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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Also, we visited the No 32 Casualty Clearing Station emplacement in Reviers, where Glen was treated. A incredible IWM video gave us a wonderful Then/Now.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

#Normandy Last week, taking the daughter of a WW2 veteran on her father's footsteps. Glen Schurr was deployed in Normandy with the Highland Light Infantry, and then with the Essex Scottish. WIA August 13th, at Tournebu. We were able to see the very field were he was wounded.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

#WW2 Visiting some WW2 places today. This building is very significant in the history of the Seconde World War. Do you recognize it ?

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

#Normandy American Battle of Normandy Tour today: hedgerows, Saint Lo, operation Cobra, Patton breakout, Brittany American Cemetery. A beautiful day out of the beaten roads.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The photographs of the massacre were discovered and are owned by Baptiste Garin. Much more context and information are given on the superb book written by Julien Fargettas, historian specialist on the Tirailleurs Sénégalais.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

It is estimated to around 3000 Tirailleurs Sénégalais, but also from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, were murdered in May-June 1940. This was the reality of the Nazi Regime and his Army. This is what pure racism created. These men are resting in peace today. We won't forget.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

This crime was not isolated: Lentilly, Champagne Mont d'Or, Montée de Balmont....in total, about 170 French soldiers, overwhelmingly African soldiers, were brutally murdered in a few days around Lyon.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The result is atrocious: 48 men, all African Tirailleurs, were killed in this war crime.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

They drove in the field, passed piles of bodies, and opened fire toward bushes and wood where some Tirailleurs probably ran away to.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The Panzer IV maneuvered to enter the field and finish their crime.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Our German witness took a picture of the killing while some Tirailleurs were running for their life.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

On the way between Chasselay and Les Chères, they were ordered to walk into a nearby field.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

They were unarmed and defenseless, escorted by Wehrmacht soldiers.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The Tirailleurs were taken toward the town of Les Chères, escorted by 2 Panzer IV of the 8th Panzer-Regiment. White French soldiers were separated from their African comrades who are seen here walking by the Panzer IV.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

A warning : the next pictures are documenting a WW2 war crime with prisoners being executed.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

In 2019, collector Baptiste Garin bought the photobook of a German soldier. Inside, he found pictures of vehicles and men of the 10th Panzer Division. But this German soldier, whose name is still unknown, witnessed and photographed what happened after the Tirailleurs surrendered.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The Germans had bypassed Chasselay. Morning of June 20th, dozens of men are still holding the village. They decided to fight for the honor. The Germans, surprised to find French troops there, attacked. 2 hours of fighting and the remaining 25 RTS decided to surrender.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

They were ordered to make a stand in front of several good German Divisions (SS Totenkopf, Grossdeutschland, 10th Panzer). The Germans clashed with French troops around Montluzin and Lissieu, then rushed toward Lyon that was taken at the end of the June 19th.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

North of Lyon, the Army was assembling makeshift units to defend the city. Amongst this improvised assembly of mostly untrained men with old weapons was the 25th Regiment Tirailleurs Sénégalais (25 RTS): 2900 men, decent training, decent weapons.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

June 19, 1940. The Germans are advancing everywhere in France. Newly appointed Pétain asked for the end of the fighting. But as far as the Army is concern, there is no armistice signed yet. So, many French Army leaders gave order to keep fighting "with no retreat in mind"

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

#WW2 Chasselay, France, June 20th, 1940. A Panzer IV is opening fire. The target: a group of POW. They are Tirailleurs Senegalais, African Colonial Infantry in the French Army. This is the most documented massacre made by the German Army during the Battle of France. A thread 🧵

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

#WW2 A quick drive around Lyon today: the French Military Cemetery of Chasselay for African soldiers executed by the Germans, bullets impacts from June 1940, the site of the execution of French Resistants, and the German Military Cemetery of Dagneux.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

#WW2 Lyon, France. Night of July 26-27, 1944, a bomb destroyed Le Moulin à Vent café, a lair of Collaborators and Nazis. No one was killed or injured. But the Germans rounded up 5 French Resistants from the Montluc jail, drove them in front of the café and shot them hours later.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

#Normandy Got my most interesting tour of this year not confirmed last week, most probably they choose a tour company instead of me. Really frustrating, I probably got too excited by this "footsteps" tour. That's the business. I need to get better to avoid this next time !

