Le projet

Depuis sa création début 2013, le site « First Airborne Task Force ; the Forgotten Paratroopers » n’a cessé de recueillir des informations, des témoignages et des photos lançant ainsi son projet de livre.

Le livre présente une vue d’ensemble des troupes aéroportés disponible à partir du mois d’Avril 1944, menant à la création de la Task Force pour l’invasion du sud de la France puis des explications détaillés sur les différentes missions aéroportés, la libération des villes et villages et la poursuite de la campagne à travers les Alpes-Maritimes. Le bouquin, écrit au présent de l’indicatif pour se projeter plus facilement dans l’histoire, est aussi une histoire orale avec nombre de témoignage inédit, recueillit auprès des derniers vétérans de la Task Force.

Book features – Contenu du livre

– La création et la formation de la 1st Airborne Task Force
– Les préparatifs de l’opération aéroportée dans le sud de la France, les Troop Carriers, l’entrainement des unités de Glider et de Pathfinder, Lido di Roma, le lac Albano, Frascati…
– Les détails des missions sur les Pathfinders, les missions Albatross, Bluebird, Canary, Dove et Eagle.

– Des dizaines de témoignages sur les parachutistes, Glider Riders et les Forcemen de la First Airborne Task Force et notamment les unités oubliés tel que les : 2nd & 83rd Chemical Battalion, 887th Airborne Engineer Aviation Company, 512th Airborne Signal Company, 602nd Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 442nd Antitank Company, 550th Infantry Airborne Battalion, mais aussi le 463rd PFAB dont la plupart sont inédits.

– Une description détaillée de la libération et de l’occupation par les forces de la Task Force des lieux suivants : Le Mitan, La Motte, Trans-en-Provence, Le Muy, les Arcs, Draguignan, la région de Fayence, Callas, Saint-Cézaire, Saint-Vallier-de-They, Grasse, la Colle-sur-Loup, Villeneuve-Loubet, la Napoule, Cannes, Bonson, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Vence, La Roquette-sur-Var, Nice, la Turbie, Monaco, Menton, l’Escarène, le col de Braus, Castillon, Castellar, Monte Grammondo, Mont Ours, Sospel, Peïra-Cava, Isola, Auron, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Turini, Barcelonnette, Jausiers…

The author is always seeking for veterans, manuscripts, photos, information and documents about the First Airborne Task Force and the following units:

▶ First Special Service Force
▶ 2nd Independent Parachute Brigad
▶ 3rd Ordonance Medium Maintenance Company
▶ 4th Parachute Battalion
▶ 5th ‘Scottish’ Parachute Battalion
▶ 6th ‘Welsh’ Parachute Battalion
▶ 40th Engineer Combat Regiment
▶ 51st Evacuation Hospital
▶ 2nd Chemical Battalion
▶ 83rd Chemical Battalion
▶ 334th Quartermaster Aerial Resupply
▶ 460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
▶ 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
▶ 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
▶ 512th Airborne Signal Company
▶ 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
▶ 550th Infantry Airborne Battalion
▶ 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion
▶ 596th Parachute Combat Engineer Company
▶ 676th Medical Collecting Company
▶ 645th Tank Destroyer Battalion
▶ 887th Airborne Engineer Aviation Company
▶ 7th Army & VI Corps units
▶ Darby’s Rangers (1st, 3rd & 4th Ranger Battalion)

Were you involved in Operation Dragoon? Do you know of someone who was involved in Operation Dragoon? If you can answer yes to these questions then we want to hear from you.

Are you a relation or maybe just a friend of someone who was involved in Operation Dragoon?

If you are then the author would like also to hear from you so that we may include your story on the site and to know more about the operation to perpetuate the memory of those involved in Operation Dragoon.

The ‘First Airborne Task Force ; The Forgotten Paratroopers’ website provides a brief historical account of the second largest airborne invasion of World War Two in August 1944 but the most important aim is to tell the stories of the individuals who took part in Operation Dragoon, not just factual historical events actual accounts from the people who took part to help perpetuate the memory of all those brave men and women who fought for freedom in 1944.  It is for the veterans themselves and for their families today.

If you were involved in this invasion, or you are a family member of someone involved, or you know someone who was involved, then we would like to hear from you to capture your individual story for our book projects.

The main aim of the site is to perpetuate the memories of individuals however involved in remembering Operation Dragoon so get in touch now with your story.