Resistance hero 'told to leave'

Derbedeu · 10-28-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

A British officer who trained French Resistance fighters during World War II was told to "go home" by Charles de Gaulle, newly released files show.
Peter Lake was awarded the Military Cross and France's Croix de Guerre for his actions in the run-up to D-Day.
But just three months after the Allied landings, the leader of Free France told him he had "no business" there.
Mr Lake died in June aged 94, but his account of the meeting has been released by the National Archives.
It is contained within his Special Operations Executive personnel file and describes a meeting with Gen de Gaulle in the town of Saintes, south-west France, on 18 September 1944.
Nom de guerre
Mr Lake, then a captain, spoke fluent French and was known by the field name Jean-Pierre Lenormand.
He decided to join a number of French officers who went along to greet the general, but was surprised by the conversation that followed.

“ We don't need you here. You too must go home. Au revoir ”
General de Gaulle
General de Gaulle : "Jean-Pierre, that's a French name."
Mr Lake : "My nom de guerre, mon general."
Gen de Gaulle : "What are you doing here?"
Mr Lake : "I belong to the Inter-Allied Mission for Dordogne, and I am at the moment with Dordogne troops at Marennes, mon general."
Gen de Gaulle : "But what are you doing here?"
Mr Lake : "I am training certain troops for special operations."
Gen de Gaulle : "Our troops don't need training. You have no business here."
Mr Lake : "I obey the orders of my superiors."
Gen de Gaulle : "You have no business here, I say. You have no right to exercise a command."
Mr Lake : "Mon general, I exercise no command."
Gen de Gaulle : "We don't need you here. It only remains for you to leave. You too must go home. Return, return quickly. Au revoir."
Later, Mr Lake noted: "The whole dialogue passed very quickly and in a tone of voice which there was no mistaking.
"It was so unexpected that I must confess I was far too taken aback to reply intelligently, and I think the majority of those present had similar reactions."

Despite the incident, Mr Lake was highly regarded by senior Army commanders and was referred to in an official report as "modest, unassuming, but possessed of considerable authority".
"His dust-up with de Gaulle showed him to be a good diplomat, level-headed and intelligent," the report added.
Mr Lake was parachuted into the Dordogne on the night of 9 April 1944 and immediately began training teams of resistance operatives.
To do this he organised "evening classes" in subjects such as sabotage, but recalled that his first sortie was with fighters who were "armed like pirates, behaved like pirates and expected me to do likewise".
After the D-Day landings on 6 June, Mr Lake said the situation became "very precarious" as the Germans stepped up attacks on the resistance.
Nevertheless, in mid-June he carried out a daring operation to blow up a major railway line.
Mr Lake returned to Britain in October 1944 and went on to have a successful career with the UK consular service.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8328282.stm

Not cool on De Gualle's part.

Jelle H. · 10-28-2009, 01:53 PM

A guy risks his live by parachuting behind enemy lines in France, and De Gaulle tells him to **** off.. wtf?

DPM_Sheep · 10-28-2009, 01:57 PM

Sadly, DeGualle was an anglophobe. I think the only people he hated more than the Brits were the Germans.

RECON DOC · 10-28-2009, 03:10 PM

He left out the part where he was banging de Gaulles' daughter. Only he didn't know it at the time. Hell, I'd 've kicked him out too.

Elbs · 10-28-2009, 03:12 PM

Pound the enemy by all means.

John1980 · 10-28-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derbedeu

but recalled that his first sortie was with fighters who were "armed like pirates, behaved like pirates and expected me to do likewise".

And that from a Brit officer, then they cry out Germans being criminals respoding in kind, like with shootings of "resistance fighters" and with hostages. But with De Gaulle being an ass, thats no news really, but a well recorded fact.

Cheers.

Andyo · 10-28-2009, 03:45 PM

Wasnt de gaulle hiding in england for most of the war ?

