Milice Francaise Operations in Normandy

[zagreb29]

I know the Milice had members all over France. But after the Allied invasion at Normandy in June, 1944, did the Milice have troops in action fighting resistance members in the area?

[Loïc]

I know that the word is very equivocal but actually the "Milice" wasn't a military force : it was a political party and an auxiliary indigenous police of the Germans, it didn't have members all over France because it wasn't allowed in the former Northern Zone and so in Normandy before january 1944

Only the Franc-Garde who wasn't armed before the end of 1943 could be regarded as a paramilitary force in the former Southern Zone but certainly unable due to the size (~3 to 5000men for the whole France) to have troops everywhere

In Normandy there were probably members of the small collaborationnist political groups such as the PPF RNP acting like the Milice of the Southern Zone as Gestapo auxiliaries, informers, infiltrating the Resistance etc, but don't expect to see Battalions and "troops" like if it was an Army or the Maquis

Regards
Loïc

[zagreb29]

Loïc, Thank you for responding. I know the Milice was not a military force but from what I know they were equipped with small arms. I think there biggest operation,(combat) was against the Maquis in Haute-Savoie in March,1944. And that would be in the Southern Zone,("Free Zone"). And I think your right about the Milice not being allowed in the Northern Zone up untill January,1944. But I thought by June, 1944 the Milice had memebers ready to hunt down FFI and Maquis in both Southern and Northern Zones. Wasn't Philippe Henriot's asassination in Paris on June 28,1944? And his funeral was also in Paris.

Thanks again,

z-

[Georges JEROME]

hello,

if you read french here is a link upon german operation with milice (franc garde ?) in august 44

http://normandie-jeunesse.hautetfort.co ... %C3%A7aise

Georges

[Cassius29]

hello,

if you read french here is a link upon german operation with milice (franc garde ?) in august 44

http://normandie-jeunesse.hautetfort.co ... %C3%A7aise

Georges

I read this article translated through Google. Very interesting about 50 Milicien fighting off some
Maquis in "Saint Cyr la Rosière"? I looked up this place on the map of France. It's almost near Normandy. How
can it be said that the "Milice Francaise" was not in the Northern Zone?? They were allowed to go in late January,1944.

[Cassius29]

I am very Certain the "Milice" were in the both zones by the time of D-Day.

[Loïc]

Read first posts, the Milice was allowed in Northern zone since january 1944, counting around 3 to 5000 men for whole France the D-Day
their strength were usually overestimated, instead of so-called 50 members of the Milice in this case, maybe there were only 20

[Georges JEROME]

Yes, Milice was in Normandy on 1944
South zone was invaded on november 1942 but France remained under two different military command : MBF and Kdt Heeresgebiet Südfrankreich.
the Milice Française was created in january 1943 and armed on november 1943 in the former south zone (area Under authority of Heeresgebiet Südfrankreich)
mid january 1944 Milice was allowed to set up an organisation in the former north zone (area Under authority of Mil.Bef. in Frankreich ).

[Cassius29]

Georges JEROME,

I have learned a lot about the Milice in 3 years. I understand about the timeline with the Milice and the two zones. The link you have posted about saint Cyr la Rosière? Do you know of any other Milice action in Normandy in the summer of 1944?

[Georges JEROME]

Milice was auxiliary police force to SIPO SD activities in the area of KdS Rouen for the Normandy until order to retreat in august 1944. Members of Franc garde were daily involved in actions and crimes against résistance in the 5 départements français of Normandy which appears in numerous local articles upon liberation period in Normandy. Therefore is not significative actions like in Alpes, Auvergne-Limousin.

[Cassius29]

Milice was auxiliary police force to SIPO SD activities in the area of KdS Rouen for the Normandy until order to retreat in august 1944. Members of Franc garde were daily involved in actions and crimes against résistance in the 5 départements français of Normandy which appears in numerous local articles upon liberation period in Normandy. Therefore is not significative actions like in Alpes, Auvergne-Limousin.

Thank you for replying? What does "KdS Rouen" mean? When you say "Members of Franc garde were daily involved in actions", were these like small battle in the forests? Or arrests in towns and villages?

[Georges JEROME]

Sorry I'm not a specialist of the Milice Française. Not easy easy to find large action of armed forces of the Milice the so called "Franc-Gardes" because thy were in 1944 around 8000 and french security forces were 123 000 (Gendarmerie, G.M.R...).

[Cassius29]

Georges JEROME,

Ok, well thanks for the information. I do know that the Milice and GMR did have an operation in the "Glieres" from January-March, 1944. Still looking up information on that.

[Georges JEROME]

Jean de Vaugelas was C.O. of the 800 francs-gardes attached to the C.O. of the security in Haute Savoie (Col of Gendarmerie Lelong) who were involved in the combined action in the Glières.
Vaugelas 's deputy was capitaine Raybaud, he led a group of 150 men. 4 others groups were headed by former army officers Jacques Dugé de Bernonville, Di Constanzo, Victor de Bourmont former capitaine of Tirailleurs algériens and Raoul Dagostini former lieutenant .

Georges

[Georges JEROME]

KdS means Kommandeur der Sipo SD which has authority on the whole Normandie with outoffices in main towns known as Aussendienstellen der SIPO SD.