After some interested from some of our finest meembers, I thought it would be nice to open a threat for this commando: Philippe Kieffer: He left for London on 19 June 1940 and joined the Forces Navales Françaises Libres on 1 July 1940, the day they were founded.Speaking fluent English, he was asked to serve as a translator and cipher officer. Impressed by the techniques of the British Commandos, Kieffer requested authorisation to set up an elite French unit on the same model. In May 1941, he obtained authorisation from Admiral Emile Muselier to found the unit of Fusiliers-Marins Commandos ("Naval Infantry Commandos"). They undertook extremely harsh selection and formation in Achnacarry, in Scotland, where a number of candidates died in training. The Commando was attached to the British No.2 Commando (which would become famous for the St. Nazaire Raid, "Operation Chariot", on 28 March 1942). Kieffer was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau on 1 July 1942. On 19 August 1942, men of the 1st Company of the 1st Fusiliers-Marins Commandos Battalion (1er Bataillon FM Commando)were engaged during the Dieppe Raid ("Operation Jubilee"). In 1943, the French commando had grown to two companies and was regularly used for night raids on the shores of France during the preparations for the invasion of Normandy. In 1944, the 180 men of the "1er BFM Commando" were integrated into the British No.4 Commando (under Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson), part of the 1st Special Service Brigade (under Brigadier Lord Lovat).On 6 June 1944, at 08.45, the Bérets verts landed in Ouistreham, Benouville, Amfreville and Bavant (Sword Beach). Kieffer, recently promoted to capitaine de corvette, led his men personally. The Bérets verts suffered 21 killed and 93 wounded. Kieffer himself was almost immediately wounded twice, hit by shrapnel in the leg, but refused evacuation for two days. The French commando disabled a stronghold at Riva-Bella and made contact with airborne troops at Benouville by 13.30. At the end of the day, the Free French troops were 14 kilometres inland. Kieffer rejoined his unit on 14 June, in time to take part in the breakthrough towards the Seine and Honfleur. Along with two of his men, he was the first member of the Free French Forces to enter Paris. His 18-year old son, who had recently joined the Maquis, was killed by German troops near Paris at nearly the same time.By October 1944, the commando Battalion had three companies. Kieffer led it during the attacks on Vlissingen and Walcheren to capture the port of Antwerp. He later took part in raids against occupied Dutch islands. In 1945, he was nominated for the Consultative Assembly, and started working in the Inter-Allied Forces Headquarters. He was promoted to capitaine de frégate in 1954. He died in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France on 20 November 1962 after a long illness, and was buried in Grandcamp, Calvados. source and more at: Philippe Kieffer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Skipper, This discussion started when we noted that both my Dad (E.A. Campbell) and Sapper were present and in action on June 6, 1944, when the only Free French forces involved in the D-Day landings (177 men of the Commando Kieffer) disembarked at Ouistreham (Sword Beach). This group was commanded by Philippe Keifer, you have detailed his life above. This link is about the museums at Ouistreham Ouistreham in Normandy 1944 This link details some of the strange politics involving Charles De Gaulle and the failure to recognize these men for their valour until very recently. Honours for elite snubbed by De Gaulle | UK news | The Guardian
Thank you for the thread and information. I had not realized that there were French Commandos at Dieppe (with the British Commandos) as well. Such a shame that Kieffer died long before they received the honour they should have received from their own country long ago. DeGaulle has never been on my list of those to be admired, so I was not surprised to read about his attitude being the reason.
Thanks for the comments and the links guys! I should really go to Ouistreham. There are more Commandos like this one that also deserve to be known. I recommend this book: And here a 2008 clip of the surviving Kieffer veterans at Ouistreham last May! 8 mai : Sarkozy salue les membres du commando Kieffer - Videos - kewego
More on the Kieffer Commandos, it looks like they are at last getting some important recognition. This year's 8'th of May (end of war) celebrations, for the first time, were held outside of Paris. Ouistreham was chosen because of the Kieffer Commandos: John Lichfield: Our Man in Normandy - John Lichfield, Commentators - The Independent Apparently Sarkozi announced the formation of a special French military unit named the Kieffer Commandos. Skipper has a video link to this event in his post. Also a reunion in Scotland BBC - Radio 4 - Today Programme Iraq Report
Yes a 2008 created commando will proudly bear their name in 2008. The Scotland reunion is because Scotland was the Veterans training base during the war.
An amazing blog with wonderful pictures of many of these Overlord Veterans, including some rare training ones in Scotland ! http://commandokieffer.canalblog.com/archives/2013/01/17/26178479.html
