大象传媒

Introduction

On 15 August 1944, the Allies landed in Provence in southern France. This followed the earlier Normandy Landings in June of that year. There then followed a rapid advance on all Fronts eventually leading to the Liberation of Paris on 25 August 1944.

However, for many Frenchmen and Frenchwomen the liberation was not exactly plain sailing. This is one account that happened to two young Frenchmen from the village of Badaroux in the Loz猫re department who faced being executed by a German firing squad and yet lived to tell the tale.

Mr Jean-Pierre Nogaret was one of those young men and told me about this episode of his life to assist me with a university research project I was undertaking about World War Two. He agreed to sign a form assigning copyright to me, that I could write about his wartime experiences and that it could be read by others if they wished. I am grateful to Jean-Pierre and his family for sharing this memory. I am pleased to honour them by submitting this article that was originally written in French.

Gone fishing

Jean-Pierre Nogaret and Pierre Broullet were two school friends from the village of Badaroux, who also attended the further education college at Mende, the capital of Loz猫re. Both of them went on the run from the Germans to avoid a Compulsory Work Order, known as STO, that required them to go to Germany to work there. In France, young men who did this became known as 鈥楻efractaires鈥�.

In August 1944 Jean-Pierre and Pierre were hiding out in the countryside at Palet a short distance from their home village. It is beside the river Lot that meanders through the countryside with an abundance of trout. With no valid identity papers to obtain food it was necessary to get food from wherever it was available. Hence, on Thursday 17 August, a fine sunny day, the two men bearing the name of Saint Peter (in French, 鈥楶ierre鈥�) decided to follow the profession of their common Patron Saint and go fishing. Residents of the area have fished the river for generations, so at any other time this would have seemed an ordinary thing to do.

Using four nets to span the river, they finished their task in one hour, between four o鈥檆lock and 5 o鈥檆lock in the afternoon. Suddenly, they heard the noise of a motorcar. It turned out this was the 鈥榤aquis鈥� (French Resistance). Then Jean-Pierre and Pierre saw the Germans arriving on the other bank of the river. This was particularly bad luck for the young fishermen because they were caught in the resultant crossfire. After a short exchange of fire, the 鈥榤aquis鈥�, under the command of Mr. Ren茅 Michel from Marvejols, took the opportunity to make a strategic withdrawal for the time being.

Captured by the Germans

Unfortunately, for the two fishermen from Badaroux, they are the only ones who find it necessary to put their hands up and surrender their souls to the Germans. Simply, and in excellent French, the German officer announces to Jean-Pierre and Pierre they will be shot at 7 o鈥檆lock that evening. He has the idea that they are 鈥榯errorists鈥�! All they had to look forward to was a firing squad.

In France in 1944, there are numerous examples where the German military occupiers carried out summary executions of civilians for no apparent valid reason, other than perhaps the underlying tension prevalent at the time. The best known of these was probably at Oradour-sur-Glane on 10 June 1944. Jean-Pierre mentioned the incident at Oradour in relating his own experience. German soldiers had killed virtually the entire village population. There had also been civilian executions closer to Badaroux.

How did Jean-Pierre and Pierre escape the firing squad? When the German officer looked at a file of identity photographs of 鈥榳anted terrorists鈥�, he did not find the likeness of the two young men in front of him. So for whatever reason, the German officer cancelled the firing squad and gave them leave to go. Even then, Jean-Pierre and Pierre were fearful of being shot in the back. Nevertheless they 鈥榮carpered鈥� from the scene pretty fast. As far as Jean-Pierre and Pierre were concerned, they were truly running for their lives! However, the German officer did not order his men to open fire so they were allowed to leave.

Arriving back home

Meanwhile, back in Badaroux the villagers had found out what was happening. There had been a witness to the capture of the two young fishermen by the Germans This was a young goatherd, Roger Forestier. He had ran back to Badaroux and said that his two friends had been shot.

On learning of the course of events, Mr Martin Lauraire, the Mayor of Badaroux, decided to go to the scene and attempt to obtain the liberty of two of the sons of Badaroux. Donning the tricolour sash of red, white and blue that represented the sign of his authority as Mayor, Mr Lauraire went up to the German soldiers and attempted to obtain their release. The German sentry showed no respect for the mayoral sash and roughly pulled it from Mr Lauraire. It seemed as though this courageous act had been in vain.

However, after being set free Jean-Pierre and Pierre ran as fast as they could back home to Badaroux. Naturally, they found everyone in the village in a rather agitated state. The emotions of everyone at that time can really only be imagined. According to Jean-Pierre, 鈥淭o describe these moments is impossible 鈥�.鈥�. That is really the only comment that can be made.

This is a rather grim episode of World War Two. Fortunately it had a happy ending. It is so grim that you really have to try and bring a little humour in it to offset the grim reality. I remarked to Jean-Pierre that on that day of 17 August 1944, there must have been a 鈥楪uardian Angel鈥� looking after them whoever that was!

One other little anecdote of this episode is also a happy one. Two days afterwards, on Saturday 19 August 1944 Jean-Pierre and Pierre returned to collect their fishing nets they had set in the river. They discovered they were full of trout! According to Jean-Pierre it was, 鈥� 鈥� a truly miraculous catch!鈥� My comment was that I now knew who their Guardian Angel had been. The common Patron Saint of Jean-Pierre and Pierre is Saint Peter (in French 鈥楶ierre鈥�) and of course he was a fisherman!

Conclusion

This was a strange but true event of World War Two. I know very little about Mr Lauraire, the Mayor of Badaroux during World War Two. However, it is evident from this one event that he must have been a great and courageous man. He left the safety of his home village to approach a group of armed soldiers in an attempt to secure the release of two young villagers.

Although it will never be known of course, it may well have been this act that finally tipped the balance and persuaded the German officer to release his two prisoners. Mr Lauraire may have been the real earthly 鈥楪uardian Angel鈥� of Jean-Pierre and Pierre that fateful August day. At the very least, it is an act of the highest bravery with no thought for personal safety that should be recognised and remembered.

Jean-Pierre Nogaret went on to become a teacher at Marvejols, a small town to the west of Mende. He married his fianc茅e Juliette Bourrier on 7 April 1947 and retired in 1981. He then became one of the founding fathers of the Marvejols- Cockermouth Town Twinning Committee. Cockermouth is a small market town in Cumbria.

In 2000, Marvejols and Cockermouth jointly won the 鈥楨urope Prize鈥�, due in no small part to Jean-Pierre and many others. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth recognised Jean-Pierre by awarding him an honorary MBE.

On 17 August 1944 Jean-Pierre鈥檚 life was finely balanced between life and death. For whatever reason, Jean-Pierre and his friend were spared. The escape from a German firing squad meant Jean-Pierre was able to do so much for so many people that was eventually recognised throughout Europe. It has been an honour to submit this article to honour Jean-Pierre, his wife Juliette and all the Nogaret family.

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