Drop Zone Temple

During the war, the Soulier plateau had no fruit trees, even though in June 1944 London requested that a few “bushes” be cut down to turn this parachute drop zone into a Hudson landing field. The code name for this drop zone was Temple.

On this plateau, Resistance fighters from Allex and Livron received men, weapons, ammunition and explosives from Allied aircraft. The maquisards were thus armed. Commandant Henri Faure was in charge. On the night of August 16 to 17, 1944, on the orders of Commandant de Lassus, he organized a commando unit to blow up the Livron bridge in order to avoid an American bombing raid with its collateral casualties, and to slow the German retreat.

Impasse Haliax: 150 meters west of the stele, this plaque commemorates the Haliphax B Mk II, coded NF-M, SN DT-726 belonging to the 138th Squadron of the Royal Air Force, which on the night of November 3 to 4, 1943 was unable to parachute into “Temple”. It had crashed on the descent to the Bourboulas rock at Marcols les Eaux. Only the tail gunner survived the crash.

Some 700 meters further on is the path taken by the Henri Faure commando to blow up the Livron bridge.

Contribution and photo credit Bernard PERRIN

During the war, the Soulier plateau had no fruit trees, even though in June 1944 London requested that a few “bushes” be cut down to turn this parachute drop zone into a Hudson landing field. The code name for this drop zone was Temple.On this plateau, Resistance fighters from Allex and Livron received men, weapons, ammunition and explosives from Allied aircraft. The maquisards were thus armed. Commandant Henri Faure was in charge. On the night of August 16 to 17, 1944, on the orders of Commandant de Lassus, he organized a commando unit to blow up the Livron bridge in order to avoid an American bombing raid with its collateral casualties, and to slow the German retreat.Impasse Haliax: 150 meters west of the stele, this plaque commemorates the Haliphax B Mk II, coded NF-M, SN DT-726 belonging to the 138th Squadron of the Royal Air Force, which on the night of November 3 to 4, 1943 was unable to parachute into “Temple”. It had crashed on the descent to the Bourboulas rock at Marcols les Eaux. Only the tail gunner survived the crash.Some 700 meters further on is the path taken by the Henri Faure commando to blow up the Livron bridge.Contribution and photo credit Bernard PERRIN