The story of the Maquis of Plésidy – St-Connan – Coatmallouen, and the role that the group played in the liberation of Guingamp in August 1944. Told by General Francois Budet.
During the second world war the Guingamp Resistance movement, which gave rise to the famous ‘Maquis of Plesidy – St-Connan – Coatmallouen’, started off as a mosaic of diverse groups, some of which were armed and some of which were not, in the Guingamp area. The names of certain people, notably Branchoux, Georges Lecun, Dathanat, are mentioned more often than others as people involved in the Resistance, but of necessity up until the end of 1943 action had to be undertaken secretly, without even the knowledge of friends and neighbours.
In 1944, however, the situation of the war in Europe had changed, and it became possible for the leaders of the Resistance to consider forming armed groups, ready to act when the situation permitted.
By the time that the Normandy landings took place, on the sixth June 1944, the equivalent of three companies had been organized in the Guingamp area. At the same time a company of the SAS was parachuted into the Forest of Duault, twenty-five miles to the south-west of Guingamp. The parachutists, many of them belonging to De Gaulle’s Free French army, had been given a commando-style training in Auchinleck in Scotland and had the mission of aiding the local Breton resistance to impede the German troops that were stationed in Brittany, from going to the aid of their troops in Normandy.
The parachutists set up a base in the forest which was given the code name Sam West, and this base was discovered and attacked by German troops on the eleventh of June. In accordance with their orders, the parachutists evacuated the camp and made their way to a second SAS camp which had been established at St-Marcel, to the South, in Morbihan. Chief Sergeant Robert was left to take charge of the injured, which included one of the officers, Lieutenant Botella.
After the injured had been removed to safety by the local resistance, Chief Sergeant Robert met with Dathanat and Lecun and agreed to lead their group which from then on was known as the Plésidy Maquis.
He reorganized their camp under a code of strict military discipline: training, fortifying the camp, laying mines, etc. During the nights he led ambushes, organized acts of sabotage, and attacked German sentry posts… but always far from the camp, to avoid discovery. For example, the Plésidy Maquis were responsible for the destruction of the fuel depot in St Brieuc.
The camp at Coatmallouen became an important base, not only for the leaders of the Resistance in Côtes d’Armor, but also for military personnel of various nationalities, most notably British, involved in various missions in the region. For example, the Jedburgh team ‘Frederick’, led by Major Wise and which had been given the task of organizing the Resistance in the west of the department, found its way to Coatmallouen after its base in Canihuel had been attacked. Liaison officers, such as Majors Smith and Elwise, were also present, as were pilots who had been shot down whilst engaged in flying missions over Brittany. These pilots stayed in the camp for a few days before being taken to the Plage Bonaparte at Plouha, where they were picked up by boat by Captain Birkin from Dartmouth – part of the ‘Réseau Shelburne’.
Suddenly, however, on the 27th July at ten in the morning, in the middle of a training session, the camp was attacked by German forces. To the surprise of the enemy the Maquis put up a firm resistance and even inflicted heavy losses. After two hours of fighting, and in light of the fact that the Germans were calling up substantial reinforcements – an estimated 1,200 men – the order was given to abandon the camp, and to retreat in the direction of the Forest of Duault.
After spending forty-eight hours in the forest, the Pl̩sidy Maquis set out northward, in the direction of the N12, to continue their campaign. On the fifth of August, they set up base in the Ch̢teau de Keribau, on the outskirts of Guingamp. On the seventh of August they were attacked by German forces, but were able to repulse the attack with the help of air support provided by two British fighter planes. News then reached them of the approach of an armoured column of US troops. They entered Guingamp on foot as the Americans approached from the opposite direction Рprovoking scenes of jubilation in the town. This was the first time in the history of the war that a unit of the French Resistance had worked in conjunction with American tanks to secure an objective.
The Maquis of Pl̩sidy РSt Connan РCoatmallouen went on to participate in the liberation of L̩zardrieux and Paimpol before being transferred to the siege of Lorient where they served until the end of the war.
The monument of Coatmallouen was inaugurated on the 5th August 1945. It was the first in Brittany to honour the memory of the Resistance; those present, included Jean Marin, the voice of Radio Londres, the British ambassador, the French minister of war, and a detachment of British soldiers, who took part in the march past.
The memory of Coatmallouen survives. Every year, at the end of July, a thousand people of all generations gather at the foot of the monument to honour the bravery and the sacrifice made by these young people over sixty years ago.
Written by General Francois Budet. First published in the Central Brittany Journal December 2010.
Pierre Ziegler and General Budet – witnesses of the events at Coatmallouen 1944
Photos, Top of page: Members of the Plésidy Maquis came together in 1945 and re-enacted events that took place in the Forest at Coatmallouen. They were filmed by Anselme and Guy Delattre.
Page bottom: A rare picture of the Plésidy Maquis entering Guingamp on 7th August. The flagstaff is a hazel rod cut from the Forest in Coatmallouen. All rights reserved Guy Delattre.
Drawings by Samuel Lewis.
