French aircraft evacuated to UK

[alex crawford]

Hi,

Does anyone know the fate of the following French aircraft that were evacuated to the UK after the fall of France?

Around 18 June 1 Bloch 152 (Lt Henneberg), 2 Bloch 151's (S/Lt W Retinger and S/Lt B Kudrewicz) and possibly a Caudrone Simone C635 (S/Lt Wielgus and mechanic Pokrzywka) took off from Nantes and landed at Tangmere late in the afternoon. A few hours later they flew to Andover. On 19th the flew to Netheravon.

There may have been another Bloch (type unknown) flown by S/Lt Kowalski.

Would anyone know what hapended to these aircraft and crews? Also did other French aircraft make it to the UK and what happened to them. Would they have been melted down for scrap?

Regards,

Alex

[Bertrand H]

Alex

In some archives of the Free French filed in Service Historique de la Defense in Paris/Vincennes, I find an interesting note about your request :

27 janvi 1941

Free French Air Force Equipment in England

5 Bloch 151 and 152 (fighter) : 3 serviceable – quick repairs, but less urgent than liaison aircraft couldbe utilised for defence in Africa against eventual attacks ; could be armed each with 4 machines guns –cannon useless

HTH

Bertrand H

[Atcham Tower]

No 50 MU, Cowley ORB says: 26 June 1940 Two French aircraft salvaged. Caudron 635 Simoun at Lapford, near Crediton, Devon. Bloch 210, Gnome-Rhone engines, at Bovey Tracy. Both Cat E. (Destroyed, in case anyone is unfamiliar with the meaning of Cat 3.)

[Larry]

2nd Lieutenant Daniel Neumann, (pilot) his observer-navigator, Lieutenant André Jacob and Sergeant Marcel Morel, the radio operator-machine gunner serving with Group de Reconnaissance GR 1/14, basedat Bergerac airfield flew their Potez 63-11 No. 838 to RAF Christchurch airfield on 24th June 1940. The aircraft was later flown to RAF Andover and later still went to RAF Odiham as the basis of an Free French Training unit. I do not know the ultimate fate of 838.

[paulmcmillan]

Crash Lists in Aeromilitaria (Air Britain) record

That on 19th June 1940 a Bloch 151 ( Serial 118 ) of the FAF was involved in a collison at Netheravon

[alex crawford]

Hi guys,

Many thanks for your replies.

Alex

[GOFRIDUS]

Please, can you tell me the source of your informations : Around 18 June 1 Bloch 152 (Lt Henneberg), 2 Bloch 151's (S/Lt W Retinger and S/Lt B Kudrewicz) and possibly a Caudrone Simone C635 (S/Lt Wielgus and mechanic Pokrzywka) took off from Nantes and landed at Tangmere late in the afternoon.
Nantes airfield was occuped by german troops in 19 and I have informations as the last aircraft to leave Nantes was a Leo 451, landed near Southampton, after take off from Nantes at dawn of 18. Can you help me ? Thanks Alain

[Andy Saunders]

According to my notes on Tangmere (buried away somewhere!) I was told by an ex-145 Squadron fitter, who was generally pretty reliable, that there were "dozens" of French aircraft that arrived at Tangmere mid-June and he recalls problems with re-fuelling them for onward flight, although there is nothing in the Tangmere ORB about it. In fact, there is no entry at all for the 18 June - just "17 June 601 Sqn arrived from Middle Wallop" and then "20 June 238 Sqn proceeded to Middle Wallop"...and thats it! Not even a single entry for 18th or 19th June. Oddly, though, it records "10 Potez aircraft arrived from France" on 11 March 1940, but this was before 145 were at Tangmere - so he cannot be getting muddled with that event.

Andy

Andy

[robert]

Hi all,

here is the way of Polish formation to UK:
- 18.06.40 at 08.30 hours take off from Chateauroux
- 18.06.40 at 10.00 hours landing in Nantes
- 18.06.40 at ca.14.00 hours take off from Nantes
- 18.06.40 at ca.16.30 hours landing in Tangmere
Zdzislaw Hennenberg flew with MB-152 probably No.656, Witold Rettinger and Brunon Kudrewicz both with MB-151s, and in C635 were Stanislaw Wielgus (pilot) and Gustaw Pokrzywka (from ground personnel).
Source: B.Belcarz "Polskie Lotnictwo we Francji"

Robert

P.S. Perhaps someone could tell us something about this C635? Serial?

[Alex Smart]

Hello Alex,

Take a look at the thread I started with regard to these a/c way back. It was about the Only French Air Unit to escape to the UK. But a more relevant thread was about French Forces that escaped this was started by Larry on the 15th June 2007. Take a look in the archive it should be there.

As for Henneberg's a/c serial number 656 a photo of it apears in Fighters over France & the low countries (Mushroom) on page 107 shows it in British markings but with a side number "1". Also I think from memory that the Caudron was P-6015 that became AX777 and ended up in the Middle East.

Alex