 |
Site in French
|
|
Historical
The
GC I / 5 is the first Fighting group equipped with Curtiss H75.
It was in February 1939 that 1st Squadron received her first Curtiss
for evaluation.
On
the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the
GC I / 5 belongs to the Fighting Group No. 23 of the ZOAN (North
Air Operations Area).
The GC I / 5 retreats to AFN from June 18, 1940. It will have carried
out the entire campaign of France on Curtiss H75 and the Armistice,
the Group presents a record of 84 Sure Victories and 27 Likely,
figures that place the GC I / 5 tops the French Fighting Groups
during this period.
Staff
|
Commanders
of the group
GC I/5
|
| Commander
MURTIN Jacques-Louis |
September
1, 1939
|
October
17, 1941
|
|
|
Commanders
of the 1st Squadron
|
| Captain
ACCART Jean-Mary |
september
1, 1939
|
June
1, 1940
|
|
| Lieutenant
MARIN-LA-MESLEE Edmond |
June
2, 1940
|
|
|
|
Commanders
of the 2nd Squadron
|
| Captain
MOINGEON Marcel |
september
1, 1939
|
April
7, 1940
|
|
| Lieutenant
DORANCE Michel |
April
8, 1940
|
August
20, 1940
|
|
|
Other
Members of the Military Staff20
|
| Staff-Sergeant
PAGEIX Paul |
Hangar
manager - 2nd Sqn.
|
Born
on March 29, 1912 at Beaumont (63)
Died
on 1970
|
|
| Lieutenant
CONTE |
Mechanical
Officer
|
|
|
| DROUET |
Doctor
|
|
|
| Adjutant
MAIRE |
Hangar
manager
|
|
|
| Adjutant
MAZIER |
Hangar
manager - 1st Sqn.
|
|
|
Pilots
|
Pilots
of Group
|
|
Names
of pilots
|
Rank
|
Squadron
|
Victories
|
Informations
|
Civil
Statut
|
Photo
|
Citations
|
|
Sure
|
Prob.
|
| ACCART
Jean - Mary |
Captain
|
Staff
1st Sqn.
|
12
|
4
|
Jean ACCART joined
the French Navy in April 1932. He joined the navy and obtained
his pilot's licence in 1933. He was posted to the 1st squadron
of the 5th fighter squadron in 1936 before being appointed
commander of SPA 67 in 1938 (1st squadron of GC I/5). During
the French Campaign, he was seriously wounded in aerial
combat on 1 June 1940, and after his convalescence he went
on to recreate the advanced fighter section of the Ecole
de l'Air, based at Salon. In November 1942, he was placed
on armistice leave and managed to leave France for AFN via
Spain. He was given command of the ‘Berry’ fighter
group, known as 345 Squadron in the RAF. After completing
a training period at the Command and General Staff School
in the USA, he was assigned to the General Staff's Studies
and Plans Office and to the Air Force Inspectorate.
In 1946, he was a
fighter instructor at the Centre d'Enseignement Supérieur
Aérien before being appointed Chief of Staff at the
Air Force Headquarters in December 1946. He became deputy
director of the Bretigny test centre, then fighter inspector
in 1952. In September 1952, he took command of the Reims
air base, before becoming 2nd Deputy Chief of Staff of the
French Air Force in September 1955. He was then assigned
to the General Chief of Staff of the French Air Force and
as such was the national air defence representative at SHAPE.
He became deputy to the Air Force General Major in February
1959, then took command of the 1st CATAC and the FAFA in
November 1960. He was appointed a member of the Conseil
Supérieur de l'Air from 1962 to 1965, and Inspector
of Armament Programmes and Manufacturing in 1963. Jean ACCART
retired from active service in 1965.
|
Born
on 7 April 1912 in Fécamp (76 - Seine-Maritime). Died
19 August 1992 in La Gaude (06 - Alpes-Maritimes) |
|
|
| BOITELET
Hubert - Raymond |
Lieutenant
|
2nd
Sqn.
|
5
|
|
Hubert
BOITELET volunteered in 1931 and was posted to the 7th Wing.
He entered the Versailles Air Academy in 1937 and was posted
to the 5th Wing in Reims. He took part in the French campaign
with the I/5 group and won five victories. Demobilised after
the Armistice, he was recalled to active service in Meknes
in 1944 and joined the Cognac school in 1945.
