‘Nancy has a stiff neck’ and “The leader is hungry”.
It was through these two messages broadcast by the BBC that the Resistance learned of the imminence of the Provence landings in the summer of 1944.
From 15 August onwards, almost 350,000 Allied soldiers, including British, Canadian and American troops, as well as 250,000 French soldiers, set foot on the beaches and soil of Provence.
80 years on, let us remember and honour their sacrifice.
Here, in these places whose names recall the epic of the Resistance, and in this town, where the memory of Free France resonates more than anywhere else, I am happy to have been able to celebrate the memory and sacrifice of these soldiers.
I would like to thank Brigitte Williams and the Fondation de la France Libre for producing this work of remembrance, which was made possible thanks to the support of the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in London.
Last but not least, a big thank you to all the history and geography teachers !
