[Graham Boak]

I don't think you can draw the parallel down to Staffel/escadrille, but I am getting out of my depth here - where is CJE?

To use an invented example. When I/GC9 was formed, the unit carrying the tradition of SPA14 became its 4th Escadrille. I don't think it it called itself 4/GC9 outside of the necessary admin paperwork that linked it to the rest of I/GC9, but here I will bow to the better informed! I think it called itself SPA14. It was then transferred to become the 3rd Escadrille of GC10. It remained as SPA14 as far as its internal affairs were concerned.

So I believe the answer to your second question is that the structure has obvious parallels with that of the Luftwaffe, but it breaks down at the Escadrille level as far as "identity" is concerned.

The answer to your first question, as to how to identify the component Escadrilles of the various Groupes, I think that there is no scheme or logic, you just have to know which went where. If there is a single suitable source, and I feel there must be, somewhere, I don't know of it. Surely someone must have published such a list. AirJournal did a series covering the history of the fighter Groupes, but that leaves all the others. I suspect that the current L'Armee de L'Aire will have a site that gives the historical roots of current units, but they will only be a minority. Perhaps this is a question for the French equivalent of Air Britain, which I think is called La Traite D'Union? Or the French specialist within Air Britain?