Saintes le 4 septembre 1944

Rédigé par Alain dans la rubrique Brigade Rac, Libération, Portrait

The following is an extract from the account given by "Marie-Antoinette" (Philippe Tenant de La Tour) Officier de renseignement et de liaison du Bataillon Violette - from "L'affaire de Saintes - 4 septembre 1944 - Les combattants racontent" by Capitaine Fred.

"We discovered 17 dead bodies of german soldiers left in a ditch (something very rare as they had not been taken by their comrades) along the route de Marennes, about 100 metres from where the Monument to the Bataillon Violette stands today. 
One of the 17 was a Captain and the head of the Gestapo at Royan. We ofcourse searched the bodies and put to one side any military booklets or personal objects that would be sent later to the families as a memory of their lost relative. Then I took off their boots to give to our men as some of them only had slippers on their feet!

The next day, the 5th of september, I informed the mayors office of the 17 bodies that we had laid out on the pavement. The people from the funeral directors office arrived and started to check over the bodies and then turned to me and asked "Why arn't they wearing boots? You've stolen them". I replied that I could not see how this lack of clothing would help the dead when they are lying in their coffins and that the boots would serve much better on the feet of our soldiers than the worn out shoes or slippers that they were wearing."

"Revolting, scandalous" the zealous civil servant responded.

He inspected the bodies and furiously turned round to me and said "And furthermore, you have stripped them of their belongings". I tried to explain the reasons to him but he told me to be quiet. He shuffled some papers for a while then handed them to me. "What is this?" I asked. "The bill." he replied. "You killed them, the least you can do is pay for their funeral costs."

Stunned, I stood there speechless, then filled with rage I told him to go back to the Mayor's office 'manu militari' (with the hand of some military muscle!)."

"Marie-Antoinette"'s car at Le Chapus

The 4th of september was the day Saintes was liberated by the Bataillon Violette. Fighting went on in to the evening until the germans retreated to their stronghold at Royan and Saintes remained liberated.

Four of the Bataillon Violette were killed - Serge Veyrat, Jean Durand, Marcel Gaillard and Gaston Bernard who died 4 days later due to his injuries received during the combat.

Ten were injured including Robert Missegue (Neunoeil) whose brother Pierre had died 8 months earlier at the massacre du Pont-Lasvayras.

Saintes - Zone de combat

On the 30th of april 1945 'Marie-Antoinette' was seriously injured on the front of La Rochelle but later in november was able to rejoin his unit, the 50e R.I. which occupied the Zone Francaise in Germany.

Cognac : "Marie-Antoinette'" saluting the crowd from the balcony of the Sous-Prefecture

Philippe Tenant de la Tour "Marie-Antoinette"

Fut à partir du débarquement, l’officier de renseignements du Bataillon Violette. Il n’a rien d’un maquisard, il ne le faut d’ailleurs pas. Il est en « tenue bourgeoise » car il faut qu’il puisse entrer partout, à Périgueux, à Limoges et ailleurs, même chez les G. M. R. et dans les mairies pétainistes. C’est tout de même un « rigolo », il raffole d’aventures et ne rêve que de « bouffer du boche ». Il est venu, dit‑il, pour venger son père, capitaine de cuirassiers, tué en 1915, lors de la Première Guerre mondiale.

Le 10 septembre 1944 il se trouve sur la jetée du Chapus aux côtés de son ami Spack. Une trêve a paraît‑il été conclue, et cependant qu’ils discutent, les canonniers allemands du château d’Oléron ajustent leur groupe et font un carton. Il y a des tués et des blessés, Philippe s’en tire. Guéri, il revient au bataillon, et ne voulant plus être officier de renseignements, demande à servir avec Spack à la 10^e Compagnie. Il y devient chef de section. Nous sommes à Saujon, comme tous les jours, on s’accroche avec les Allemands. Marie‑Antoinette nage dans le bonheur.

Le 30 avril 1945, il est blessé à nouveau dans l’île d’Oléron, et cette fois‑ci, plus grièvement que la première fois. On lui enlève un rein traversé par une balle. Il se remet rapidement et revient dans le courant de l’été à sa chère 10^e Compagnie.

Il partira en Allemagne avec ce qui reste du 50^e R.I. en novembre 1945.Il revient au bout de quelques mois, dégoûté d’une armée sans âme où il renonce à faire carrière.

Lien : 

• Septembre 1944 - Saintes (lien)