The Special Sabotage Section (S.S.S.)

• This unit was created thanks to captain Jacques NANCY, assistant to Claude BONNIER, Regional Military Representative (DMR) for B region, who both came from London and arrived on their mission in the Charente on 14th November 1943 to reorganise the Resistance.

• Jacques NANCY had particular responsibility for training, instructing and arming sabotage groups and organising parachute drops of arms and explosives in order to play a fuller role in carrying out Plan "Green" - a massive plan of sabotage and attacks - prepared by the Allied general staff. In the space of two and a half months, he succeeded in creating, arming and instructing 70 groups of saboteurs in B region.

• Following the arrest and suicide of Claude BONNIER on 9th February 1944, he left Bordeaux for the Charente where he created the Special Sabotage Section based in Bouex and Malaville. To achieve this, he contacted members of the B.O.A. : Charles FRANC, René CHABASSE, René RISPARD, Edmond DURUISSEAU and Guy BERGER.

• From April until 6th June 1944, the Special Sabotage Section distinguished itself through numerous acts of sabotage against railway lines, factories, high-voltage electricity lines, parachute drops of arms and explosives, attacks, skirmishes and combats against the Germans. In order to avoid reprisals, this maquis had 12 different camps in the Charente. Three groups were formed depending on their zones of operations : Charente-maritime (DODART), Charente (Albert GIN), Ruffec (DUSSART). The small maquis of Albert GIN which often operated with the group, officially joined the Special Sabotage Section in June 1944.

• After 6th June, the three groups successfully intensified their sabotage operations against the railway lines and installed their camp in the Dordogne, near Augignac.

• With the arrival of numerous volunteers, the S.S.S. was organised into 5 groups under the orders of BERGER, GIN, PRADIER, OLIVAIN and FRANCOIS.

• Contact with the inter-allied mission of captain DELORME and the maquis of Dordogne North A.S. 5 brought further arms and explosives.

• On 24th July 1944, the S.S.S. composed of 80 saboteurs saved the small town of Nontron from certain destruction by repelling an attack led by 800 Germans and Milice at Javerlhac in the Dordogne.

• The S.S.S., with some 140 men, took part in the Liberation of Angoulême on 31st August 1944 alongside the maquisards from Charente and the Dordogne

• Having become the 2nd Company of the 1st battalion of the 50th infantry regiment from Périgueux, it took part in the siege and taking of ROYAN and BRIE on 14th April 1945.