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  #1  
Old 28-05-13, 10:31 AM
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Default Free French Paratrooper.
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.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg French para.jpg (48.6 KB, 148 views)
File Type: jpg French para 2.jpg (39.4 KB, 146 views)
Last edited by High Wood; 28-05-13 at 10:12 PM.
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  #2  
Old 28-05-13, 12:19 PM
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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.

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Old 28-05-13, 01:15 PM
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Have a look over here, your chap might be in there:
http://lerot.org/joomla/index.php?op...mid=59&lang=en

Rgds, Thomas.
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  #4  
Old 28-05-13, 05:52 PM
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The shirt in the left picture appears to be the later war style of HBT? The BD is of the 1940 economy pattern.
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Old 28-05-13, 08:49 PM
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Hello,
His girl friend on the second picture is also wearing a small FAFL badge.
Best regards .. Herve
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Old 28-05-13, 09:23 PM
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Sorry double message...
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  #7  
Old 28-05-13, 10:07 PM
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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.
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  #8  
Old 29-05-13, 08:35 AM
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More photographs.
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File Type: jpg FF para avec chien.jpg (49.7 KB, 90 views)
File Type: jpg FF2.jpg (63.3 KB, 79 views)
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  #9  
Old 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.
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File Type: jpg FFgroup.jpg (89.0 KB, 88 views)
File Type: jpg FF group rev.jpg (77.9 KB, 51 views)
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Old 30-05-13, 07:56 AM
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Couple of that group still seem to be wearing Adrians! Old habits die hard, I suppose.
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Old 30-05-13, 11:08 AM
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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
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Old 30-05-13, 11:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by High Wood View Post
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.
20130530_Peugeot Ambulance.jpg.
I wonder how that got to England?
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Old 30-05-13, 01:12 PM
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Good point. I may have read Kinver wrong. Given the 1943 date though where else could the photograph have been taken?
Last edited by High Wood; 30-05-13 at 01:33 PM.
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Old 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.
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File Type: jpg Bewdly.jpg (33.4 KB, 71 views)
File Type: jpg Bewdley rev.jpg (32.0 KB, 44 views)
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  #15  
Old 30-05-13, 02:15 PM
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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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