I'm doing some research on a WWII OSS officer and wondered if the membership here could help? This man jumped in to Brittany in early August to assist the FFI and disrupt the German rear area in preparation for the Allied advance inland. I believe he was part of a Jedburgh team. While in Brittany, he took a series of remarkable photos, one of which has been printed in at least one book. The OSS officer's daughter recounted to me the circumstances surrounding the photo, and they are quite gruesome (notice that the para is missing his head). I've attached the picture. The German in question is a fallschirmjager and was killed by the Maquis along with several other paratroopers after having been wounded in a firefight with the Maquis and OSS team. I'd like to pinpoint where this incident happened and also the German unit involved. Any help would be appreciated!
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Due my research is only specific to 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division I only can tell more to that Division. But the 3. FJD had countable losses due the Maquis. Don't have real numbers at me at this moment but from the creation until the retreat of the Division the Maquis did hundred(s) of casualties to the Division (Wounded/ Missing/ Killed).
Could you share some more details or more photographs of the series (may also via PM/E-Mail) -
Thanks! I recently acquired a large grouping from the family of this officer and have been discussing his career with the children. I won't post the name out of privacy. His service in the OSS is verified and iron clad. He went on to a long career in the US intelligence community, to include OSS service in China during WWII. He and his team were dropped near Kerien, France in the early morning hours of 5 August 1944. He operated behind the lines with the Maquis for several months until linking up with elements of the 3rd Army, advising and arranging for resupply. He also participated in several combat engagements. This research has been fascinating. I was surprised to learn how many OSS/SOE and SAS teams were inserted in to France before and after D-Day. The three man Jedburgh teams are well known, but other, much larger teams were also employed in an offensive combat role. There were four or five insertions made every night in the July-Sep time frame.
The pictures; this is the only one of the series I have actually seen, but I hope to eventually get copies of the others. The OSS officer took this with a Leica camera that he brought on his mission. He and his team, along with a group of Maquis, ambushed an element of german paratroopers. There were several survivors, one of whom was wounded in the chest. The Maquis wanted to kill the prisoners outright, but the OSS officer convinced them otherwise. He also provided first aid to the German in the wheel barrow, saving his life. At this point, the OSS officer was called away on another mission. When he returned, he was horrified to find that the Maquis had killed the Germans. Not only that, in order to conserve ammunition, they executed the men by crushing their heads. If you look carefully at the photo, you will notice that the para is headless.
The Maquis no doubt took their toll on the German rear areas, but I think their effect must have been dramatically enhanced by the presence of these special operations teams. It is an interesting chapter in the Normandy invasion...Last edited by Luftm40; 05-02-2014, 01:25 PM.Comment
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Thanks for your reply and would like to hear more about the OSS Officer and photographs if possible. Especially all information to the engagements with paratroopers would be very interesting. The Maquis made thousands of casualties throughout the war, during the retreat and afterwards. Have some numbers in a book I think. From most names I have from who are missing from the 3 FJD - who are suspected to be kidnapped by the Maquis - are still missing to this day. No doubt they were killed but are now lost forever, what happened to them? Where are they buried? .. All unknown ..
The last sentence you say is no more than a fact without these special teams the resistance was far from able to perform the way they could, this doesn't strictly relate to France in all occupied countries such teams were dropped to engage, supply and establish "resistance" forces.Comment
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Here is a picture from his photo album. Following Normandy, he was sent to China. He is pictured here with his team members. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see an object taken from his experience in France with the German paratroopers pinned to his holster...Comment
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Hello
maybe one member of Jedburgh team "Ronald" wich jumped near Brest, if so, the killed soldier was member of Second Fallschirmjägerdivision
i can help you
HerléComment
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Hi,
seems to be "Aloes" mission... if so they fought against 2nd FJ division, more probably Fallsch. Aufklarung Abteilung wich "disappeared" in the area...
HerléComment
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Thanks, the Aloes mission may be correct. I have requested his OSS personnel records which should provide the exact infoComment
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Hello
my mistake " Fallschirm-Aufklärungs-Kompanie 2"
HerléComment
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If you are interested, this is the OSS teamComment
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I received the service record. He jumped in to Kerien France on 5 August on the mission listed as Frederick 18, ALOES. The jumpers that night consisted of 27 members of 4 SAS and three members of the French BCRA. He was actually assigned to the BCRA at this time, so must one of the three listed...Also interesting to note that his record refers to this as the "Eonos" mission vices "Aloes" mission.Last edited by Luftm40; 05-09-2014, 08:08 AM.Comment
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..not sure anyone is still following this thread, but thought I would post the rest of the story. I have uncovered the other photos taken during these events. Some were found in a book about the Jedburghs and others in a family scrap book. They offer a fascinating glimpse in to these operations and further identify the Germans as members of a paratrooper signal battalion. The captions explain the storyLast edited by Luftm40; 05-31-2014, 09:08 AM.Comment
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As I described, a horrible fate awaited these two young men...the date in the scrap book caption is wrong. It was early August..Comment
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