September 7th, 1943
Südwall - The 11. Panzer (in Toulouse) and the 60. Panzergrenadier (in Carcassonne) are ordered to move along the Mediterranean coast, near the Rhone. The 334. ID has to leave Clermont-Ferrand to move to the Nîmes sector through the Massif Central and the Cévennes and the 344. ID, in Angoulême, has to replace the 11. Panzer in Toulouse. Moreover, the 355. ID, stationed in the region of Reims, is attached to the 1. Armee and will go to the south of Nîmes while the 2. Fallschirmjäger*, attached to the 19. Armee, leaves the north of France for the Drôme. The movements of the infantry divisions have to be done by train, in spite of air attacks and sabotage by the Resistance. The last part of the journey of the 334. and 355. ID must be done at night... It will take them a week to reach their destination.
During the night, the 15th AF bombs again Valence and its bridges, which does not help the SS Panzer Division
Das Reich, in the process of being transferred to the east bank to join the rest of the I. SS Panzerkorps. Another factor slows down its journey: at the end of the night, puppets named Rupert, filled with firecrackers to simulate a firefight, were parachuted in the Hérault between Montpellier and Lunel, causing confusion in the German command. Was there going to be a secondary landing? The doubt isreinforced by a bombing of the coastline south of Montpellier by Task Force 83 at dawn. In the uncertainty, the
Das Reich is ordered to suspend its movement. When the day finally dissipates the ghosts, precious hours have been lost. It is only at noon that the 2. SS Panzer resumes its maneuver for good.
In the south of the Drôme, as they arrive from Lyon and Valence, the units of the 1. SS Panzer
LAH and the 14. SS Panzergrenadier
Götz von Berlichingen form Kamfgruppes. Thus, the 1. SS PzGr Rgt of the
Leibstandarte, reinforced by the StuG Abt 14 and the PzJg abt 14, form the KG Witt, which is given the task of following the Rhône between Pierrelatte and Bollène. The KG Hauck is made up of the 2. SS PzGr Rgt, formed of young fanatical recruits directly from the Hitlerjugend, accompanied by the reconnaissance squadron of the
Leibstandarte and the newly formed 101. SS Schw Pz abt, equipped with the new Tiger heavy tank, will have to advance in the center on an Orange-Avignon axis. On the left wing (east), KG Peiper is formed by the SS Pz Rgt 1, the 37. SS PzGr Rgt and the reconnaissance echelon of the 14. SS.
Finally, flanking the whole to avoid any risk of overflow, KG Meyer has to cross the Drôme provençale towards Carpentras and Isle-sur-Sorgue; it is formed by the 38. PzGr Rgt of the 14. SS, reinforced by the StuG Abt 1 and the PzJg abt 1 of the
LAH.
But the progression is laborious and the device is delayed. The Tigers are victims of repeated breakdowns. In spite of the improvements brought by the engineers to the gearbox, it remains relatively fragile because the crews, if they are experienced tankers, are still not familiar with their new tank. In addition to these problems, there are the constant ambushes of the Resistance in the Drôme, especially in the Montélimar area. On the outskirts of the village of La Laupie, elements of the KG Hauck are shot at by the Resistance: the Hitlerjugend then gather all the inhabitants of the village and lock them up in the church before setting fire to it. This atrocious episode will go down in history as the Massacre of La Laupie, for which Obersturmführer Walter Hauck is responsible.
The progression is all the more laborious because as soon as they enter the Vaucluse, the allied air superiority is total. On average, the columns can only cover a few kilometers between each air attack. The Germans feel bitterly that they are in the same position of their opponents at the time of the triumphant Blitzkrieg. On the roads, the slightest movements are mercilessly tracked down, one does not count any more the number of burned or crashed vehicles. The allied staff devotes the entire 27th-86th FG and 358th-362nd FG for the USAAF, the 5th-7th EC and the 2nd-4th EC for the Armee de l'Air to a single mission: delay the German advance. Because, even more than vehicles, the Kampfgruppes lose a precious commodity: time. The day ends without the SS units having reached contact with their opponents on the ground.
