Élie di Russo: "In August 1944, les Borrels were the first continental section of Hyères to...

Arriving from La Londe-les-Maures 80 years ago, at the level of the 3rd Borrel, the soldiers of the 2ème Brigade of the 1ère Division française (1ère DFL) passed through to liberate Hyères towards the Golf Hôtel and towards the Mont Redon at the cost of fierce fighting.

“Thus, les Borrels were the first continental section (after the islands) to recover their freedom. Colonel Garray, commanding the 2ème Brigade, had established his HQ near the 3rd Borrel on the morning of August 20,” recalled Élie di Russo, acting as an excellent historian.

LOVE OF COUNTRY

The former deputy mayor of Hyères added: “This Free French army, with the BM5 and MB11 march brigades, was composed of soldiers from Africa, the Pacific, goumiers, Senegalese, spahis, and Algerian tirailleurs. Soldiers of different colors, of different faiths—some prayed, others did not, political commitments were secondary for this army, which was joined by resistance fighters, soldiers of the shadows. Only love of the country and the values of the Republic counted.” On August 19, 2017, Élie di Russo insisted that a plaque for the Chemin de la Mémoire be created in association with the Souvenir Français to bear witness to this page of local history. “80 years later, more than ever, we must remember those who made history with their commitment and sacrifices. This Chemin de la Mémoire must allow everyone and younger generations to feel this love for France and its values of liberty, equality, fraternity to which we are morally attached.”

TRAGIC DESTINY

“I also have the duty to recall the tragic fate of a pilot and to pay tribute to him. On April 29, 1944, an RAF plane, shot down by German fighters, crashed in flames in the massif des Maures, north of the 3rd Borrel. The pilot, a 20-year-old Canadian, whose identity was only known under the pseudonym Pépino, parachuted down and managed to escape. Hidden by the inhabitants of les Borrels and the local maquis, he worked for three months as a woodcutter in the forest. On the morning of August 15, he joined the 1ère DFL. Three days later, on August 18, Pépino was killed during the assault on the fort de Mauvanne by the Commandos d'Afrique,” recounted, with a hint of emotion in his voice, the former special deputy of les Borrels. Today, the only trace we keep of this heroic aviator is his nickname (Pépino) inscribed on the war memorial of Hyères.”