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Hello! I've been studying about the Free French SAS for a while, in particular the operations of 4th SAS on the eve of D-Day. They jumped over Britanny, but that is about all I know. Can anyone shed any light on how many troops there were, and especially, what type of aircraft was used? Lysanders? Wellingtons? Thanks for any help.

It's not going to be a Lysander - those were strictly for SOE and SIS.

Ian Wellsted - who was part of Operation Bullbasket - dropped from a Lockheed Hudson see "SAS with the Maquis" The vast majority of the SAS were dropped from one of Bomber Command's least loved aircraft the Short Sterling that had been religated to Transport Command.

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Elliott "Jimmy" James,
138 (Special Duty) Squadron



�Only birds and fools fly by day; only bats and bloody fools fly by night.� - Fg. Off. James McCarins, 161 Squadron RAF

what info i have

2RCP (4SAS) were to be dropped as three teams, the night of 5th june the first four groups of eight men were dropped by Stirlings. acompanying Lt Marienne was Capitaine Andre or 'Bob' as he was known, who was a SOE agent and was to help help them organise supplies and work between 2RCP and the maquis. there task was to set up 2 operating bases SAMWEST (Cotes-du-Nord area)and DINGSON(Morbihan area) nights After june 6th the rest of 4SAS would arrive.

on the morning of june 6th at around 00.45 hrs Lt Marienne party came under fire. Cpl Emile Bouetard was killed and the radio operators were captured the others including Capt Andre split up. Lts Deplante and Marienne made it to Le Nouette were the maquis was based on june 7th and found Capt Andre and sgt Raufast there all ready.

does this help

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Fear Naught

Collecting anything related to the HBMGC/Tank corps, RTC and RTR 1916 to 1945

"on the morning of june 6th at around 00.45 hrs Lt Marienne party came under fire. Cpl Emile Bouetard was killed"

Thank you for the information! I've read about Cpl. Bouetard before. Seems there some debate as to who was, not only the first to arrive in France, but also who was the first Allied soldier killed. I don't suppose anyone was walikng the battlefields with a timer clock?

thats ok glad to help

good book to get is THE NEXT MOON by Ewen southby-tailyour and Andre Hue ('Bob') its the story of Andre Hue's mission with 4SAS.

and the D-day Paratroopers book by Jean Bouchery and Philippe Charbonnier as a section on them as well.

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Fear Naught

Collecting anything related to the HBMGC/Tank corps, RTC and RTR 1916 to 1945

Hi there I live not to far from one of the major air bases which was responsible for air dropping the agents of Soe and have been there to veiw the displays. The place is named after that air group which was ran by the USAAF and was called the carpetbaggers, they ran in concert with the RAF from Tempsford over the border in Bedfordshire, the base is called Harrington and after the war was used as an above the ground ICBM base with Thor missles. The types used were varied and shared, but the most prominent type out of there were converted B24 liberators. There is one particular story they tell you of a married couple that went through this one door to almost certain death never to return, it leaves you cold and thinking of the many others who gave their lives so we may live in a free world, I hope this answers some questions