.........
At sea - Shortly after daybreak, after a night of turmoil following the destruction of the Rowan, another explosion shakes the squadron deployed off Fos. The victim is the destroyer USS
Decker, which breaks in two and sinks in a few minutes. A submarine was spotted, but after several hours of hunting and a series of depth charges, it is clear: the U-boot responsible was able to escape.
New alert at the end of the afternoon: a PBY on patrol spots a periscope and wakes of torpedoes. Warned by radio and by the firing of alarm rockets, the ships move away from the dangerous sector while two Swordfish from HMS
Hunter, guided by the Catalina, shoot the intruder. The USS
Wilson and the HMS
Primrose, the closest escort vessels, set off in pursuit, tracking their prey at ASDIC. As night falls, an explosion sounds very different in the headphones of the sonar operators' headsets:
U-431 has just started its last journey towards the bottom of the Mediterranean.
.........
Liberation - At dawn, the paratroopers of the 507th PIR, accompanied by the cavalry from the 117th Rgt. and the
Big Red One, and M-10s from the 645th TD Btn. attack to the north. They run into the survivors of the 338. ID and 189. RD, supported by the Panzer V F Leopard of the 213. Ppz abt, from the reserve of the 19. Armee reserve, coming from Orange.
Nevertheless, the Americans succeed in creating three bridgeheads on the Durance: at Orgon, as well as north and south of Cavaillon.
Another bridgehead is established by the 16th Regimental Combat Team (16th IR of the 1st US-ID, 70th Tank Btn, 636th TD Btn) in the Chateaurenard sector. The GI's are however blocked at the Avignon airfield by reservists of the Grenadier Rgt 15, reinforced by the tanks of the 106. Pz abt, which also arrived during the night. The situation is resolved in the afternoon thanks to the timely arrival of the first elements of the 2nd Armored
Hell on Wheels Division. The breakthrough of the Shermans allows to enclose Avignon.
Further south, the 1st, 3rd and 4th Rangers Btn, accompanied by the commandos of the 1st SSF, successfully cross the Rhône and seize Salin-de-Giraud and the roads leading to it. In preparation for future operations in the Camargue, they receive additional LVT, DUKWs and a batch of LCVPs. They also benefit from powerful naval artillery support and the exclusive support of the 363rd FG's Airacobra aircraft, in addition to the Navy's aircraft.
Meanwhile, the first elements of the 3rd US
Rock of the Marne Division (General Truscott) land on the beaches.
West of Marseille, the 934th. Infantry Rgt of the 244. ID is surrounded by the 7th US-ID, which takes many prisoners. The 17th US-IR spends the day cleaning the surroundings of Etang de Berre, while the 32nd RCT rallies the French paratroopers in the Septèmes sector and that the 53rd RCT, accompanied by the 191st Tank Btn, break through to l'Estaque.
.........
In the air - At dawn, the darkness slowly dissipates over the Corsican plain, revealing metal hangars, sheet metal or cement barracks, and scattered tents. At Campo dell'Oro, the light morning mists cannot hide the silhouettes of the planes around which the armourers and mechanics are still busy, while the pilots, strapped into their cabins, are already waiting more or less patiently for the signal to start up. Soon, the sound of the huge V12 fills the air, music played by the orchestra of the 2nd EC, on Allison and Merlin instruments. The concerto in laminator can begin.
Loaded with two bombs, the NA-92 tank hunters of GC III/4 line up in patrols of four before taking off. As usual, and despite the open canopy, Warrant Officer Jean Maridor is bubbling with impatience at the slowness of the procedure. The ardor of this "young veteran" has not diminished since that day in July 40 when he had to force his way into the entrance of a "reserved" park in Cazaux, full of Caudron 635 and Goéland, that the guard of the said park did not intend to see leave without a written order in due form specifying the types of planes and the names of the pilots, all in triplicate! The paper that had been given to the student pilots of the "Z" class instructing them to withdraw to North Africa "by all means" had not been enough for the old fool, and it took the anger of the young major of the class and an ordinance revolver to convince him.
