Testimony

…It is hell on earth; in places, through the artificial fog, we can make out the first obstacles set up on the beach. The explosions become sharper and closer together. Fortunately, the tracer rounds pass over our heads. Smoke, explosions and flames engulf the shore.

This month marks the 84th anniversary of the Dieppe raid. This was the first action for the Free French commandos; just 15 men took part, in three groups. This account is the personal testimony of Raymond Rabouhans, who, with colleagues René Taverne and François Baloche, was assigned to fight alongside British Commando No.4. Their role was to destroy the Hess battery of six 155mm cannon at Varengeville, to the west of Dieppe, which threatened the Dieppe landings.

Every year, numerous commemorative ceremonies are held across Normandy, on all the D-Day landing beaches. This report focuses on the events that pay tribute to the Free French Commandos—the Kieffer Commandos, known as "the 177"—who landed on Sword Beach alongside No. 4 Commando

This is one commando’s story, where the documented record is complemented by personal testimony, which has allowed a light to be shone briefly on the intimate and personal forces which helped to determine the direction of one commando’s wartime journey.

The little seaside town of Criccieth in North Wales has a special place in the history of the Free French commandos. Whilst it would never be mentioned in the commando’s État des Services, in the period between July 1942 and the end of May 1943 all of the Free French commandos were stationed there; at its peak nearly 100 commandos lived in billets provided by the local residents, whose population during the Second World War was about 2000, inflated by evacuees.

Many of you will be familiar with the commando biographies written by Jean-Christophe Rouxel in his Parcours des Vies dans La Royale. Or you many have original commando war service documents. In many cases these refer to the “Maison de Santé - Beaconsfield”. This article describes the Maison de Santé to give you a better understanding of your commando’s wartime journey.