Commanders of 346 and 347 Sqn

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I would like to know the names of the commanders of the two French squadrons of the Bomber Command, 346 Sqn "Guyenne" and 347 Sqn "Tunisie", when they were formed in UK respectively in May and June 1944.

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

346 FAF was Colonel G.E. Venet, the Base was commanded by Commandant Puget.
Still looking for 347 .
If I find I will get back to you.

Alex

[Bertrand H]

Laurent,


346 sqdn : Lt Col Gaston VENOT, 25/10/43 10/09/44,

347 sqdn : Lt col Marcel VIGOUROUX, 01/08/1943 – 15/03/1945,

HTH

Bertrand H

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks to both of you.

It seems to me I had a Lt Col Venot listed as being lost with 346 Sqn in September 1944, but I didn't make teh connection with the name provided by Alex...

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Guys

Just out of curiosity.
What are these individuals actually commanding?
Reason I ask is that
346Sq is reported as formed on May 16th, 1944
347Sq is reported as formed on June 20th, 1944

So how can these persons command the Squadrons already in late 1943???

Cheers
Stig

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Actually both units existed before in North Africa as French units. They were there on November 1942 and survived the reorganization of the French Armée de l'Air and were sent to UK to convert to heavy bomber (Halifax in both cases) in constituted units. So the "formation" dates of 346 and 347 Sqn are rather the date both units were declared operationnal by the Bomber Command than real formation dates.

346 Sqn was the GB II/23 "Guyenne" and flew its first mission on 1 June 1944 (15 days after "forming").

347 Sqn was the GB I/25 "Tunisie" and flew its first mission on 27 June 1944 (11 days after "forming").

Most of the French units flying from UK followed a similar pattern. 341, 342, 345 and 329 Sqn existed before in Africa, being repestively the groups "Alsace" (GC 1 FAFL), "Lorraine" (GB 1 FAFL), "Berry" (GC II/2) and "Cigognes" (GC I/2, ex-Vichy) and went to UK as constituted units. 340 Sqn "Ilde-de-France" was the only one formed really in UK.

[Lambretta150]

Good Morning. my first visit here and I appreciate that this thread ran some time ago. I am seeking details of my Uncle, now deceased, Louis Blanchin. I know for sure that he flew as a Halifax navigator from Elvington with one of the two French Halifax Squadrons. I also know that he came over from North Africa. Does anybody have any information that would pin him to a crew, a squadron, being on particular raids, etc? I can read some French if information is in that language. Thanks in advance.