In Hyères, behind History, the broken destiny of Pépino, a 20-year-old aviator
In 1944, a young Canadian aviator shot down near Hyères was hidden by residents, a story of courage and solidarity.
Behind the milestone dates of the débarquement de Provence, which saw the allied forces, the 1ère Division française libre and local resistance fighters unite their forces, lie countless human stories.
Among them, that of a young 20-year-old Canadian aviator, known only by the name of "Pépino".
A plane shot down over the Maures
On April 29, 1944, several months before the landing, the plane of this Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot was shot down by German fighters over the Maures massif.
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The young man managed to parachute out and escape capture.
Three months of clandestine life
Then began for him a life of hiding and survival, marked by the solidarity of the local residents.
Taken in and hidden by families of the Borrels hamlet and protected by the maquis varois, "Pépino" spent nearly three months hiding, working as a woodcutter in the forest to survive and help his protectors.
His story illustrates the courage of civilians who, risking their lives, supported the fight against the occupier.
Photos Philippe OLIVIER.