media.tenor.com

Work Harder Joan Ferguson GIF

ALT: Work Harder Joan Ferguson GIF

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Reposted by Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide

Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

#WW2 Italy: another Then and Now I did last November following the footsteps of the French 2nd Moroccan Division fighting in the Abruzzo mountains, before the battles for Monte Cassino.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

It was mainly in Italy, and is a lesser extend to Germany. The 2 enemy countries. French officers had racists views of their colonial troops, even if they genuinely liked and respected them: they are "less civilized", more "wild", so they have natural urges to violence that need to be unburden.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

They were able to control their troops, but decided not to. When the same troops landed and fought in France, they committed no violence, because they were strictly controlled. The violence were tolerated at some moment in Italy for various reasons.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Not that place really. The violence made by French troops were later, in May after the breakthrough they made west of Monte Cassino, and in June after the Liberation of Rome. While these violence were exaggerated later, their reality did left a huge stain on the reputation of French troops.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Photograph : Jacques Belin Reference: TERRE 128-2747

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

#WW2 Italy: another Then and Now I did last November following the footsteps of the French 2nd Moroccan Division fighting in the Abruzzo mountains, before the battles for Monte Cassino.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Thanks a lot Paul 🙏 I should add it on my touring vehicle: "Proudly vouched for by Paul Woodadge" 😄

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

On the other hand, why do I have the feeling that I need to be reassured I'm not saying anything really wrong by watching Paul's show ? 😅

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

I have watched @ww2tv.bsky.social show about the Airborne myth on DDay, and I'm glad all the points Paul is talking about, I'm already addressing them on my tour 💪 www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohiK...

youtube.com

10 Myths about the US Airborne on DDay - June 6th 1944

YouTube video by WW2TV

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

#Normandy Then/Now, Lingèvres, the aftermath of the battle, where Sgt Harris and its Sherman Firefly tank crew destroyed 5 Panther tanks using....5 shells ! What an amazing story. Learn + about the British campaign by booking a Battle of Normandy Tour: www.french-battlefields.com/battle-of-no...

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

#Normandy So, a new WW2 museum will be built in Normandy, another one (we have about 30ish of them). This one is going to be about the POWs, and especially Foucarville POW camp, to be built next to Marmion Farm. 10 millions € in total. I'm more than skeptical ! www.tendanceouest.com/actualite-42...

tendanceouest.com

Près de Sainte-Mère-Eglise. Bientôt, le premier musée d'Europe à la mémoire des prisonniers de guerre

En 2028, Ravenoville accueillera le premier musée d'Europe en hommage aux prisonniers de guerre. Le début des travaux est prévu en 2025.

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Chris Camfield (AlliedArmour) @alliedarmour.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Hot take: We should stop calling German tanks Panzers! Do we call all French tanks Chars? Do we want to keep elevating the status of Nazi weaponry? I do think that using the German word marks them as special.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

#Normandy Last week, we visited several WW2 underground bunkers/shelters in Le Havre. They were both civilians and military. And it was IMPRESSIVE ! A Thread for WW2 and bunker/underground enthusiasts🧵 ⬇️

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Oh, and yes, my group got stuck for 25 minutes in a WW2 bunker while visiting the German underground hospital. It was fun (and just a bit worrying 😅)

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

All together, a very interesting day in Le Havre. A huge thanks to the local association Mémoire et Patrimoine who is taking care of many of these places. They are all volunteers: memoire-et-patrimoine-le-havre.fr

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

We ended the day in yet another tunnel, the Sainte Marie Tunnel, dug inside the cliff for public transportation, used by the Germans as an ammunition dump, and by the civilians as an bomb shelter during WW2.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

We exited by the corridor on which the wounded soldiers would arrive from the ambulances on the surface. On the way, a large room for the fuel for the generator.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

And the most impressive: the surgery room, all paved with luminescent paint on the walls allowing the surgeons to see for a moment in case of power outages ! Such an eerie feeling to watch this, 12 meters underground.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

An circular ventilation room to let the air flow in this large underground system, a sterilization room and a nicely paved radiography room.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

And you get to the main part: a central corridor with large rooms where dozens casualties could be treated. One of the largest could receive 96 men.

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Romain Bréget | French Battlefields Guide @frbguide.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Then, you go down and down, something like 12 meters underground.

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