During the hellish battle of besieged Tobruk , this squadron was attached to № 73 Squadron RAF, and operated as an independent Flight as “C Flight”, where it played a prominent role in the town’s defence from April 9 to April 25, engaging a force that outnumbered them ten to one.

The squadron flew 80 sorties, claiming 12 enemy aircrafts. Following the retreat by the Allied forces, the squadron was assigned to low-level bombing and convoy protection missions. On 21 June 1941, the squadron was awarded the Cross of the Liberation, the first military unit to be honoured with this prestigious decoration.

On 28 August, the squadron was relocated to Lebanon where it was dissolved and replaced, in early September, by Fighter Group 3/2 “Alsace”, formed in the Bekaa Valley.

9 Companions of the Liberation served in №1 French Fighter Squadron –”Escadrille Française de Chasse n°1″.

Crédits photos : © musée de l’ordre de la Libération / DR

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In 1942, the regiment distinguished itself during the Battles of Bir Hakeim and El Alamein. During the pursuit of the Afrika Korps, the regiment assumed anti-aircraft cover missions for the 1st Free French Division until the Liberation of Tunisia, in May 1943.

In September, it was rechristened 1st Regiment of Naval Fusiliers (1er RFM) and was assigned to the 1st Free French Division as an armoured reconnaissance regiment. Following harsh military training, the Regiment was deployed in Italy, where it distinguished itself during the Garigliano Crossing, in April 1944, before landing in Provence, in August. Following the liberation of the cities of Toulon and Hyeres, the regiment pursued its advance through the Rhône Valley and took part in the fighting in the Vosges. In January 1945, the regiment distinguished itself during the Battle for Alsace and ended the war in the Authion massif in the Alps.

31 soldiers of the 1er Battalion and the 1er Regiment of Naval Fusiliers were awarded the honour of Companion of the Liberation.

Credits : © the Musée de l’Ordre de la Liberation / All rights reserved

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The artillery of General Leclerc’s forces became the 1st Group of the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment (1/3 RAC) once the Second Armoured Division was created. It became one of the three artillery groups of the Second Armoured Division and was equipped with 105 mm SP guns. It was incorporated into the “Dio” Tactical Group and sent to Normandy where it took an active part in combats, and liberated Paris in August 1944.

Following the Lorraine Campaign, it entered Strasbourg. Then, it took part in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket, fighting under harsh climatic conditions. In April 1945, the regiment assaulted the German-held port of Royan by firing a record breaking number of shells. The regiment finished the war in Berchtesgaden, Germany, in May 1945.

5 Companion of the Liberation served in the 1st/3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment.

Credits : © the Musée de l’Ordre de la Liberation / All rights reserved

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In October 1942, the BIMP participated in the decisive Second Battle of El Alamein, in Egypt. Then, it took part in the Tunisia Campaign, where it fought against the Italian-German forces until their complete surrender, in May 1943. Following a period of military training and reorganization, the BIMP was sent to Italy in April 1944. During the Italian Campaign, the battalion suffered heavy losses, including the death of its commanding officer, Major Magny. The battalion marched to Rome, and entered the city on 4 July 1944. In August 1944, it landed in Provence and fought bravely in Hyères and Toulon and pursued its advance through the Rhône Valley and reached the city of Lyon. It took part in the campaigns of the Vosges and Alsace, ending the war in the Alps in April 1945. 72 Companions of the Liberation served in, at least, one of these three units: the Pacific Battalion, the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion and the Pacific-New Caledonia Marine Infantry Regiment.

Credits : 
© the Musée de l’Ordre de la Liberation / All rights reserved
© Jean Tranape

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Reinforced by a unit of skirmishers from Djibouti, it took part in the Tunisia Campaign in May 1943. In April 1944, the battalion fought in the Italian Campaign with the 1st Free French Division. The 1st Division and its March Battalions (BM) took the towns of Montefiascone, Bolsena and Monte Rado, on June 1944, often with heavy casualties.

In August 1944, the Brigade landed in Provence, distinguished itself in Toulon, and later on in the Vosges. In November 1944, the skirmishers were replaced by volunteers serving in the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) who continued the struggle in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket and the Front of the Western Alps.

