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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Graham Lewis for Three Counties Action on behalf of Madame Aline Audibert and has been added to the site with her permission. Mme Audibert fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

I remember very well the passage through our village of Les Vans in the Ardèche region of France of a large German army column with all sorts of vehicles including tanks. I was a schoolgirl at the time. The column was moving north, in order, I believe, to meet the Allied armies which had landed in Normandy. It was not intended that it should pass through Les Vans but the maquis (the French resistance fighters) had blown up a bridge on their route.

In response to this, the Germans arrested six hostages including the mayor of Les Vans on their arrival. The hostages were kept throughout the night without being told anything and they thought that they were going to be shot. The Germans occupied certain buildings including the ‘mairie’ (town hall) which became their headquarters. The column was immobilised in Les Vans for a week.

The mayor, Monsieur Joseph Thibon, talked for a long time to the commanding officer of the German force and finally the hostages were released without being harmed.

The Germans left one night after having imposed a curfew on the town, requiring all the inhabitants to remain indoors. Later, the column was attacked and completely destroyed by the maquis.

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