He was posted to Marrakech in 1949, Friedrichshafen in 1951,
and was appointed commander of the operational group in Oujda
in 1955. He became head of the 3rd reserves office in the
3rd air region in 1956. Hubert BOITELET was retired in 1959
and transferred to the reserves.
|
Born
on 7 December 1911 in Panderma (Turkey).
Died on 19 August 2009 in Bergerac (24 - Dordogne) |
|
|
| BOUVARD
Louis |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
1st Sqn.
|
2
|
1
|
Injured
in aerial combat May 13, 1940
|
|
|
|
| BRESSIEUX
Jérémie |
Sergeant
|
2nd
Sqn.
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BRIAN
Georges |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CHAUSSE
André |
Sergeant
|
|
|
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| DELPARTE
André |
Sergeant
|
2nd
Sqn.
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
| DORANCE
Michel - Irénée |
Lieutenant
|
Staff
2nd Sqn.
|
14
|
3
|
Michel
DORANCE enlisted voluntarily on 22 October 1934. He entered
the Ecole de l'Air in 1935, then became Squadron Commander
of the 5th Wing in 1938 and of the GCI/5 fighter group in
1939. He was appointed deputy to the Air Attaché in
Washington on 1st September 1940. In AFN, he took command
of the GC I/3 and then the GC I/7. He was appointed Executive
Officer of the 2nd Fighter Wing in March 1945.
In August 1946, he became Air Defence General Staff Officer,
then Commander of the 6th Fighter-Bomber Wing. In 1950, he
was appointed Commander of the Tactical Air Control Group
before becoming . Plans Officer at the 4th Allied Tactical
Air Force in 1952. He was promoted to second-in-command of
the Ecole de l'Air in August 1955, then Commander of the 3rd
Air Brigade and finally Commander of Reims base 112 in 1958.
He was appointed Commander of the Combined Air Operations
School in 1960, then Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations and
Training) at the Allied Forces Central Europe Headquarters
in March 1961. In 1963, he became the Armed Forces Attaché
and Air Attaché to the French Ambassador in Washington.
He left the Army at the end of 1966 with the rank of Air Division
General.
|
Born
13 August 1914, Paris (75)
Died 17 January 1986, Montpellier (34 - Hérault) |
|
|
| EMPRIN
Michel |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
1st Sqn.
|
|
|
Killed
by accident on April 24, 1940
|
|
|
|
| GENTY
Pierre |
Adjutant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
2
|
1
|
Leaves
GC I / 5 for the CIC of Montpellier on April 21, 1940
|
|
|
|
| GIROU
Jean |
Sergeant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
7
|
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| DE-L'ESTANG
DU RUSQUEC Gonzagues |
Captain
|
|
|
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| GOUPY
Auguste - Achille |
Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
1
|
|
Auguste
GOUPY joined the École de Salon in 1937 and did a training
period at Cazaux in 1938. He was posted to Étampes
in 1939, then to the GC I/5 fighter group on 8 March 1940,
where he was seriously wounded in air combat on 10 May 1940.
After the Armistice, he rejoined his unit in Rabat in October
1940. He took part in operations after the Provence landings
and became Commander of the GC I/4 fighter group in 1945,
then was posted to the 3rd fighter squadron before being sent
to Indochina from September 1948 to November 1949. He was
posted to Reims, and did training at Avord and Nellis in the
USA. He joined the staff of the Allied Air Forces Southern
Europe Command in Florence in 1951. He became commander of
the Sidi-Ahmed air base (Algeria) in 1953, then was posted
to the EMGDN (national defence general staff) in 1959 before
being appointed air attaché to the French embassy in
Rome in 1961. He was promoted to commander of the northern
defence air zone in Romilly in 1964, then deputy head of the
cabinet of the Minister of the Armed Forces in 1966 and finally
deputy to the general commanding the 2nd air region. Auguste
GOUPY was placed on leave from the Air Force in 1970 with
the rank of Air Brigadier General.
|
Born
on 20 July 1917 in Saint-Priest-Taurion (87 - Haute-Vienne).
