I wrote this “haiku” a couple of years ago:
Two Yank commandos
Machined gunned from a sidecar
‘Mort pour Liberté’
Robert Spaur and Bernard Gautier were members of a fifteen-strong American commando unit parachuted into the south Tarn on the night of the 6th of August 1944, as part of an allied plan to disrupt supply lines in southern France prior to D-Day in the South–scheduled for the 15th August.
On patrol, a couple of days after the drop, the group spotted a Nazi motorbike unit heading up from Mazamet towards the small village of Le Rialet to investigate an attack by local maquis–that had succeeded in killing a cow and injuring a German soldier.
The commandos decided to ambush the unit on its way down.
The plan went awry and in the skirmish two Americans, the oldest (Gautier 33) and youngest (Spaur 19), were shot and killed.
The story of the ambush on the back of the memorial at the spot where it happened
“Can you imagine the disbelief of a Nazi patrol driving up the narrow road from Mazamet towards Le Rialet in August 1944 when they see young men in American uniforms come out of the woods to attack them,” Meredith said, as we headed up the road to the annual commemoration ceremony on Saturday.
“D-Day had happened on June 6th in Normandy and the allies were still stuck there. The Germans must have thought–‘what on earth are American soldiers doing–so far south?’.”
The element of surprise might have given the OSS commandos (Office of Strategic Services–forerunner of the CIA) an added advantage as they attacked the German column–that split-second that counts.
Meredith was scheduled to carry the Stars and Stripes at the ceremony to mark the 74th anniversary.
She is the flag carrier (Porte Drapeau) at annual commemoration ceremonies in Castres and a few years ago was asked to attend this event in Le Rialet.
We learned the remarkable story of the commando unit’s existence from Gilbert Brial–whom we met at one of the commemorations.
Gilbert Brial with Thierry Pauthe–in the uniform of a GI.
Gilbert was 18 in August 1944 and a member of Corps Franc du Sidobre–one of several Maquis groups operating in this mountainous region of the Tarn.
The number of surviving ancien combatants has dwindled over the years Meredith has been attending the ceremonies.
Gilbert is 92 now and ailing, but has been an active campaigner to keep the story alive.
The French expression le devoir de mémoire–the duty to remember–perfectly describes Gilbert’s attitude.
Meredith had assumed the story was well known and that Gilbert must have told it to the media many times.
“Jamais!” [Never!] Gilbert said.
Intrigued and moved, she pursued the story and with the help of the American consul at the time, obtained a Fulbright grant, enabling her to record a series of on camera interviews with most of the surviving members of the Maquis–French rural Resistance fighters.
She was hoping to make a documentary of the story.
Sadly none of the American OSS commandos were still alive, though she made contact with some of their families and several have visited the Tarn.
The OSS team’s code name was PAT.
Read her full account of the remarkable Fourteen days in August 1944, when the surviving members of the commando unit succeeded in preventing local occupation forces from rushing troops and guns to Provence, where the southern D-Day was launched on a beach near St. Tropez.
They also helped liberate our local town, Castres, from Nazi occupation.
Next year is the 75th anniversary and Meredith is hoping for a large turn-out.
At the war memorial, Monsieur Yvan Cros, one of the few maquisards still alive, laid a wreath in memory of his comrades.
M.Cros with La Porte Drapeau Americaine
As the names on the memorial are read out, each is remembered with the spoken words–Mort pour la France for the French and Mort pour La Liberté for Robert Spaur and Bernard Gautier.
It touches the heart.
Robin Ellis 
Thank you for sharing this. World War I and II both fascinate me and I can imagine this feels incredibly personal to you and those in your town. I wasn’t familiar with the story but it would indeed make a remarkable movie.
Forgive the impertinence and delete after reading. Remembrance is misspelled. You don’t need that “is” in “It touches the heart.”
Thanks so much–must have been left from a previous version.
Thank you for bringing history to us.
Thank you Robin and Meredith for keeping this important bit of history alive and in our minds. The younger generations need to remember what was done! Michael Peters
Thank you for the beautiful haiku and the retelling the story of those
brave men.
It sure does tug at ones heart strings we must NEVER forget the sacrifices made for us and the people who made those sacrifices wonderful narrative in this blog
Hope all is well with you and yours robin
Best regards
Trudy .bodmin xx
Amazing story and wonderful article. I didn’t even know there was a D Day in southern France!
The valor and bravery of WWII vets never fail to inspire. My beloved mother told me that when she was in high school, all the boys in her class had to attend school during the summer so they could graduate and immediately enlist to support the Allied effort. These young men were barely 18 years old, and many of them never made it back. Thanks to people such as you and Meredith, they will never be forgotten.
What a wonderful tribute! It’s nice to know that the sacrifices made by young Americans are being acknowledged. (Note: I tried your recipe with the asparagus. However, mine turned out to be an asparagus omelette. It was really good. Thanks!)
Linda
Robin & Meredith,
Thank you for telling this story. As we lose the gallant men & women who fought the war, it’s so important to keep the stories of their bravery alive.
I didn’t know the Maquis was a real resistance group in France during WWII.
Kathy
>
thank you, Robin. An inspiring story. I was at the DDay ceremony in our town (Duncan, BC, Canada) and every time someone starts with “They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old..” I ALWAYS have tears streaming down my face.
Thank you for sharing this. Although I am neither French nor American (from the UK) I read Meredith’s report with heartfelt fascination and respect, as it brings home the realities of War to those of us born well after (for me the 1960’s) and we should never forget. I am pulled at the heart that those terrified young men are still remembered today.
Good to know that this specific event is so movingly remembered, as part of the southern France landings which are now little known. How important it is to keep these memories alive for us who benefited from their sacrifices. Thanks for doing that.
Piers
Good to hear from you, Piers and thank you.
Your stories are always beautiful, they restore my faith in life. As long as people like you and your wife still exist, humanity will be OK. Thank you. Amazing landscapes, good food, cute cats, great hearts! THANK YOU
Very moving, Robin. Touches my heart, as well.
Very moving tribute. We will remember them. 😢
Dear Sir
Great moving account. I read her article.
The OSS officers certainly were heroes.
I knew nothing about D Day in the South.
The OSS officer I happened to read about in the past, and blogged about, re Patton, call it a dark side of the OSS and of Donovan, was also certainly a patriot and a hero. But that is a quite different story.
All the best
Hello Meredith and Robin
A very moving occasion,but thanks to you both the bravery of these young men
and many many others will not be forgotten. Off course it’s a 100 years this year since the end of the first war and I am sure it will be marked in France as it will here.
Regards Elaine & Jimmy 📍
Hi I’m visiting the Tarn region next week and would like to visit the smaller memorial out side ale Rialet, I can seem to find a grid reference for it. Does anyone know where it is?
The site is called Betges. It is on the road heading south from the tiny village of Le Rialet. There is a layby— not very prepossessing. They recently moved the stele from a good placement where it was easily visible from the road to a little outcropping in the middle of the layby.
Brilliant found it, looking forward to visiting 🙂