80 years ago, Bagnols-sur-Cèze was liberated

magictr | August 27, 2024 | News | No Comments

On August 27, 1944, at 7 p.m., Joseph Arène, surrounded by resistance fighters, addresses the population. Midi Libre Archives

“ At 11:30 a.m., Bagnols was taken by the Rochefort resistance fighters who had taken refuge in La Vallonnière, 1 km from Cavillargues a few days earlier. “Delirium for a grand reception at the town hall,” wrote Simone Arène, daughter of resistance fighter Joseph Arène.

On August 27, 1944, at 11:30 a.m., Commander Vigan-Braquet arrives in Bagnols.“ At 11:30 a.m., Bagnols was taken by the Rochefort maquis who had taken refuge in La Vallonnière, 1 km from Cavillargues a few days earlier. Delirium for a grand reception at the town hall”,wrote Simone Arène (*), daughter of Joseph Arène, a major player in the Bagnolaise Resistance, like her entire family. He was responsible for the FFI in the Bagnols-Uzès sector. Since the day before, the maquisards have been in reconquered territory and are being applauded in the villages of the Gard Rhodanien. With the arrival of the maquisards at Place Mallet on the 27th, the jubilation of the population is memorable. Joseph Arène goes up to the council chamber (the Vichy municipality had been dismissed the day before) and presides over the constitution of the local Liberation Committee where different resistance groups are represented.

“Very moving ceremony where Papa is magnificent”

At 7 p.m., he speaks at the war memorial. The resistance fighters and the population had gathered en masse. Narrowly escaping the bombing of the Allies who had mistaken this gathering for a German column. Simone Arène describes: “A very moving ceremony where Papa is magnificent with his old grey trousers, his badly buttoned military jacket, his espadrilles, his “Long live France”, his “Hurrah for de Gaulle and the resistance!” Bombing of the Pont de la Cèze. Three Spanish resistance fighters were machine-gunned on the road to Combes, two dead and one wounded." Following a meeting on August 31 in Bagnols with Army General De Lattre de Tassigny, it was decided that Vigan-Braquet's men would join the First French Army, assigned to the 2nd Army Corps. On September 14, 2024, the Vigan-Braquet commando unit would leave for the Rhine-Danube campaign, which the City of Bagnols would commemorate.

(*) Sources: “Carnet retrouvé” by Simone Arène. And MidiLibre archives.