His marksmanship and virtuosity, but even more so his rage and willpower, had quickly led Maridor to the controls of the best fighter planes, and he was immediately seduced by the Mustang IC, equipped with 40 mm Vickers cannons, in his eyes the only way to do a good job. This aircraft quickly led him to multiply ground attack missions, but he didn't care: the important thing was to kill Nazis, wherever they were, on the ground or in the air.
Finally the green rocket bursts, signal of the departure for his patrol. Roar of the engines, the flames coming out of the exhausts project bright glows clearly visible in the new dawn. The four Mustangs take off and immediately set course for the continent, this French land that must be reconquered. Quickly, their patrol joins the three others who are wisely waiting for them, then cruise towards the objective, the Rhone Valley north of Avignon, where panzers were spotted descending towards the Allied troops. In a sky still empty of clouds, one can see in front and very high the contrails of the Mosquito PR of the GR III/33, which the observer must indicate the objectives. If not, it will be on sight.
Behind them, the Mustang IIs (NA-89 and 93) of GC I/4 and II/4 take off in turn. Faster and less greedy with their Packards than the ICs with their Allisons, they carry two 250 kg bombs thanks to their reinforced wings. The NA-92s only have small 100 kg bombs, installed underneath the carriers made by the mechanics of the French Air Force.
Climbing up to 2,000 m at heading 300 with a strong headwind, it takes the single-seaters a good three quarters of an hour to arrive off Toulon. Smoke rises here and there, marking the places of the last fights; it will be the same all along their route.
Emotion of the pilots: those who intervened the day before see the progress, some of them rediscover places forgotten for at least three years, the youngest get to know this region of their homeland in a way that is new to them. Toulon, Marseille, Aix, Salon, the cities parade on the horizon of their plans.
After Cavaillon, the device descends and spreads out to cover the entire width of the valley, from Avignon to Carpentras. Lowered also because of clouds more and more numerous, but fortunately still at altitude, the Mosquito's observer guides the Mustang towards what looks like potential targets, but in fact it is enough for the pilots of the Chabons to follow the main roads ! Soon they dive on their preys...
At the head of his patrol, Maridor doesn't take long to spot a column of vehicles on a road. Flapping his wings to indicate to his teammates to follow him, then he rushes forward, without worrying about whether he was being followed behind. Dive at 45° while firing the machine gun, to adjust the the shot, then with the cannon - when the target disappears under the propeller pan, drop the bombs and straighten up. Turn to observe the result and then go to choose another target further away, without giving the Flak time to retaliate.
Now, we are running at ground level or almost, in order to find the future victims of the Vickers 40, which turns out to be rather easy : the roads are full of green-grey columns. The infantrymen rushing out of the trucks are treated with machine guns, half-tracks and armored vehicles are ripe to the cannons. With a rare mastery, Jean even goes down some roads and shoots horizontally at the vehicles that pass him by! Devastating effect, as much on the equipment as on the morale of the soldiers, stunned by the audacity and efficiency of the French virtuoso and his wingmen and desperate for the absence of black crosses in the sky. In three years, "
Mais où sont nos avions ?" has changed language...
After fifteen minutes at this pace, the ammunition of the guns exhausted, it is necessary to return. The Mustangs go back up to altitude and reform little by little, following the radio calls. Chimeras and Swallows** fly towards their nest. On their way, they cross the colleagues of another squadron who have come to party and so on for the day. Benefiting from the fact that they were the first to leave, the guys of the 2nd EC are able to make three rotations during the day, to the great joy of an insatiable Maridor!
Armee de l'Air NA-93 Mustang, Operation Dragon, September 1943
.........