In May 1945, the 2nd Free French Brigade (2e BFL) became the 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment (2e RIC). 92 soldiers of the 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment (2e RIC) and the regiment were awarded the Cross of the Liberation.

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In June 1941, the battalion received the baptism of fire during the Syrian Campaign, while fighting against the Vichy French. In 1942, it fought in Libya as part of the 1st French Brigade, commanded by General Koenig and distinguished itself during the Battle of Bir Hakeim, but suffered heavy human losses. At the end of August 1942, the Order of the Liberation was pinned on the battalion’s flag by General de Gaulle while in Beirut.

The battalion moved to Madagascar in February 1943, to Bangui in September 1943 and Algeria in March 1944. The battalion landed in France in January 1945 and took part in the assault against the German-held port of Royan where it distinguished itself in April 1945, by taking enemy positions.

The 2nd March Battalion was dissolved in November 1945. 20 Companions of the Liberation served in the 2nd March Battalion.

Credits : © the Musée de l’Ordre de la Liberation / All rights reserved

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She was active in Norwegian and North Sea waters where she laid minefields and torpedoed enemy merchantmen and warships. On 30 June 1940, following the Armistice, Commandant Georges Cabanier and most of his crew members joined the Free French Forces and continued patrolling in the Norwegian coastal waters and the Bay of Biscay.

In June 1941, while attacking the Finnish SS Hogland, Rubis was severely damaged as she was too close to the target when it exploded. Such was the damage that the submarine was unable to dive and had to be escorted home by the RAF. Once fully repaired, the ship, under the command of CC Rousselot, was assigned to the Bay of Biscay until September 1944, then to the North Sea.

During the war, Rubis made 28 operational patrols, laying nearly 683 mines and destroying 18 enemy ships. 8 Companions of the Liberation served on FFS Rubis.

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In December 1941, Aconit took part in the liberation of St Pierre and Miquelon. Assigned to Escort Group B-3 of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force, Aconit resumed convoy defence duties.

On March 11, 1943, Aconit rammed and sunk U-boat, U-444. Twelve hours later, Aconit forced U-432 to the surface with depth charges and finished her off with gunfire and ramming. Following this exceptional feat of arms, the ship was awarded the Cross of the Liberation. In October 1943, under the command of Charles Le Millier, the ship resumed her participation in the Battle of the Atlantic and took part in the D-Day landing operations in Normandy. Aconit continued her depth charges operations until April 1945. Two years later, Aconit was returned to the Royal Navy.

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During the summer of 1942 to early 1943, the French Squadron played a significant part in operations behind German lines and distinguished itself in a series of raid on German airfields of the eastern coastal region of Libya known as Cyrenaica, on Heraklion in Crete, and took part in the Tunisia Campaign. Relocated in Britain, the French Squadron became the 4th Free French Air Infantry Battalion and took an active part in the preparation of the Normandy landings.

The first Free French paratroopers SAS jumped into Brittany overnight between 5 June and 6 June 1944. In July, it became the 2nd Parachute Chasseurs Regiment (2e RCP) and continued to operate behind enemy lines on French soil until September 1944. At the end of 1944, the regiment fought in the Ardennes and in Holland in April 1945.

Among the 30 parachutists awarded the honour of Companion of the Liberation, 15 served in the 2nd Parachute Chasseurs Regiment.

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In November 1942, the first pilots and mechanics arrived at the training base at Ivanovo where they were equipped with Yak-1. For months, pilots and mechanics trained in harsh climatic conditions before being engaged in their first campaign in 1943. They soon recorded victories as they engaged into battle above the battlefields of Kursk and Smolensk.

Following the unit’s exemplary conduct in battle over the River Niemen, Joseph Stalin renamed the Regiment Normandie-Niemen. The Normandie-Niemen Regiment continued to fight alongside the Soviet Army as it pushed westward into Germany until it surrendered, in May 1945.

The Normandie-Niemen Regiment lost 42 volunteers, more than half of its pilots. 21 Companions of the Liberation served in the Normandie-Niemen Regiment.

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