French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

Hi all, I am looking for help from an expert on Armée de l'Air.
I have a report from Czech pilot who was later member of 311 Sq RAF flying Wellingtons who was trained also in France (Avord, Istres, Châteauroux, Tarbes) flying on Caudron C.445M, Marcel Bloch MB.210, Potez 568 and Hanriot H.232. He stated he was on 16.6.1940 posted to an "operational unit D.A.S.O.". He even claimed he made few trainign flights on Breguet 693 with this unit.

Anyone can help me to decyphes the D.A.S.O," unit please?

TIA


Pavel

Re: French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

D.A.S.O. likely Détachement d'Armées du Sud-Ouest.

Regards,
Leendert

Re: French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

Hi Leendert, thank you for your comment. Well I was expecting it should be some kind of particular air force unit.
Recently I have found in his reminiscences from the 70s one more note: "After arrival to ?Border? (unable to find such a place) I was taken to nearby airfield where new escadrille D.A.S.O. was formed."
So I would expect he would be posted to a unit like Groupe de bombardement d'assaut...

So any additional ideas will be appreciated

Pavel

Re: French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

Could Border be a badly written Bordeaux, one of the main cities of SW France ?

Re: French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

A link where D.A.S.O. is mentioned: https://clausuchronia.wordpress.com/...ltigeurs-cefv/

Under Secteur Opérationnel de l'Adour references to Czech (ground) units which may explain the presence of the Czech pilot in that region as well.

Regards,
Leendert

Re: French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

Hi
Clausuchronia is a fictional website !!

Pavel, your guy follow the classical twin engine training :
First Avord/Istres school
The Châteauroux bomber instruction center (CIB) (H.232 & Potez 568)
Then he was probably in GBA II/35 wich was a kind of OTU for Breguet 693.
This unit with Châteauroux CIB ended the war at Tarbes.

DASO ? Phonetic for 'd'assaut' (Groupe de bombardement d'assaut - Br 693)

Contact me my MP, I think i could have more detail :-)

Best

Matt

Re: French unit D.A.S.O., June 1940
 

Matt, thank you very much for your explanation - this sounds very reasonable to me.
PM sent.


Pavel