“Maquisards” Operations

"Maquisards" Operations

A kind of small tactical-clash manoeuvre between a "maquisards" side and a "red" side, on foot and in jeeps, over areas once frequented by the Resistance.

Since 2009, these operations have been at the heart of the association's activity: a genuine school of cohesion, patriotism and field life, open to all ages.

All the operations, from 2009 to today

No. 1 — 20–22 March 2009 Brancion area near Tournus — 16 participants.
No. 2 — 21–23 August 2009 Brancion area — 15 participants.
No. 3 — 9–11 April 2010 Brancion area — 12 participants.
No. 4 — 15–17 April 2011 Brancion area, with a half-track — 18 participants.
No. 5 — 20–22 April 2012 Brancion area — 23 participants.
No. 6 — 9–11 November 2012 St-Romain area, west of Beaune — 20 participants.
No. 7 — 26–28 April 2013 St-Romain area, with an EBR armoured car — 15 participants.
No. 8 — 23–25 August 2013 St-Romain–Sombernon area, with an EBR — 7 participants.
No. 9 — 1–4 August 2014 6 participants. (see 2014 Activities)
No. 10 — 27–29 March 2015 10 participants. (see 2015 Activities)
No. 11 — 15–17 April 2016 20 participants.
No. 12 — 27–28 August 2016 8 participants.
No. 13 — 18–20 November 2016 9 participants.
No. 14 — 25–26 March 2017 9 participants.
No. 15 — 25–27 August 2017 8 participants (+2) in 4 jeeps — see the detailed account below.
No. 16 — 4–5 November 2017 9 participants — see the detailed account below.
No. 17 — 6–8 April 2018 30 participants in 9 jeeps — “the best of all!” — account below.
No. 18 — 24–26 August 2018 Brancion area.
No. 19 — 5–7 April 2019 12 participants in 4 jeeps — detailed account below.
No. 20 — 16–18 August 2019 10 participants in 4 Willys jeeps and 1 P4 jeep — account below.
No. 21 — 19–21 June 2020 13 participants in 4 jeeps. (see 2020 Activities)
No. 22 — 4–6 September 2020 4 participants in 2 jeeps. (see 2020 Activities)
No. 23 — 27–29 August 2021 9 participants in 4 jeeps. (see 2021 Activities)
No. 24 — 26–28 August 2022 8 participants in 3 jeeps. (see 2022 Activities)
No. 25 — 26–27 August 2023 Pierre, Fabien, Benjamin and François in 2 jeeps. (see 2023 Activities)

Detailed accounts

Maquisards No. 15 — 25 to 27 August 2017

8 participants (+2) in 4 jeeps, in the Épinac and St-Romain area. Accommodation at Vauchignon. A visit to the Lavault stele in memory of a 1944 British bomber crew, and to the grave of Rudolf Eggs, a Companion of the Liberation. Various tactical activities across some very beautiful countryside.

Maquisards No. 16 — 4 and 5 November 2017

The Sennecey-le-Grand and Brancion area on the Saturday, Verdun-sur-le-Doubs on the Sunday. 9 participants, accommodated for 2 nights in Gergy. A troop of 3 jeeps carried out a dozen reconnaissance and area-control missions in the sectors occupied in 1944 by the Corlay and Brancion maquis. A visit to the SAS museum, exfiltration by helicopter, wine tasting at the Château de Nobles. A budget of about €500 covered by the participants. Fine weather, a fine success. A visit to a Resistance veteran.

Maquisards No. 17 — 6 to 8 April 2018

The best of all! The Sennecey-le-Grand, Brancion and Blanot area. 30 participants in 9 jeeps, accommodated for 2 nights in 2 gîtes at Gigny-sur-Saône. Organised into 2 troops of 4 jeeps each, Blues against Reds. A succession of around fifteen missions requiring the practice of topography, tactics and command, across the region of the Corlay, Brancion and Blanot maquis in 1944. Reconnaissance of a dry- stone shelter, of caves, of an isolated farm, of a parachute drop zone. An ambush against a half-tracked convoy. Observation and exfiltration by helicopter. Aerial observation and an air-drop of “treasury” by motor glider. A visit to the SAS museum. A wreath laid at the Brancion memorial. A moment of reflection at Guy de Combaud's stele and at the SAS memorial, an interview with a Brancion maquis veteran. A local tradition: organic wine tasting.

A great variety of participants, aged 8 to 75: from the Paris region, locals, Haute-Savoie, the south. 4 teenagers, 5 women, reserve and former reserve officers, young Air Force reservists. A full programme, fine weather, very good participation from all. A budget of about €2,200 covered by the participants.

Conclusions: in future, to better distinguish each person's expectations and levels in terms of tactics and field life. An intense desire to see our formula of a school of cohesion, patriotism, field life and resilience taken up across every region of France.

Maquisards No. 19 — 5 to 7 April 2019

12 participants (from the Paris region, Annecy, Mâcon, Chalon, Montceau) in 4 jeeps. A teenager on the Saturday. Quarters at St-Romain (21). Day 1: a raid as far as the Agneux defile near Rully, punctuated by various reconnaissances of notable points (caves, viaduct, dry-stone shelters). Observation by helicopter. In the evening: the recollections of Gilbert Grangeret, a veteran of the Jura and Indochina maquis, a talk by the mayor Serge Grappin on local geology, wine tasting. Day 2: a hostage rescue, an air-rifle shooting contest, a visit to the St-Romain church, packing up the quarters. Conclusion: excellent participation from all despite the Sunday rain. Progress to be made in tactics and orienteering.

Maquisards No. 20 — 16 to 18 August 2019

10 participants in 4 Willys jeeps and 1 P4 jeep, 2 nights in mobile homes at the Étangs de Laives. Various tactical actions, each commanded in turn: an ambush against a scout car and its 105 mm gun, a reconnaissance raid via the Aujoux cave, Brancion, the Crue farm, Mont St-Romain, Cruzille. The SAS museum and memorial. The recollections of Resistance veteran Georges Duriaux. Observation by motor glider, and an air-drop of parcels, sadly lost.