Died in Paris (75) on 18 February 1993. |
|
|
| HAMSICK
Timoteus |
Lieutenant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
|
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on DecStaffber 3, 1939. Tacked in aerial
combat May 14, 1940
|
|
|
|
| HUBERT
Jacques - Henri |
Staff-Sergeant
|
|
|
|
Jacques Hubert enlisted
voluntarily in the French Air Force in 1938 and qualified
as a pilot in 1939. He was posted to the Châteauroux
base and then to Istres. He joined the GC I/5 and was transferred
with his group to the Rabat-Salé base in Morocc in
1942. On his return, he was posted as an instructor to the
Avord training base in 1946, then to the GAEL at Villacoublay
in 1947. He was sent to Indochina in 1952 with the GB I/25
Tunisia transport group until November 1953. He was again
appointed to the GAEL in Villacoublay in 1954, then to Oran
in 1956 with group II/91 ‘Guyenne’. He was appointed
commander of the 1st GTLA squadron of II/60. He was posted
to the 1st office of the Air Force General Staff in 1959.
Jacques Hubert was placed on aircrew leave in 1963.
Returning to civilian life, he became a civilian pilot for
a banker.
|
Born
on 4 May 1916 in La Seyne-sur-Mer (83 - Var)
Died in Sèvres (92 - Hauts de Seine) on 19 March 2008. |
|
|
| KOTHERA
Zdennek |
Master
Corporal
|
2nd Sqn.
|
1
|
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on June 3, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| LE-CALVEZ
Yves |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
3
|
2
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on March 20, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| LEFOL
Georges |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
11
|
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on March 20, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| LEPREUX
Jacques |
Sergeant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
|
|
Killed
in aerial combat on september 30, 1939
|
|
|
|
| LE-RESTIF
Yves |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
|
|
Killed
in aerial combat on september 30, 1939
|
|
|
|
| MACHET
DE LA MARTINIERE Joseph - Marie - Jean |
Captain
|
|
|
|
Joseph
MACHET DE LA MARTINIERE joined the École de Saint-Cyr
and then the École militaire et d'application de l'aéronautique
in Versailles. He was posted successively to the 38th aviation
regiment, the 6th squadron in Reims in 1933 and the 23rd air
brigade in 1938.
In September 1939, he was posted to the No. 23 fighter group
and in May 1940 to the GCI/5 fighter group. Withdrawn to North
Africa, it took part in the Provence landings in 1944.
After the war, he was posted to the Fighter Aviation Inspectorate.
He passed through the CHEM (Centre des Hautes Etudes Militaires)
and the CESA. He headed the 3rd office of the Air Force General
Staff before being put on aircrew leave in 1946 with the rank
of Colonel. |
Born
on 20 May 1909 in Blois (41 - Loir-et-Cher).
Died in Paris (75) on 26 June 2003 |
|
|
| MALAVAL
André |
Captain
|
Staff
Group
|
|
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on March 14, 1940. Killed in air combat on May
21, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| MARIN-LA-MESLEE
Christian - Athelstan - Edwin |
Sergeant
|
|
|
|
Christian
MARIN LA MESLEE, brother of Lieutenant Edmond MARIN-LA-MESLEE,
enlisted voluntarily in 1938 in Reims and was posted to the
I/5 fighter group on 20 June 1940. He withdrew with his group
to Casablanca in Morocco.
He was placed on Armistice leave in 1942, then recalled in 1943
and sent to Great Britain as an OTU before being posted to the
‘Ile-de-France’ group. Christian MARIN LA MESLEE left
the French Air Force in 1945. |
Born
on 9 October 1919 in Valenciennes (59 - Nord)
Died at Versailles (78 - Yvelines) on 2 May 1995 |
|
|
| MARIN-LA-MESLEE
Edmond |
Lieutenant
|
Staff
1st Sqn.
