Local French Resistant

[30Three]

I had the pleasure of spending last Saturday morning in the company of one of our neighbours.
He is 97 years old and he was a member of the local French Resistance group. I went to repair his old Renault 4L that he still drives locally. I got chatting to him about his life and the about WWII. His Father was head of the local resistance group and he was an active member. His now lives opposite the house that was the old family home. They had 7 allied airman staying there in early 1944. Canadian, US, Australian and British. he was telling me how it was dificult to get enough food sometimes and also that they had a language problem; with the exception of the Canadian who knew a few words of French. A girl from the village helped translate when she could. the airmen were transfered to Freteval forest just south of Chateaudun. The story of that camp is quite incredible; with over 150 airmen camped out in occupied France waiting for the Liberation. He also told me that he spotted someone (colabo') snooping around and they had to move boxes of explosives from the house to a cache by the river. He explained the the colaborator went back to Paris and was got by the resistance later on! Just before the liberation in late August, the German tanks were hidden nearby in the Moleans forest. Allied bombed the forest twice; but he explained that the second time all they bombed was wood! because the Germans moved them after the first attempt.
A very interesting morning and a real pleasure to have the opportunity to chat.
The Freteval Forest - WW2 Escape Lines Memorial Society

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[mrclark303]

Absolutely fascinating, I'll bet post war the Germans in charge in that area must have been staggered to learn they had 150 allied aircrew hiding right under their nose!

[Gil Boyd]

Those collaborators certainly had a very rough time after the war. All for a bit extra....amazing what they would do for scraps

[browningautorifle]

All for a bit extra

Some cases they did very well, they thought the Germans would win and they wanted to be pets instead of food.

[mrclark303]

Those collaborators certainly had a very rough time after the war. All for a bit extra....amazing what they would do for scraps

Some cases they did very well, they thought the Germans would win and they wanted to be pets instead of food.

Then came the "Great cleansing of the Republic" I believe the French killed more French people than the Nazis (I was told this by a French business contact) managed in 4 years of occupation, old scores to settle and people strung up from lamp posts etc...
Its not surprising really ...

The same would probably have happened here had the UK been occupied.

[Sunray]

Those Resistance people had some stones. Even the girls.
Suggest ya'll read some of the books about the SOE and OSS for just an inkling of what went on during the Occupation. Don't recall any titles, but your public library should have a bunch.
Winston, in his History of the Second World War, Volume One, wrote a lot about the Vichy government. Lot of 'em were outright traitors.

[browningautorifle]

The same would probably have happened here had the UK been occupied.

In those days, likely...and the proper thing.

[Sunray]

It might have been Volume 2. Six volume set. I'm near the end of volume 6. Winston was a great writer, but you need to get used to his use of The King's(The Queen's now) English. He uses words like 'thither' and 'whither' for 'there' and 'where'.
It's W.W. II from an entirely different prospective.

[Gil Boyd]

Sadly, poor Winston has a lot to answer for......................but as always hindsight is a wonderful thing!!