On 7 June 1944, 297 Squadron took part in Operation Cooney by providing 2 of the 9 aircraft of 38 Group that were used to deploy elements of the 4th Free French Parachute Battalion or 2eme RCP (Regiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes) also known as 4th SAS

Special Air Service

Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...

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These men were to disrupt enemy communications between West Brittany and the remainder of France, and in all 58 Free French soldiers were dropped on no fewer than 18 undefended drop zones between St. Malo and Vannes

Vannes

Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...

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Breaking into eighteen three-man or five-man SAS teams. The teams scattered throughout Brittany

Brittany

Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...

 destroying railroad targets. As a sign they had passed through they tied railroad ties around trees.

Some raiders then joined the base established by the Dingson

Operation Dingson

Operation Dingson was an operation in the Second World War, conducted by about 178 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service , commanded by Colonel Pierre-Louis Bourgoin, who jumped into German occupied France near Vannes, Morbihan, Southern Brittany, in Plumelec, on the night of 5...

 team in Saint-Marcel

Saint-Marcel

-In France:*Saint-Marcel, Ain, in the Ain département*Saint-Marcel, Ardennes, in the Ardennes département*Saint-Marcel, Eure, in the Eure département*Saint-Marcel, Indre, in the Indre département...

, Morbihan

Morbihan

Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...

 or the base established by the Samwest

Operation Samwest

During World War II, Operation Samwest was a large raid conducted by 116 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service Regiment. Their objective was to hinder movement of German troops from west Brittany to the Normandy beaches via ambush and sabotage attempts.The first phase of the...

 team in Duault

Duault

Duault is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Population:The inhabitants of Duault are known in French as duaultois.-External links:* *...

, Côtes d'Armor. Part of Overlord

Operation Overlord

Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...

.

See also

• Operation Overlord
  Operation Overlord
  Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
  
  
• Operation Dingson
  Operation Dingson
  Operation Dingson was an operation in the Second World War, conducted by about 178 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service , commanded by Colonel Pierre-Louis Bourgoin, who jumped into German occupied France near Vannes, Morbihan, Southern Brittany, in Plumelec, on the night of 5...
  
  
• Operation Samwest
  Operation Samwest
  During World War II, Operation Samwest was a large raid conducted by 116 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service Regiment. Their objective was to hinder movement of German troops from west Brittany to the Normandy beaches via ambush and sabotage attempts.The first phase of the...
  
  
• Operation Lost
  Operation Lost
  During World War II, Operation Lost was a reactive seven-man Special Air Service operation inserted into Brittany alongside Operation Dingson on 22-23 June 1944...
  
  

Dramatization

• The Longest Day
  The Longest Day
  The Longest Day could refer to:*D day*The Longest Day , published in 1959 by Cornelius Ryan*The Longest Day , a 1962 war film based on Ryan's book*The Longest Day , a 1980 wargame by Avalon Hill...
  
  , a 1962 american film produced by Darryl F. Zanuck
  Darryl F. Zanuck
  Darryl Francis Zanuck was an American producer, writer, actor, director and studio executive who played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors...
  
  :

3 Free French SAS paratroopers, 1 woman (Janine Boitard) and 1 Resistance fighter against 2 german soldiers on the railroad near the bridge before the explosion.