|
16
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
| MAZIER
Henri |
Commander
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MOINGEON
Marcel |
Captain
|
Staff
2nd Sqn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MORAVEK
Emil |
Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
|
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on June 3, 1940. Killed in aerial combat
on June 15, 1940
|
|
|
|
| MOREL
François |
Staff-Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
10
|
3
|
Killed
in aerial combat on May 18, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| MULLER
Frantisek |
Master
Corporal
|
|
|
|
Czech pilot
|
|
|
|
| MURTIN
Jacques-Louis |
Commander
|
Staff
Group
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MUSELLI
Gérard |
Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
5
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
| PARNIERE
Marcel |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
8
|
1
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on January 4, 1940. Injured in aerial combat on
June 3, 1940
|
|
|
|
| PENZINI
Dominique |
Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
9
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
| PERINA
Frantisek |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
11
|
2
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on DecStaffber 3, 1939. Injured in aerial
combat on June 3, 1940
|
|
|
|
| PREUX
Edouard |
Sergeant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
|
|
Wounded
in aerial combat on May 10, 1940 and taken prisoner on May
21, 1940
|
|
|
|
| RAYMOND |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on June 20, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| REY
Jean-Marie |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
9
|
|
Injured
in aerial combat May 18, 1940
|
|
|
|
| REZNICEK
Jiri |
Staff-Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
|
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on June 3, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| RICHARD
André |
Captain
|
Staff
Group
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ROUQUETTE
Marcel |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
8
|
6
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| RUBIN
René - Henri |
Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
|
|
René
Rubin made his first flights in Lyon and joined the Morane
school in Nîmes in 1935. He was posted to the Reconnaissance
and joined the IV/55 in Lyon. He volunteered for fighter training
and was posted to the 5th Wing at Reims. He was admitted to
the Air Force training school in 1939, then posted to the
GC II/4 in March 1940, with which he took part in the French
campaign. Withdrawn to AFN in 1940, he was posted to the GC
II/5 in Casablanca. He was appointed to the Meknès
school in 1944, then to the CESA (Centre Etudes Supérieures
Aériennes) in 1948. In 1950, he was sent to Tananarive
to join the senior command of the armed forces in Madagascar.
On his return, he was posted to Reims, then in 1955 to Algeria
as commander of the 5th RA. In 1956, he was posted to the
air defence command in Versailles, then in 1957 to the 2nd
RA command, and finally in 1960 to the light support aviation
training squadron. René Rubin was placed on aircrew
leave in 1962 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
|
Born
in Chambéry (73 - Savoie) on 12 March 1915
Died at Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt (78 - Yvelines) on 11 July 2008 |
|
|
| SALMAND
André |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
2nd Sqn.
|
|
1
|
Killed
in aerial combat on April 7, 1940
|
|
|
|
| SCOTTE
Pierre |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
1
|
1
|
Assigned
to GC I / 5 on March 8, 1940. Wounded in air combat on May
13 and killed in air combat on June 3, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| TALLENT
Maurice |
Sergeant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
11
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
| VASATKO
Alois |
Captain
|
1st Sqn.
|
11
|
2
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on May 12, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| VASEK
Vladimir |
Master
Corporal
|
1st Sqn.
|
|
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 Dec. 3 1939. Killed by accident on inhaler
failure on January 2, 1940
|
|
|
|
| VRANA
Adolf |
Lieutenant
|
1st Sqn.
|
2
|
2
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on May 12, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| VUILLEMAIN
Léon |
Staff-Sergeant
|
1st Sqn.
|
9
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
| VYBIRAL
Tomas |
Lieutenant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
7
|
|
Czech pilot
assigned to GC I / 5 on May 12, 1940.
|
|
|
|
| WARNIER
François - Jules |
Staff-Sergeant
|
2nd Sqn.
|
8
|
2
|
François
WARNIER did his military service in the French Air Force in
1934. He qualified as a pilot at the Ecole d'Istres. He re-enlisted
in 1935 at Reims and was posted to the GC I/5 fighter group,
with which he took part in the French campaign. François
WARNIER was emobilised in 1940. He served periods in the reserves
until 1959.
|
Born
8 January 1913, Reims (51 - Marne)
Died 5 December 2005, Reims |
|
|
|
Group
Mechanics
|
|
Name
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Sqn.