Liberation - On the side of the French paratroopers, while the 1st RCP spends its day cleaning the sector of Marignane and Vitrolles, the 3rd RCP reorients its position towards the north, i.e. towards Aix-en-Provence, where the II/932. IR is reinforced by the remains of the 934. IR of the 244. ID.
In Marseille itself, the 6th IR and the 1st Shock have a lot to do and fight all day long a hard combat against the III/933. Street after street, the French still reach the Avenue du Prado and the hillside at the level of the Château Borély, which the Germans had set on fire. In the center, the III/932 cracks little by little under the blows of the Chasseurs d'Afrique and the 3rd DBC, but snipers continue to cause casualties everywhere.
However, at the end of the day, the town officially surrenders at the end of a Homeric ascent leading a section of tanks to the symbol of the city: Notre-Dame de la Garde. The Taureau
Alsace was the last of the platoon on the ascent to Notre-Dame via the boulevard Vauban, but two collapsed buildings blocked the way to the vehicles. The tanks have to turn around on the spot and the
Alsace is thus in the lead to try to pass by the climb of the Oratory. Aspirant Chevallier, the tank commander, recruited a few resistance fighters to act as guides and reached the summit. After a few bursts of fire and a single 75 mm shell, he saw Germans waving a white flag: the defenders of the Nachrichtung Rgt ask to negotiate their surrender. The
Alsace tank, or at least a Taureau presented as such, stands today as a monument at the foot of the stairs of Notre-Dame de la Garde, reminding us that the first major French city to be officially liberated was liberated by a tank bearing the name of the province most martyred by the Germanic enemy.
The last regiment of the 14th DI, the 52nd, cleans the Aubagne sector. Passed by there the evening before, the Belgians of the
Tancrémont armoured brigade and the 7th Rgt of Chasseurs Ardennais are to support the French paratroopers in the battle of Aix-en-Provence.
Aix resisting obstinately, the 1st armored division is obliged to bypass the city by Gardanne passing on the "carpet" laid by the airborne troops. If the Malaguti Brigade (501st RCC, 7th RDP) succeeds in crossing the Durance at Pertuis, the De Brauer Brigade is still on the other side, in the sector of Eguilles, and the artillery even further away. The plans - probably too optimistic - had obviously not foreseen that the commander of II/932 would not play along and retreat to the town rather than rush to the coast (and the destruction of his battalion).
At the end of the parachute zones, the Belgian paratroopers and commandos progress westwards in order to secure the Sainte-Victoire massif. They are relieved in the Saint-Maximin sector by the 3rd armoured division, which had landed and driven part of the night before. During this time, while the 6th RTS, reinforced by the divisional engineers and the II/7 RCA, reaches the Rians sector and touched the Durance river towards Mirabeau, the 3rd RTM secures the surroundings of Brignoles and the 21st Zouaves, accompanied by the 4th RSM, push on between Aups and Barjols, beginning to engage the elements of the 148. ID.
French Army SAV-43 Taureau tank, Operation Dragon, September 1943
.........
On the ground
Brignoles - From the column of vehicles stopped under the pine trees, we can hear the fire farther ahead. We had hoped to get out of the corner quickly - these narrow valleys are primsed for an ambush. And we are no longer dealing with soldiers stunned by the bombing. Fortunately, for the moment, the Boche seems to be disorganized - which does not mean that they let themselves be taken, the proof. Just as fortunately, they do not have armor in the area. There is some artillery, though.
Civilians had reported their presence in the area: probably in this village here. We have just left Brignoles, where the Belgians had hassled the Teutons two nights earlier.
While a reconnaissance group moves cautiously toward the barracks, de Fresnay and his company deploy from the rear. Sweeping of the countryside. Woods, buildings, peeled fields: it is promising. Not to mention the mine, over there, of course. The mine! An ideal playground to play hide-and-seek, between overturned wagons, piles of stones and piles of called sheds.
