Maquis de Saint-Marcel
Encyclopedia
The Maquis de Saint-Marcel was a force of French resistance
fighters, 3000 men with 200 Free French SAS (Special Air Service
), during World War II
operating in Brittany, Morbihan
. It was created just before the Normandy landings with the objectives of preventing German army
reinforcements from reaching the coast
, thus facilitating the task of the allied landing forces.
The Maquis de Saint-Marcel lasted only a very short time. It had been infiltrated by German spies, allowing the Germans to attack it in an ambush
on 18 June 1944. After it was dissolved, the remaining resistance fighters resumed contact without forming a new maquis.
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
fighters, 3000 men with 200 Free French SAS (Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
), during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
operating in Brittany, Morbihan
Morbihan
Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
. It was created just before the Normandy landings with the objectives of preventing German army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
reinforcements from reaching the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
, thus facilitating the task of the allied landing forces.
The Maquis de Saint-Marcel lasted only a very short time. It had been infiltrated by German spies, allowing the Germans to attack it in an ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
on 18 June 1944. After it was dissolved, the remaining resistance fighters resumed contact without forming a new maquis.
See also
- Paul ChenaillerPaul ChenaillerPaul Chenailler, better known under the pseudonym Colonel Morice, was in charge of the French resistance in the Morbihan region Brittany during World War II....
alias Colonel Morice - operation DingsonOperation DingsonOperation Dingson was an operation in the Second World War, conducted by about 178 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service , commanded by Colonel Pierre-Louis Bourgoin, who jumped into German occupied France near Vannes, Morbihan, Southern Brittany, in Plumelec, on the night of 5...
- operation CooneyOperation CooneyOn 7 June 1944, 297 Squadron took part in Operation Cooney by providing 2 of the 9 aircraft of 38 Group that were used to deploy elements of the 4th Free French Parachute Battalion or 2eme RCP also known as 4th SAS....
- operation LostOperation LostDuring World War II, Operation Lost was a reactive seven-man Special Air Service operation inserted into Brittany alongside Operation Dingson on 22-23 June 1944...
- operation SamwestOperation SamwestDuring World War II, Operation Samwest was a large raid conducted by 116 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service Regiment. Their objective was to hinder movement of German troops from west Brittany to the Normandy beaches via ambush and sabotage attempts.The first phase of the...