|
Informations
|
Photo
|
| CARRAZ |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| COUVELAERE
André |
|
Mechanic
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
BOITELET's mechanic |
|
| GIRAUD |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| GRIESBACH |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| LANGLADE |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| LE-CARVENNEC |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| LERICHE |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| LUTHRINGER |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| MANEYROL |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| MENNEIRET |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| NYS |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| ROUGERIE |
Staff-sergeant
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| WENISH
Henri |
|
Mechanic
|
|
Born on August 7, 1917
at Bouguenais
Died on January 31,
2013 at Tinqueux (51)
After graduating from the Rochefort
School of Mechanics, he was posted to Air Base 112 in 1936 and
became Edmond MARIN LA MESLEE's mechanic at GC I/5. He will follow
the pilot throughout the French Campaign in North Africa after
the Armistice. Raised in rank, he will have to leave GC I/5 in
1944. |
|
Airfields
|
Airfields
|
Period
of use of airfields
|
|
Names
|
County
|
| Suippes |
51
- Marne
|
August
27, 1939
|
| Saint-Dizier |
52
- Haute-Marne
|
May
14, 1940
|
| Saint-Parres-les-Vaudes |
10
- Aube
|
June
11, 1940
|
| Avallon |
89
- Yonne
|
June
12, 1940
|
| Bourges
Le Bubdray |
18
- Cher
|
June
15, 1940
|
| Carcassonne
- Salvaza |
11
- Aude
|
June
17, 1940
|
| Alger
Maison-Blanche |
Algeria
|
June
20, 1940
|
| Saint-Denis-du-Sig |
Algeria
|
June
22, 1940
|
|
|
Click
on the map to enlarge :
|
|
|
Aircrafts
The
GC I/3 was
equipped since its creation in September 1933,
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 Dewoitine
D500
- 1 Dewoitine
D501
- 2 Potez
630
- 35Curtiss
H75-A1
- 18 Curtiss H75-A2
- 18Curtiss
H75-A3
- 3
Curtiss H75-A4
Records
1/2
or 1/3 of victories were obtained in association with another Group.
|
Confirmed
Victories
|
82.5
|
|
Messerschmitt
BF109
|
7
|
|
Messerschmitt
BF110
|
13
|
|
Henschel
Hs126
|
11
|
|
Junker
JU87
|
13
|
|
Dornier
Do215
|
2
|
|
Dornier
Do17
|
13.5
|
|
Junker
JU86
|
1
|
|
Heinkel
He111
|
22
|
|
Likely Victoires
|
27
|
|
Messerschmitt
BF109
|
5
|
|
Messerschmitt
BF110
|
2
|
|
Henschel
Hs126
|
2
|
|
Junker
JU87
|
7
|
|
Dornier
Do 215
|
2
|
|
Dornier
Do 17
|
5
|
|
Junker
JU88
|
1
|
|
Heinkel
He111
|
3
|
Casualties
|
Killed Pilots
|
10
|
|
Sergeant
LEPREUX (Combat)
|
september
30, 1939
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
LE-RESTIF (Combat)
|
september
30, 1939
|
|
Master
Corporal VASEK (Accident)
|
January
2, 1940
|
|
Chief
Warrant Officer SALMAND (Accident)
|
April
7, 1940
|
|
Chief
Warrant Officer StaffPRIN (Accident)
|
April
24, 1940
|
|
Lieutenant
HAMSICK (Combat)
|
May 14,
1940
|
|
Staff-Sergeant
MOREL (Combat)
|
May 18,
1940
|
|
Captain
MALAVAL (Combat)
|
May 21,
1940
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
SCOTTE (Combat)
|
June
3, 1940
|
|
Sergeant
MORAVEK (Combat)
|
June
15, 1940
|
|
Wounded
Pilots
|
8
|
|
Lieutenant
GOUPY (Combat)
|
May 10,
1940
|
|
Sergeant
PREUX (Combat)
|
May 10,
1940
|
|
Chief
Warrant Officer BOUVARD (Combat)
|
May 13,
1940
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
SCOTTE (Combat)
|
May 13,
1940
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
REY (Combat)
|
May 18,
1940
|
|
Captain
ACCART (Combat)
|
June
1, 1940
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
PARNIERE (Combat)
|
June
3, 1940
|
|
Sub-Lieutenant
PERINA (Combat)
|
June
3, 1940
|
|
Prisoners
Pilots
|
1
|
|
Sergeant
PREUX
|
May 21,
1940
|
Sources
- The
dates and places of birth of the Group's personnel are taken mainly
from the site : "Mémoires
des Hommes"
- Book "Curtiss
H75" from Lionel PERSYN - Editions LELA Presse
- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
|
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