The men have a falsely casual air, we know now that we are not on a walk. Scared? No! Well, yes... But we had to deal with it. Without warning, in front of us, the mortars click. Oh no, not ours! And a column of black smoke signals the blaze of a vehicle undoubtedly inconsiderately advanced. New exchanges. It isgetting hot!
Suddenly, the commander's car reappears in a hurry, turning back. It doesnot stop. The windshield is just visible as a star. Quite quickly, and more surely than by radio, word spreads that several officers are wounded, which is true.
There is talk of an ambush, which is false. Partially true. We knew later that it had been a close call, a hair's breadth, so to speak. Serviac had gotten out of his vehicle to see the situation for himself, and he had turned around for some reason. The bullet that was to blow his brains out had very neatly removed at least two fingers, but the captain with whom he was talking had taken a bad taste. There was no bullet. It would have been more accurate to speak of splinters. Shrapnel, bullets, either way, for the victims, the result was the same. Serviac was to be temporarily replaced by Gallimont. That was the plan. The news made one cringe. Not that Gallimont was a bad officer. But he was known to be boring. That was... before. Would being in the fire change his character?
As for the overall course of operations, we only knew what was going on, but for the moment, we had other things to worry about! Poor things! If there was a moment of floating, it did not last long. The colonel arrived and did what was necessary. Wrap up the village.
Cleaning of the extraction site, stained with red dust. Visit of the "bastides".
Shooting. Gunfire.
Between two low walls runs a verdigris, bent under the weight of an ammunition box.
Positively, El Mardi adjusts it. Paf! The guy falls before he can take cover. A burst of FM sweeps across the open space and dissuades others from coming forward. We rush past a mutt hiding under a cart, without seeing the mother crushed over her child, sprawled in terror on the porch of a barn. New shots. New explosions. Screams. Calls. Silence. Shouts.
Dust. It seems to be calming down. We move forward with caution. Gesture of the hand to the woman to order her not to move. Note the strands of straw in her brown hair.
What does it matter? To know where "they" are! Here are two of them, white rag and arms raised.
Come on, move! Faster than that! Quick search, without too much care. Verdict: village liberated, enemy disappeared. And the mine? The mine? Yes, the mine ! In what condition ? Well, considering that it's only rocks and dust, it seems to be fine, the mine! A little bit of equipment to be replaced, wagons to be straightened, rails to be put back, when you have just lost friends, or even guys we've only met once or twice...
The tension falls. Balance sheet. Wounded on both sides. Dead, too. Among the civilians, an old mule, don't complain, it could have been worse! The Resistance fighters (or supposedly such) of all boards will not be long in coming forward. We won't wait for them. Even if their information proves to be precious. De Fresnay willingly gives them to Gallimont, or to one of his peers. De Bonnefont. Or Laville. By the way, where is this one? He was supposed to enter the village by the south.
...
Demeyer, promoted to head butcher, had set up his antenna at the exit of a small, insignificant village, which had the big advantage of having a beautiful space likely to accomodate a car park and its tents. Water is not far away, which is appreciable. The only downside: the dust. The ground, dried out by the summer, flew under the wheels of the noria of vehicles that brings equipment and supplies, and in the middle of which "his" ambulances slalomed. He had just had words with a person in charge of the "fuel" section: that the tankers were parked, even "for five minutes", near his patients is not to his taste. Water: that's fine. Wine: why not? But gasoline... For the time being, he is sorting. The wounded are arriving in waves, at the rhythm of the clashes. Minor injuries and then we have a fractured tibia, cripples, and deaths. We have to take care of the most urgent things, decide who goes by cab and who can wait, take the time to listen to this one, not being able to do anything for that one. Two ladies from the village, duly certified "from the Resistance", had offered their services: appreciating these Resistance members, he had enlisted them to take care of the guys under the trees, the slightly wounded, the concussed, to whom a female presence brings a little comfort. For the others...
