Family Kieffer Collection ©
Who are we ?
Welcome to the website of the Association des Familles de Commandos de la France Libre (AFCFL-CK), which brings together descendants of the Free French Commandos and sympathetic members.
The AFCFL-CK is a non-profit association (under the French 1901 law) dedicated to promoting, honoring, and preserving the memory of all the fighters who made a personal commitment between 1942 and 1945 as part of the Fusiliers Marins and Commandos of Free France (1st Company, later the 1st Battalion of Fusiliers-Marins Commandos), integrated into British commandos (No. 2, No. 10, and No. 4). In this capacity, some participated in combined operations such as Dieppe, reconnaissance raids on the coasts of occupied Europe, Colleville-sur-Orne, Ouistreham, Amfreville, Bois de Bavent, Ferme de l’Épine, Flushing, the liberation of Walcheren Island, and raids in the Netherlands.
Our Values
Preserve, honour, recognize, and pass on the memory of the Free French Commandos to pay tribute to these volunteer fighters who helped restore our freedom while unknowingly making history.
Memory
Preserve their stories
Commitment
Unite new generations
Transmission
Share their story
Family Kieffer Collection ©
Family Kieffer Collection ©
The Myth of the 177
The image of the "177 Frenchmen of D-Day" has become inseparable from the 1st BFMC. While this number is accurate for June 6, 1944, it obscures a much broader reality: as demonstrated by the work of Benjamin Massieu, more than 400 Frenchmen wore the green beret between 1942 and 1945. The 177 represent only the unit at a specific moment in time—the men present and operational on the morning of the landings.
Why Does This Myth Persist?
Within the vast Allied operation, the image of 177 Free Frenchmen landing on Sword Beach is simple, striking, and immediately evocative. However, this focus overshadows all those who were part of the unit before D-Day: volunteers trained as early as 1942, men transferred to other units, the wounded, the sick, those discharged, and those who died during the 1943–1944 raids—all of whom contributed to this chapter of history.
It also excludes the reinforcements who arrived after June 6, particularly those who joined the battalion in the Netherlands in December 1944. Although they did not land in Normandy, these men are fully part of the operational and human history of the 1st BFMC.
Why Focus Only on the 177?
Because June 6 provides a clear, well-documented figure that has been strongly emphasized in commemorations. This number has become a stable memorial reference, sometimes at the expense of the true diversity of the more than 400 French commandos who served from 1942 to 1945.
For this reason, the Association des Familles de Commandos de la France Libre has made it its mission to restore the full history of these men, by recalling the names, journeys, and commitments of all who served in the unit—not just those already known to the public. By reintegrating all 400 commandos into the collective memory, the Association helps restore the unit’s true human and historical dimension
The highlights of our commemorative presence
Joseph Horny Conference by Bertrand Martin
17/05/2026
MM Park - La Wantzeneau
Bertrand Martin, a retired history and geography teacher and member of the Le Souvenir Français Committee of Marmoutier, has devoted several years of research to Joseph Horny, a little-known figure among the Kieffer Commandos. Committed to the duty of remembrance, he also organizes intergenerational memorial trips and took part in 2025 in the writing of the book Marmoutier dans la tourmente – 1939/1945.
Born in 1908 in Wasselonne, Joseph Horny joined the navy at a very young age before settling in Marmoutier in 1931. In July 1940, he joined General de Gaulle’s Free France. Recruited by Philippe Kieffer, he underwent commando training in Scotland and earned the famous green beret.
On June 6, 1944, he was among the 177 French commandos who landed in Normandy. After the fighting in France, he took part in the liberation of the Netherlands, where he was wounded in November 1944. Awarded the Croix de Guerre, the Médaille Militaire, the Médaille de la Résistance, and the Médaille de la France Libre, he quietly resumed his life as a sailor after the war, never seeking recognition for his heroic past.
Joseph Horny passed away in 1972 and is buried in the communal cemetery of Marmoutier, where his memory continues to be honored each year
They support us
Mme Corinne FÉRET
Senator from Calvados (Normandie)
I fully support this association, whose work actively contributes to the duty of collective remembrance. Its actions not only honor these heroes but, above all, ensure that their legacy is permanently inscribed in our present. For younger generations, this historical transmission is essential; it transforms memory into a tool for shaping the future.
Our Partners
