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-   -   Free French Paratrooper. (https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32358)

High Wood 28-05-13 10:31 AM

Free French Paratrooper.
 
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In case you have misread the title this is not a buy one get one free offer but an attempt to identify some photographs in a recently purchased album. The French soldier appears to be wearing a British B.D. and his parachute wings have the cross of Lorraine. Knowing nothing about the subject I am assuming that he is a Free French Paratrooper.

Can anyone please confirm or put me right on the I.D. please? I also note that in the second photograph he has an essential piece of kit carried by every self respecting Frenchman, mais, c'est ne pas une pipe.

Voltigeur 28-05-13 12:19 PM

After having a good look at the first pic, I see nothing wrong about the FFL parawings,the shoulder braid shows him as a Second-Lieutenant. As for the second pic,you're right.

Jo

fougasse1940 28-05-13 01:15 PM

Have a look over here, your chap might be in there:
http://lerot.org/joomla/index.php?op...mid=59&lang=en

Rgds, Thomas.

Luc 28-05-13 05:52 PM

The shirt in the left picture appears to be the later war style of HBT? The BD is of the 1940 economy pattern.

half12 28-05-13 08:49 PM

Hello,
His girl friend on the second picture is also wearing a small FAFL badge.
Best regards .. Herve

half12 28-05-13 09:23 PM

Sorry double message...

High Wood 28-05-13 10:07 PM

The back of the smaller photograph has the message: En souvenir a ma charmant Pamela. Rene.


I will post more photographs from the album tomorrow.

High Wood 29-05-13 08:35 AM

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More photographs.

High Wood 29-05-13 08:50 AM

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Free French soldiers 1943. Taken at Kinver? Not sure if I am reading it right but Kinver is a small town in Staffordshire close to the Worcestershire border.

Brigade Piron 30-05-13 07:56 AM

Couple of that group still seem to be wearing Adrians! Old habits die hard, I suppose.

half12 30-05-13 11:08 AM

Hello
We can see a mix of French and British uniforms ... I think this picture shows a rest during training of Free French Cadets.
Best regards .. Herve

Mike Jackson 30-05-13 11:17 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by High Wood (Post 214898)
Free French soldiers 1943. Taken at Kinver? Not sure if I am reading it right but Kinver is a small town in Staffordshire close to the Worcestershire border.

I think the vehicle is a Peugeot light truck (or possibly ambulance) similar to this.
Attachment 83758.
I wonder how that got to England?

High Wood 30-05-13 01:12 PM

Good point. I may have read Kinver wrong. Given the 1943 date though where else could the photograph have been taken?

High Wood 30-05-13 02:05 PM

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Another photograph from the album. This one has been cut down which is a shame as part of the message is missing. Part of it appears to read: -ng the (B)ewdley carnival.

If this was taken at Bewdley in Worcestershire it is not too far from Kinver.

Mike Jackson 30-05-13 02:15 PM

I imagine that French readers of the magazine Militaria would be very interested in seeing the images in this thread. Could I draw it (the thread) to the Editor's attention? If there were more similar photographs it could be the basis of an article for publication.
Mike


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