The commander had lost two fingers. Not pretty, but at least that's where it stopped. Good for a trip back home and a month's vacation, at least, but no sea cruise, if all went well. The major tinkles as he discovers the next one. Captain Laville! One has almost nothing, and the other... Damn lottery! A lieutenant the other day, a captain in the afternoon... He had "passed away" during his transport. No question to ask, another one is coming. It smelled like bullshit! Too much confidence? The Krauts weren't attacking, were they?! If we had to withdraw already... Well, maybe we would be warned in time... We put the captain aside. To evacuate him later. Blood, screams, whimpering, calls... It was necessary to get used to it, it would certainly be daily life for a while!
...
Martinez goes up to the flight in the jeep that Santini stopped only the time of a wink. In the back, "Laurel and Hardy", shining of sweat, clutch their weapons.
- Drive on!
- Where are we going, Sergeant?
- Let's go! A little village, there, Quinson. With a bridge. Are you all right, soldiers?
- All clear, sir!
- How's it going?
- The others are coming, chief. But the dust is not good!
- That's why you have to be in front!" shouts the corporal, without turning around. Not that the road was bad, but rather tortuous. We'd look like idiots if we filled an olive tree!
- I agree with you, Chakir, but it seems that we don't have many people ahead of us at the moment. So the captain said to go... But you're right: we'll make ourselves scarce before we arrive!
The cohort of vehicles catches up with the three lead cars parked at the entrance to one of the few straight roads in the area. A machine gun covers the road, which goes further down between two rocky walls. Four soldiers are watching the area. The rest had left in the direction of the village... and, besides, it must have been them, over there, that we saw coming back. And at the pace they were going, the Nazis were not on their asses!
- Sergeant Martinez reporting, sir! We went to the village, no Krauts. The mayor said they passed yesterday.
- The mayor?
- Affirmative, sir. The new mayor, we understand. And the bridge is... clean. Anyway, the water's not too deep, so we could have crossed without getting our rims wet.
- The mayor... Are we expected?
- Well, you could say that, Captain. But I've already told you that we won't stop for a drink.
- And, Captain...
- Yes, Corporal?
- They even put up a "Germany" sign so we wouldn't get lost!
- ??? Are you sure, Corporal?
- Yes, sir!
- Yes, sir. Enough talk. Let's go! This time, you go behind...
- Uh, sir, we have a problem with the jeep. It won't go any further...
- The gasoline follows...
- It's not the gas, sir. I think we shot up something. She's dripping with oil...
- Well, leave it here! No one will come and steal it, right? And spread out in the others.
It will not be said that the village celebrated them as they passed, because they only passed by. Only one or two old timers grumbling in their moustaches, predicting the return of the proud warriors from across the Rhine, but it was only when an anonymous hand had dressed a window with a tricolor flag and a few vaguely disbelieving passers-by waved. Ah, yes, under an enamelled plate mentioning "Allemagne-en-Provence, 15 km" (real town) a little girl awkwardly threw them some flowers from the fields. A woman, still young, with a hand on her daughter's shoulder, shouted something swallowed by the noise of the engines. In defense of the corporal - for once - let us point out that the road sign had suffered the ravages of time and that a quick reading could explain the omission of this information: there was a Germany in Provence.
At the Germany in question, it was a scout car who forfeited. As for the village, there was nothing to be said. Barely in, already out! A triangle of houses, bordered by the road. But question of fuel, the arrival of two trucks carrying jerry cans was greeted as it should be.
The order was given not to go further for the moment: we had just hung on more to the east of the previous town. So there were Boche in the area. But we did not know where.. The dying vehicle is placed on defense, at least it would be of some use, and we prepare to spend the night there, taking the necessary measures.
A couple of airplanes come to sniff them a little too closely for Albertini's taste: it is that these andouilles, as we knew, tended to water first and check later. As if jeeps could be mistaken for panzers! Well, it seems so. Finally, to the salutes of the guys, they answer with a flapping of their wings, before going to inspect the upstream part of the river: the Verdon. "
That's it, guys, go do your job there, and hello to the Fritzes from our part, eh... "
- A shot of red, the Old Man?
