1944

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08-07-2017, 03:44 PM
30Three

4 Attachment(s)

Photos of the liberation. Bonneval 16/08/1944

I have been very fortunate to have been given copies of approximately 70 photos of the liberation of the town Bonneval in France. Liberated by the US troops (3rd Army I believe)
Some very interesting photos of the liberating troops and the local Resistance. I have recently aquired a Lee Enfield that is from this Resistance Group; but I'll post a thread about that when all the paperwork is complete. So I've been researching the history.
here's a few to get started!

Attachment 86392 Attachment 86393 Attachment 86394 Attachment 86395

I was surprised to see the black Infantry soldier's carrying No4 Enfields; what regiment are they from? I was thinking maybe Canadian or possibly Sudanese attached to the Free French; but obviously with the 3rd Army.
08-07-2017, 11:00 PM
Paul S.

They may be Sudanese, but it is more likely that they are Senegalese Tirailleurs.

Senegalese Tirailleurs - Wikipedia

The lack of webbing suggests they may be Partisans. However, the Germans murdered 'thousands' of those they captured and sent the rest as POWs to labour camps.
08-07-2017, 11:12 PM
browningautorifle

Quote:

Originally Posted by 30Three

Sudanese

Congolese? Algerian? Not Canadian though.
08-08-2017, 07:30 AM
30Three

Yes possibly Senegalese Paul; slight brain fade on my part! I have found a mention of the Sengalese in a book about the liberation of the Eure and Loir area of France (of which Bonneval is part of). Although there are no close up photos of the troops concerned.

In the 3rd photo; the cafe visible behind the group is still there. It's now called the St Roch and belongs to a friend of mine.
08-08-2017, 03:45 PM
Paul S.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 30Three

Yes possibly Senegalese Paul; slight brain fade on my part! I have found a mention of the Sengalese in a book about the liberation of the Eure and Loir area of France (of which Bonneval is part of). Although there are no close up photos of the troops concerned.

In the 3rd photo; the cafe visible behind the group is still there. It's now called the St Roch and belongs to a friend of mine.

Could you please post a picture of the café as it is now? Many of us enjoy seeing a place from history as it is now. It is a small way of honouring the past.
08-08-2017, 06:03 PM
JimF4M1s (Deceased)

Let's just say Allies, that covers them all.
08-09-2017, 03:33 PM
30Three

6 Attachment(s)

I'll get some photos of of the locality this weekend to compare.
In the meantime, here are a few more from the archive.
Attachment 86434 Attachment 86433 Attachment 86430 Attachment 86431 Attachment 86432 Attachment 86429
08-09-2017, 03:39 PM
30Three

2 Attachment(s)

The bomb damage was caused by an American Air Force raid to blow the railway bridge. In 3rd photo above you can just see the rail bridge; unfortunately the house was as close as they got.
However the line was finally blown up by Resistance about 10 km down the line at Marboue; about a week before the liberation. They retrieved an unexploded 250kg bomb from a previous raid; transported it to the bridge and set it of with 15 kg of plastic explosive.
It did the trick!
Attachment 86436 Attachment 86435