |
Algérie
|
June
18, 1940
|
|
|
Click
on the map to enlarge
:
|
|
Itinerary
of the GB II/11
|
|
|
|
Aircrafts
The GB II/11 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 :
- 6 Bloch MB210
- 10 Lioré & Olivier
LeO 451
Casualties
|
Crewmen
killed
|
8
|
| Sous-Lieutenant
POHER (combat) |
June
13, 1940
|
| Sergent-Chef
RANNOUX (Combat) |
June
13, 1940
|
| Adjudant
SENCIEL (Combat) |
June
13, 1940
|
| Sergent
YVERNAULT (Combat) |
June
13, 1940
|
| Sous-lieutenant
HUET (Accident) |
June
23, 1940
|
| Lieutenant
DROGUE (Accident) |
June
23, 1940
|
| Sergent-Chef
CRUMIERE (Accident) |
June
23, 1940
|
| Sergent
LIGNON (Accident) |
June
23, 1940
|
Sources
- 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
- ...
|