Ed Robinson · 10-28-2009, 07:19 PM

De Gaulle was a politician through and through. It was standard as the Allies liberated France, De Gaulle’s men were right behind appointing their own administrators to take over from the German appointed or tainted ones. The British resistance advisers were all told to get out.
Whilst it seems rather ungrateful by the French, when seen from DE Gaulle’s end it made sure that the Communists didn’t take over and that the French ran their own country. Mind you he then took over.
There is no point in fighting a war to lose the peace.
Would you want a foreign powers intelligence agencies running around in your own country with an established network ?

Vince S · 10-28-2009, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DPM_Sheep

Sadly, DeGualle was an anglophobe. I think the only people he hated more than the Brits were the Germans.

Vive le Québec libre!

Delta Niner · 10-28-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RECON DOC

He left out the part where he was banging de Gaulles' daughter. Only he didn't know it at the time. Hell, I'd 've kicked him out too.

probably that's the main reason why de gaulle wants him out.

Antimatty · 10-29-2009, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RECON DOC

He left out the part where he was banging de Gaulles' daughter. Only he didn't know it at the time. Hell, I'd 've kicked him out too.

what? really? source?

Connaught Ranger · 10-29-2009, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andyo

Wasnt de gaulle hiding in england for most of the war ?

Many thousands of French military personnel were evacuated from Dunkirk along with British troops, they travelled to the U.K. so as to continue the fight against the Nazi war machine so far from "hiding" in England, he was but one of many countries representatives fighting for a Free Europe, and seeking sanctuary and aid in the U.K., there he was allocated a position amongst that international community in exile, your comment implies that he was a coward or doing something immoral.

DeGaulle was a proud Frenchman, and it must have smarted to see your country be occupied by an enemy and part of the population freely accept Nazi rule. And, he like many others, was impatient to return to the fight, but, was very wary of what he might have to allow the Allies control while they fought through La Belle France.

Connaught Ranger.

Andyo · 10-29-2009, 04:59 AM

look how he betrayed the OAS!

Connaught Ranger · 10-29-2009, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andyo

look how he betrayed the OAS!

Quoted for its retard content.

No sane countries leader allows a quasi military-terrorist force to exists among his serving military or military veterans - civilians living in its colonies.

Andyo · 10-29-2009, 05:20 AM

Well theres always 2 sides in everything the OAS exist today .
If you where a soldier would you trust a politician .Oran 1962 july 5th.

10-28-2009, 01:53 PM	#2
Jelle H. Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In your heart and mind.. Posts: 1,031	A guy risks his live by parachuting behind enemy lines in France, and De Gaulle tells him to **** off.. wtf?

10-28-2009, 01:57 PM	#3
DPM_Sheep Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 342	Sadly, DeGualle was an anglophobe. I think the only people he hated more than the Brits were the Germans.

10-28-2009, 03:10 PM	#4
RECON DOC Purveyor of Fine Wood Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burk 1775 Age: 46 Posts: 5,698	He left out the part where he was banging de Gaulles' daughter. Only he didn't know it at the time. Hell, I'd 've kicked him out too.

10-28-2009, 03:12 PM	#5
Elbs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: The Bankrupt State Posts: 2,600	Pound the enemy by all means.

10-28-2009, 03:45 PM	#7
Andyo Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 13	Wasnt de gaulle hiding in england for most of the war ?

10-28-2009, 07:19 PM	#8
Ed Robinson Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 134	De Gaulle was a politician through and through. It was standard as the Allies liberated France, De Gaulle’s men were right behind appointing their own administrators to take over from the German appointed or tainted ones. The British resistance advisers were all told to get out. Whilst it seems rather ungrateful by the French, when seen from DE Gaulle’s end it made sure that the Communists didn’t take over and that the French ran their own country. Mind you he then took over. There is no point in fighting a war to lose the peace. Would you want a foreign powers intelligence agencies running around in your own country with an established network ?

10-29-2009, 04:59 AM	#13
Andyo Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 13	look how he betrayed the OAS!

10-29-2009, 05:20 AM	#15
Andyo Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 13	Well theres always 2 sides in everything the OAS exist today . If you where a soldier would you trust a politician .Oran 1962 july 5th.