Liberty Road French 2nd Armored Division

This milestone is not on the route of the French 2nd Armored Division, but it marks the beginning of this division's adventure.
It also marks the commune's recognition of its role in the evolution of wartime history.

After the disastrous French campaign of June 1940, during which the Nazi invaders inflicted serious setbacks on our armies, Captain Philippe de Hauteclocque was determined to continue the fight alongside General de Gaulle. Taken prisoner twice, he escaped both times. Determined to change his identity, on June 27 1940 he obtained a pass in the name of Philippe Leclerc, a wine merchant released from his military obligations, thanks to Mr Delanoë, mayor of Grugé l'Hôpital, and Abbé Brossier, town clerk.

Armed with this false safe-conduct, and after involving his wife in his decision, he joined General de Gaulle in London on July 25, without fearing any reprisals that the occupying forces might cause to his family, who would only learn of his route and pseudonym much later.

This milestone symbolizes the starting point of the exploits of this soldier whose destiny became legendary: rallying French Equatorial Africa in 1940; capture of the southern Libyan oasis of Koufra in 1941 and creation of the Colonne Leclerc; Fezzan campaign in 1942; Libyan and Tunisian campaigns, followed by the formation of the 2nd Armored Division in Morocco in 1943; further training in England, then landing of this unit in Normandy on the beaches of St Martin de Varreville on August 1, 1944; Liberation of Alençon, Paris and finally Strasbourg on November 23, 1944; Liberation of Colmar in February 1945, Royan and then Berchtesgaden and Hitler's Berghof in Germany in May 1945. The Koufra oath was kept.

The anonymous civilian of June 27, 1940 became General Leclerc, an emblematic figure of the Second World War and of contemporary French history.

Contribution and photo credit Le Bourvellec Eric

This milestone is not on the route of the French 2nd Armored Division, but it marks the beginning of this division's adventure.It also marks the commune's recognition of its role in the evolution of wartime history.After the disastrous French campaign of June 1940, during which the Nazi invaders inflicted serious setbacks on our armies, Captain Philippe de Hauteclocque was determined to continue the fight alongside General de Gaulle. Taken prisoner twice, he escaped both times. Determined to change his identity, on June 27 1940 he obtained a pass in the name of Philippe Leclerc, a wine merchant released from his military obligations, thanks to Mr Delanoë, mayor of Grugé l'Hôpital, and Abbé Brossier, town clerk.Armed with this false safe-conduct, and after involving his wife in his decision, he joined General de Gaulle in London on July 25, without fearing any reprisals that the occupying forces might cause to his family, who would only learn of his route and pseudonym much later.This milestone symbolizes the starting point of the exploits of this soldier whose destiny became legendary: rallying French Equatorial Africa in 1940; capture of the southern Libyan oasis of Koufra in 1941 and creation of the Colonne Leclerc; Fezzan campaign in 1942; Libyan and Tunisian campaigns, followed by the formation of the 2nd Armored Division in Morocco in 1943; further training in England, then landing of this unit in Normandy on the beaches of St Martin de Varreville on August 1, 1944; Liberation of Alençon, Paris and finally Strasbourg on November 23, 1944; Liberation of Colmar in February 1945, Royan and then Berchtesgaden and Hitler's Berghof in Germany in May 1945. The Koufra oath was kept.The anonymous civilian of June 27, 1940 became General Leclerc, an emblematic figure of the Second World War and of contemporary French history.Contribution and photo credit Le Bourvellec Eric