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Portraits of Commandos

The Free French commandos constituted a community of volunteers whose often little-known stories reflected the diversity of France at war.

Sailors, soldiers, rich or poor, French or foreign, career military or committed civilians, all joined the unit created by Philippe Kieffer to liberate their country in the way they deemed most effective.

Their individual trajectories — sometimes brief, sometimes long and complex — shed irreplaceable light on the history of the 1st BFMC.

This section brings together their biographical notes, in order to restore each one to their place in the unit and to give full human depth to the collective history of the Commando.

First initial of the last name

Landing

Campaign

Normandy

-

Département

Normandy

-

Campagnes
Raids

Hardtrack 7

Lieu de séputlure

Buried in the British Military Cemetery at Ranville (14 - Calvados)

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Normandy

-

Département

Normandy

Netherlands

Campagnes
Raids

Lieu de séputlure

Buried at Ouistreham cemetery (14 – Calvados), exhumed and later reburied at Manneville-la-Goupil cemetery (76 – Seine-Maritime).

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Normandy

Flushing

Département

Normandy

Netherlands

Campagnes
Raids

Hardtrack 24

Lieu de séputlure

Buried at Plomodiern cemetery (29 – Finistère) – at the far end of the north central aisle.

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-

Flushing

Département

Normandy

Netherlands

Campagnes
Raids

Lieu de séputlure

Buried at Plomodiern cemetery (29 – Finistère) – at the far end of the north central aisle.

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Normandy

-

Département

Normandy

-

Campagnes
Raids

Dieppe
Command

Lieu de séputlure

Buried in Kerfautras Cemetery in Brest (29 - Finistère) - Section 26, Row 5, Grave No. 22

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Normandy

Flushing

Département

Normandy

Netherlands

Campagnes
Raids

Lieu de séputlure

Buried in Pantin Cemetery (93 - Seine-Saint-Denis)  - grave no longer exists today

SEE MORE

-

-

Département

-

-

Campagnes
Raids

Hardtack 11

Lieu de séputlure

Buried at Guillaucourt (80 – Somme).

SEE MORE

-

-

Département

-

Netherlands

Campagnes
Raids

Lieu de séputlure

SEE MORE

-

-

Département

-

Netherlands

Campagnes
Raids

Schouwen

Lieu de séputlure

Buried in the WILLENICH family funerary chapel in Passy Cemetery, Paris 16th (75 - Paris) - Division 1

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-

Département

-

-

Campagnes
Raids

Lieu de séputlure

Buried at the old cemetery of Malo-les-Bains (59 – Nord) – Alley 12, Plot 9.

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Name

Landing

Campaign

Raids

Burial place

  • Page 40
Normandy
-
Landing
Normandy
-
Campaign
Raids
Hardtrack 7
Burial place

Buried in the British Military Cemetery at Ranville (14 - Calvados)

SEE MORE
Normandy
-
Landing
Normandy
Netherlands
Campaign
Raids
Burial place

Buried at Ouistreham cemetery (14 – Calvados), exhumed and later reburied at Manneville-la-Goupil cemetery (76 – Seine-Maritime).

SEE MORE
Normandy
Flushing
Landing
Normandy
Netherlands
Campaign
Raids
Hardtrack 24
Burial place

Buried at Plomodiern cemetery (29 – Finistère) – at the far end of the north central aisle.

SEE MORE
-
Flushing
Landing
Normandy
Netherlands
Campaign
Raids
Burial place

Buried at Plomodiern cemetery (29 – Finistère) – at the far end of the north central aisle.

SEE MORE
Normandy
-
Landing
Normandy
-
Campaign
Raids
Dieppe
Command
Burial place

Buried in Kerfautras Cemetery in Brest (29 - Finistère) - Section 26, Row 5, Grave No. 22

SEE MORE
Normandy
Flushing
Landing
Normandy
Netherlands
Campaign
Raids
Burial place

Buried in Pantin Cemetery (93 - Seine-Saint-Denis)  - grave no longer exists today

SEE MORE
-
-
Landing
-
-
Campaign
Raids
Hardtack 11
Burial place

Buried at Guillaucourt (80 – Somme).

SEE MORE
-
-
Landing
-
Netherlands
Campaign
Raids
Burial place

SEE MORE
-
-
Landing
-
Netherlands
Campaign
Raids
Schouwen
Burial place

Buried in the WILLENICH family funerary chapel in Passy Cemetery, Paris 16th (75 - Paris) - Division 1

SEE MORE
-
Landing
-
-
Campaign
Raids
Burial place

Buried at the old cemetery of Malo-les-Bains (59 – Nord) – Alley 12, Plot 9.

SEE MORE
  • Page 40

Call for Testimonies

The Association des Familles de Commandos de la France Libre works to restore the full history of these men, beyond just June 6, 1944. Testimonies and family archives help keep alive the memory of all the men who served in the unit between 1942 and 1945.

If you have stories, documents, or memories to share, please contact us. Your contribution is invaluable in preserving their legacy.

June 6, 1964 - Ouistreham

Family Kieffer Collection ©

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