- I wouldn't say no to that! We've been eating dust for a long time! And is it good?
- Well... Uh... Let's say that I find it particular... Not bad, no, no ! But it is...local.
- Aaaah well! You tell me so much... Local... Family tradition ? Ok !
- Another one ?...
- It's just... I wouldn't want to abuse...
- No ? To kill the worm ?
- Oh, well, no hurry! Well, a little one, then, because if the boss sees me... It's that if there are any Chleus around, you have to keep a sharp eye out!
.........
Liberation - In Var, Toulon is liberated by the 10th DI. The Mont Faron, which dominates the city, isstormed by the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 113th RI, with the help of the artillery of the division.
At the port, the fighting dies down after a final resistance by the SS of the Polizei Regiment Todt at the Maritime Prefecture. The officers of the French Navy and the Naval Engineers sent to reconnoiter the port facilities discover them to be in much the same condition as after the Grand Demenagement. Only the submarine base and a few wharves capable of receiving light vessels were restored. It will be necessary to tow floating concrete pontoons from Algiers to give the installations some capacity.
Meanwhile, the infantrymen of the 10th DI fight all day long to reduce the last square of the city defenders, who took refuge in a set of four tunnels forming the powder magazine of Saint-Pierre. In the confusion of the last fights, a gigantic explosion shakes the city and buries the occupants of the powder magazine - and some of the liberators- under the hill. We will never know what really happened.
really happened. Even today, the hill remains unbuildable, no one knowing exactly the quantity and type of ammunition buried there.
Along the coast, the 4th RTS and the 6th RCA progress eastwards and reach La Mole and Cavalaire. They come up against the last regiment of the 242. ID, the 919. IR. This one, reinforced with survivors of the 917. IR, takes position around the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
A little to the north, the 5th RTS passes Forcalqueiret and cleans up the area around "the Barre" to be able to seize the chapel of St-Quinis, above La Besse sur Issole.
Finally, the greatest progress made by the 9th DIC is recorded in the Vidauban sector by the 20th RIC. The latter benefitsfrom the support of the I/8 RCA south of Lorgues, of the 4th BMLE near Les Arcs, the 3rd RSM in the Thoronet sector and the artillery fire of the corps, to establish contact with the 148. ID, which is defending this area.
Meanwhile, the 14th DBLE is redeployed and works to secure the rear of the 9th DIC.
On the beaches, the 4th DMM starts to land.
.........
At sea - At nightfall, the torpedo boats of the Kriegsmarine based in Nice launch a final charge. The
S-130 and
S-145 are joined by the
S-206 and
S-207 of the 9th Flotilla and the four launches go on the attack. The first two had to play bait off the coast to try to distract the screen, while the other two will try to place their fish on worthwhile targets. After unmasking themselves, they will then return to the distraction side to allow their teammates to escape without damage.
But decidedly, the disproportion of the forces is too big. The two groups are detected by the Franco-British patrols, which had more than enough time to react in force on both sides. One after the other, the four S-boots succumb. Only the Sète flotilla remains operational in the Mediterranean (apart from the launches based in the Adriatic).
Off the Hyères islands - On the bridge of the command cruiser
Duquesne, the President of the Council tries to force the hand of General Frère, commander in chief of Dragon, so that the latter would authorize him to go to the coast. At dawn, the news of the night being good, he left by plane for Corsica, from where the destroyer
Fantasque took him to the
Duquesne.
But nothing could be done: if the troops involved are still advancing, it is still with the relative slowness that the planners of the operation had foreseen, and nowhere is security assured.
As a result, it is not yet time to let the leader of "la France Combattante" risk his life to set foot on French soil. Late in the evening, it is an exasperated General who returns to his quarters to rest for a few hours (although the sailors in the adjacent passageway will say that they heard him cursing and swearing all night long).
* This division is just operational.
** Radio codes following the traditions of the 3rd and 4th Squadrons, Spa 83 and Spa 100.