Yves Palmiéri recalls the sacrifice of the city's liberators
La Farlède celebrated the 82nd anniversary of its Liberation on August 21 with a parade and a tribute ceremony.
The city solemnly celebrated, on August 21, the 82nd anniversary of its Liberation, in the presence of François de Canson, vice-president of the Région Sud.
This tribute is part of the cycle of major national commemorations, recalling the Provence Landing which, alongside the Normandy Landing, was a decisive act in the liberation of French territory.
A parade for memory
The celebrations began with a parade of military vehicles and participants in period costumes, organized by the association Août 44 and set to the rhythm of the marching band L'Écho du Faron.
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The procession departed from the 1re Division Française Libre roundabout to cross the heart of the town, taking Avenue de la République and Rue Carnot before reaching the Jardin Roger-Gensollen. This historical reminder allowed spectators to plunge back into the atmosphere of the summer of 1944.
The commemoration continued with the laying of wreaths, first at the stele of the 9ème Division d'Infanterie Coloniale (DIC), then at that of the 5ème Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique (RCA).
The highlight of the ceremony took place in front of the war memorial. The mayor, Yves Palmiéri, paid a strong tribute to the soldiers of the Liberation army. He recalled their sacrifice and the courage of the members of the Résistance and the inhabitants who joined them to drive out the occupier at the cost of their lives.
The heavy toll of August 21, 1944
This date is engraved in the history of the town. In the night of August 14 to 15, 1944, the Allied forces launched Operation Dragoon with the landing on the Provençal coast.
On August 21, during the battles for the liberation of La Farlède, the 5ème Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique paid a heavy toll. While troops were trying to bypass enemy roadblocks, a German 88mm gun opened fire. Eight tanks out of the seventeen in the regiment were put out of action, including the Strasbourg and the Rennes which were destroyed.
Eight French soldiers lost their lives in this attack: Robert Sauvegrain, Paul Bonnet, Xavier Messina, Louis Froment, Christian Gillot, François Berthon, Gabriel Chambon and Jean Tison. Their names are inscribed today on the war memorial of La Farlède, alongside those of the children of the town who fell for France.
Photos Alain BLANCHOT.