First Special Service Force

The Canadian and American soldiers of the First Special Service Force, commandos tasked with liberating our territory and retaking the summits in September 1944, especially Mont Agel.

Canadian troops Rex Mann and Stanley Dainard were killed on Mont Baudon as they were attempting to clear Madone pass;

US soldiers James Moore and Emmet Reed were killed during a battle on Mont-Méras to clear the road of Braus pass.

Three artillerymen of the 602nd regiments in support of the FSSF, Louis Green, Arthur Lupone, and Louis Leismester, blew up on a mine as they attempted to clear the road of Madone pass.

Finally, Canadian soldier Solomon Biblowitz of the FSSF was killed in an attack he was leading on the 12/09/1944 in an effort to retake Mont-Ours.

His Canadian brothers in arms prevailed the following day, on the 13th of September 1944, and five of them were decorated for their achievement: J. Barnett, G. Bundy, L. Devison, D. Dickie, D. Fitzpatrick.

In 2014, two American army veterans of the FSSF who fought in Peille in September 1944, CY Memerlstein and Eugène Guiterrez, travelled from the US to pay homage to their brothers who died to free our territory: they were made honorary citizens of Peille during a moving ceremony.