Free French Paratrooper.

[High Wood]

I would be very happy for you to bring this thread to the attention of the Militaria magazine's editor. However, it is a mainly family photograph album that I purchased recently. It appears to have belonged to an English woman called Pamela who appears to have married her French Lieutenant as there is a photograph of them together later in life. Pamela appears to have served with the WLA or at least lived on a farm during the war. There are a few photographs of French soldiers and possibly a couple of American ones too.

Many of the post war pictures were taken in France in 1949 but there are a few wartime ones.

I have only done some basic research at this stage as I have only had the album a short time.

I checked FreeBMD to see if I could find any details of a Pamela marrying a Rene. I found only one, a Pamela J Green who married a Rene P L'Helguen in Truro in the June quarter of 1946. Rene L'Helguen appears to have served with the Free French but as a Marin. He wrote a book about his wartime service. He may not of course be anything to do with the album but his photograph does bear a resemblance to the man in the photograph.

[Mike Jackson]

Thanks. That's very interesting. I'll try it out on the Editor and will tell you his response.
Mike

[Mike Jackson]

Comments on the group photo with truck by a French contact:

If sure of the date Yes it is a mix of French combat uniforms, FR or BR denims and BDs and helmets with cloth cover. The webbings are good 1940 ones (not re issued WW I ones) issued to the infantry divisions. The general attitude looks more effectively as early 40s.

The Peugeot could be a left over from the Norway expedition. The French units went from France to UK then Norway and were evacuated back to UK then France. At the time (May 40) it is more than probable that non essential vehicles like that one would have been left behind. It could also be a French vehicle given to or requisitioned by the FF in UK as it is a civilian one painted in khaki.
Given the equipment and the date of the photo I believe they are some transport unit in UK. The fighting ones were dressed and equipped with British weapons, helmets and uniforms.

[High Wood]

Mike,

thank you. Interesting comments. I am pretty sure that the photograph of the Lieutenant with his dog was taken on the bridge at Bewdley as the parapet and balustrades are almost identical.

Simon

[half12]

Hello,
Pictures in mixed French and British equipement are typical of the Free French cadets training ...


Best regards .. Herve

[High Wood]

Herve,

thank you for posting your superb photographs The chap in the single picture appears to be wearing a similar uniform to the man in the photograph in post 14. Could you please tell me the significance of the beret and the collar badges. Do they denote a particular type of regiment or were there worn throughout the French Army?

Your group photograph appears to have a mixture of types of head wear so presumably the beret has some significance.

Do you know the location of FF officer cadet training camps in England? Were there any in the Midlands, (Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire areas?).

Thank you

Simon

[half12]

Hello Simon,

The Cadets had the traditions of "Chasseurs" : large beret is the traditional headdress for mountain troops (Chasseurs Alpins) as well as the horn on the collar badge.

The place of Cadet school starts in the Public School of Malvern (Worcestershire), they moved to Ribbesford Manor near Bewdley (Worcestershire) in May 1942.

Best regards .. Herve

[High Wood]

Herve,

Excellent, I am very pleased to learn of the Worcestershire connection. I will try and take a comparison photograph on the Bewdley bridge

Thank you.

Simon

[half12]

Hello Simon,
I have found a "Cadet de la France Libre" in 1943, called René Lemoine.
Wounded during a parachute training for the BCRA (FF Intelligence Service) , he meet an Irish nurse in the hospital and marry her after the war...
Died in february 2013.
I don't have any wartime picture of him to compare with yours.

You can see a nice film here :
http://www.museedelaresistanceenlign..._media=3#media

Best regards .. Herve

[High Wood]

Herve,

that is fantastic news. Do you know if he married in the U.K. or in France? Do you know the name of his wife? The album came from a recent house clearance so it is very likely that the former owner died recently.

I will check to see what I can find at this end.

Many thanks for your help.

Simon

[High Wood]

Herve,

I found a Raymond C Lemoine who married Barbara V Beck in 1946 and coincidently a Pamela Lemoine who married Leonard Pell in 1951. I am sure that these are probably nothing to do with your Rene Lemoine.

Simon

[Luc]

Simon, I'm not trying to hijack the thread but the man seems to be wearing a beret without leather sweatband. I thought the French wore standard British made black tank berets?

[half12]

Hello Luc ,
The answer to your question is in #22.
It is a French mountain troops beret.
Best regards .. Herve

[High Wood]

Then and now. Unfortunately an exact match is not possible as the warehouse in the background has been demolished and replaced with a modern industrial estate. The bridge is also much busier so the traffic meant that I had to take hurried photographs.

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

Comments on the group photo with truck by a French contact:

If sure of the date Yes it is a mix of French combat uniforms, FR or BR denims and BDs and helmets with cloth cover. The webbings are good 1940 ones (not re issued WW I ones) issued to the infantry divisions. The general attitude looks more effectively as early 40s.

The Peugeot could be a left over from the Norway expedition. The French units went from France to UK then Norway and were evacuated back to UK then France. At the time (May 40) it is more than probable that non essential vehicles like that one would have been left behind. It could also be a French vehicle given to or requisitioned by the FF in UK as it is a civilian one painted in khaki.
Given the equipment and the date of the photo I believe they are some transport unit in UK. The fighting ones were dressed and equipped with British weapons, helmets and uniforms.

Mike, the Peugeot in post 9 is left-hand drive so it looks as though they must have brought it with them.