Eugène Fourré

Stele in honor of Resistance fighter Eugène Fourré, a member of the Saint-Mars-du-Désert maquis shot dead by the Germans on August 6, 1944. He had come to announce the imminent arrival of American troops.

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Eugène Fourré was born in Saint-Thomas-de-Courceriers (Mayenne) on January 24, 1913. Single, he worked as a blacksmith and lived at "l'Aiguillon" in Courcité.

In contact with the Saint-Mars-du-Désert maquis and the BOA (Bureau des opérations aériennes) as head of the "Harpe" airfield, he formed teams for parachute drops.

On August 6, 1944, returning from a reconnaissance mission, he went to his fiancée Mlle Gautun's home at La Boorie to announce the imminent arrival of the Americans in Mayenne. She offered to let him stay, but he wanted to cycle home. Wanted by the Gestapo, without identity papers, he has a revolver hidden in one of his boots. At the entrance to the village of Courcité, at the "Pont du Tertre", a German patrol stops him. Reaching for his weapon, he was shot at point-blank range.

"Died for France", a stele with a broken cross (symbol of a broken life) was erected by his family in his memory.

In Courcité, parachuting at the "Hamac" drop-zone

At the "Hamac" drop-zone, near "La Bouvrie", local committee leader Barbier (BOA) and Duval de la Montclergerie, along with resistance fighters, received two parachute drops. The first, on the night of July 7-8, a B24 Liberator dropped OSS (US Secret Service) agents for the "Dentelle" mission over Alençon and the "Colère" mission over Angers.

Arrested on August 9 at Lavardin (Sarthe), five of them were shot at "Nioche" in Saint- Quen (Loir-et-Cher). On the night of July 11-12, two Liberator aircraft mistakenly dropped two "Jedburgh" teams for the "Harry" mission in Ille-et-Vilaine. These two teams, "Guy" and "Gavin", are due to return to Brittany. On July 24, Claude de Baissac "Denis" puts them in touch with "Loulou" Pétri, FTP regional leader.

They arrived in Combourg on August 2. Parachuted 120 km from the scene of operations and with no contact with the Ille-et-Vilaine FFI, their mission was partially accomplished.

On June 15, 1944, the Gestapo arrested grocer Fouchet, whose name was confused with that of Fourré. He was released on August 20, 1944

Contribution and photo credit Le Bourvellec Eric

Stele in honor of Resistance fighter Eugène Fourré, a member of the Saint-Mars-du-Désert maquis shot dead by the Germans on August 6, 1944. He had come to announce the imminent arrival of American troops.Panel textEugène Fourré was born in Saint-Thomas-de-Courceriers (Mayenne) on January 24, 1913. Single, he worked as a blacksmith and lived at l'Aiguillon in Courcité.In contact with the Saint-Mars-du-Désert maquis and the BOA (Bureau des opérations aériennes) as head of the Harpe airfield, he formed teams for parachute drops.On August 6, 1944, returning from a reconnaissance mission, he went to his fiancée Mlle Gautun's home at La Boorie to announce the imminent arrival of the Americans in Mayenne. She offered to let him stay, but he wanted to cycle home. Wanted by the Gestapo, without identity papers, he has a revolver hidden in one of his boots. At the entrance to the village of Courcité, at the Pont du Tertre, a German patrol stops him. Reaching for his weapon, he was shot at point-blank range.Died for France, a stele with a broken cross (symbol of a broken life) was erected by his family in his memory.In Courcité, parachuting at the Hamac drop-zoneAt the Hamac drop-zone, near La Bouvrie, local committee leader Barbier (BOA) and Duval de la Montclergerie, along with resistance fighters, received two parachute drops. The first, on the night of July 7-8, a B24 Liberator dropped OSS (US Secret Service) agents for the Dentelle mission over Alençon and the Colère mission over Angers.Arrested on August 9 at Lavardin (Sarthe), five of them were shot at Nioche in Saint- Quen (Loir-et-Cher). On the night of July 11-12, two Liberator aircraft mistakenly dropped two Jedburgh teams for the Harry mission in Ille-et-Vilaine. These two teams, Guy and Gavin, are due to return to Brittany. On July 24, Claude de Baissac Denis puts them in touch with Loulou Pétri, FTP regional leader.They arrived in Combourg on August 2. Parachuted 120 km from the scene of operations and with no contact with the Ille-et-Vilaine FFI, their mission was partially accomplished.On June 15, 1944, the Gestapo arrested grocer Fouchet, whose name was confused with that of Fourré. He was released on August 20, 1944Contribution and photo credit Le Bourvellec Eric