Fighting at Betgès farm

Fighting at Betgès farm

by , Raphaël Mégard

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CORPS FRANC DU SIDOBRE

Saturday August 12, 1944, in the early afternoon, 3 German sidecars, including at least one with a machine-gun, coming from RIALET descend the D53 towards PONT DE L'ARN. They are evacuating a wounded gunman, following the morning skirmish with the CORPS PRANC DU SIDOBRE. Arriving at a bend near the ferme de BETGES, the 3 side-cars come face to face with the commando U.S. from the 2671 Bataillon Spécialistes Reconnaissance (OSS Operations Group) walking back to SAN FE near the BOUISSET, weapon at the sling. An intense gunfight ensues. Sergeant Bernard GAUTIER and T/S Robert SPAUR. on the road, one kneeling, the other standing, fire a full clip from their Thompson machine pistols at the German patrol, which fires back with machine guns. The rest of the U.S. Commando retreats up the embankment towards BETGES
The toll is heavy: on the German side 1 killed and one seriously wounded, the ranking officer. One of the mortally wounded U.S. paratroopers had the strength to run to the small path leading down to the stream, where he was found sitting dead against a tree. The other U.S. paratrooper, also mortally wounded, continued to the bridge over the stream, where he was found dead, lying on his stomach with his head in the stream.
The 3 sidecars turned around and headed back to RIALET. From Café HOULES they telephone the Kommandantur to request reinforcements. On the orders of Capitaine LAGUEUX, the bodies of the 2 U.S. soldiers killed would not be recovered until the following day by Marcel GUEROULT. MDL Chef, it had to be known that the Americans were there in support of the Maquis. They will be buried on August 15 at the nearby cemetery, after a mass at the church and with the honors of other U.S. paratroopers and a platoon of the CORPS FRANC DU SIDOBRE.

The bodies of Bernard GAUTIER and Robert SPAUR now lie in the American cemetery at DINOZE near EPINAL in the Vosges. They had parachuted into the Tarn near SAUSSONNIERES on Monday, August 7, 1944.

Testimony of MDL Chef Marcel GUEROULT, former member of the CORPS FRANC DU SIDOBRE - 2005

Contribution and photo credit Raphaël Mégard.

CORPS FRANC DU SIDOBRE Saturday August 12, 1944, in the early afternoon, 3 German sidecars, including at least one with a machine-gun, coming from RIALET descend the D53 towards PONT DE L'ARN. They are evacuating a wounded gunman, following the morning skirmish with the CORPS PRANC DU SIDOBRE. Arriving at a bend near the ferme de BETGES, the 3 side-cars come face to face with the commando U.S. from the 2671 Bataillon Spécialistes Reconnaissance (OSS Operations Group) walking back to SAN FE near the BOUISSET, weapon at the sling. An intense gunfight ensues. Sergeant Bernard GAUTIER and T S Robert SPAUR. on the road, one kneeling, the other standing, fire a full clip from their Thompson machine pistols at the German patrol, which fires back with machine guns. The rest of the U.S. Commando retreats up the embankment towards BETGES The toll is heavy: on the German side 1 killed and one seriously wounded, the ranking officer. One of the mortally wounded U.S. paratroopers had the strength to run to the small path leading down to the stream, where he was found sitting dead against a tree. The other U.S. paratrooper, also mortally wounded, continued to the bridge over the stream, where he was found dead, lying on his stomach with his head in the stream. The 3 sidecars turned around and headed back to RIALET. From Café HOULES they telephone the Kommandantur to request reinforcements. On the orders of Capitaine LAGUEUX, the bodies of the 2 U.S. soldiers killed would not be recovered until the following day by Marcel GUEROULT. MDL Chef, it had to be known that the Americans were there in support of the Maquis. They will be buried on August 15 at the nearby cemetery, after a mass at the church and with the honors of other U.S. paratroopers and a platoon of the CORPS FRANC DU SIDOBRE.The bodies of Bernard GAUTIER and Robert SPAUR now lie in the American cemetery at DINOZE near EPINAL in the Vosges. They had parachuted into the Tarn near SAUSSONNIERES on Monday, August 7, 1944.Testimony of MDL Chef Marcel GUEROULT, former member of the CORPS FRANC DU SIDOBRE - 2005Contribution and photo credit Raphaël Mégard.

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