Operation Dragoon
The Allied Landings and Liberation of Southern France in 1944.

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Archive for WW2

Peter Matthews

03/14/12 Operation Dragoon Admin Comments (7)

Operation Dragoon Veteran Peter Matthews

Early 4th Battalion Parachute Regiment Photo of Peter Mathews

A brave soldier who was part of the very formation of the Parachute Regiment and served throughout the war as Part of the 4th Battalion with distinction.
Former Para Peter Matthews who was 86 passed away in the Bristol Royal Infirmary on 12th December 2011 after a brief illness. He lived and worked in the Bristol area for over 40 years, initially in the construction industry and in the licensed trade until his retirement.
He was born on 20th February 1925
Wanting to fight for his country when the war broke out he went to the recruiting centre on 21st September 1941 whilst only sixteen years old and stated that he was born in 1923. He enlisted into the London Irish Rifles and almost immediately volunteered for the newly formed Parachute Regiment, then under the umbrella of The Army Air Corps. After training at Hardwicke and Ringway he was posted to B Coy, 4th Bn Parachute Regiment.
In February 1943 he set sail for Oran in Africa and was then deployed to Tunis.
On 5th September 1943 he went to Southern Italy seeing action in Taranto and Laterza. It was during this time in the front line that Peter’s Company Commander Major Dick Hargreaves was awarded the MC. Towards the end of September 1943 the Battalion were re-deployed on the front line on the outskirts of Bari. In October 1943 they were on the outskirts of Naples along what had become known as “The Mad Mile” because of bobby traps and enemy sniper fire. By February 1944 Peter moved on with the Battalion to Monte Casino and after 2 weeks of intense fighting moved position again to Mount Pietro. By May 1944 they were back at Monte Casino and in June of the same year the battalion withdrew to Salerno where they trained for a “Top Secret” operation which would become known as Operation Dragoon, the liberation of Southern France. In August 1944 Peter as part of the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade dropped deep behind enemy lines in the Le Muy region of Southern France. Peter was part of the successful attack to secure the main bridge and crossroads which lead up from the coast and was paramount to help the American seaborne advance. Also as part of B Company Peter also helped liberate the town of Le Muy itself.
Early in September 1944 the battalion was back in Italy deployed to Rome and in October 1944 moved to Foggia to board planes to drop in Greece. The Battalion fought up through Greece to Yugoslavia and then back to Greece. Fierce fighting in and around Athens followed until the cease fire was announced on 5th January 1945.
After the war Peter saw action in Palestine and was de mobbed January 1948.
Le Muy became a special place for Peter and over a 17 year period he never missed one Anniversary of the Liberation on 15th August each year. He contributed when he could to the town museum with military memorabilia.
Operation Dragoon Veteran Peter France August 2011

One Last Trip - Southern France August 2011


He and 8 other former members of this operation where held in such high esteem for their achievement they were awarded The Légion d´Honneur by the French government on 16th August 2004.
Peter was also awarded the Greek Star by the Greek Government recognising his action in the Greek Civil war.
Upon leaving the Regiment and after a brief spell playing football for Swindon Town, Peter went to work in the construction industry.

Comments (7)
Categories : British Veterans Remembered
Tags : anvil dragoon, operation dragoon, remembering operation dragoon, WW2

Operation Dragoon – We Meet Again

09/23/10 Operation Dragoon Admin Comments (1)

WW2 veteran British paratrooper from Operation Dragoon Peter Matthews, meets the “boy” he gave chocolate to, for the first time since 15th August 1944.

On the 15th of August 1944 Peter Matthews was making his way to the main crossroads by the River Nartuby in Le Muy, Southern France.  He had been ordered down from the hill overlooking the town with “Spike” Nolan and a couple of other members of 4th Battalion C Company to assess the strength of the German force holding this important crossroads.  On his way down the plan was to follow the course of the river along to the bridge over the river by the crossroads.  Helping the paratroopers find the best way down was a young local man Jean Galli.  On the way down they passed a farm and a young boy, Maurice Toselo, ran out and stumbled across the British Paratroopers.

Peter Matthews said “I thought to myself, I hope he doesn’t shout ‘cos he’ll give our position away and we’ll all be dead ‘cos the Germans were nearby. The only thing I could think of was to give him my chocolate ration and hope he would go back into the farmhouse. Luckily for us he did just that.”

The paratroopers hid by the bridge over the Nartuby and awaited their chance to take the crossroads which had been an important objective of the whole operation.

Peter Matthews added “I have been returning to Le Muy since the 50th Anniversary of Operation Dragoon and I’ve become friends with Jean Galli, we always have a drink together each year, but to meet the boy I gave chocolate to is incredible. Of course after 66 years Maurice is not looking so young now but he’s still that boy in my memories and talking with him brought back the memory of that morning in 1944. How lucky we are to be alive”

Veterans reunited

66 years on we meet again

Operation Dragoon veterans

After all these years reunited again

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Categories : Liberation Remembered
Tags : anvil dragoon, operation dragoon, remembering operation dragoon, WW2

The Special Friendship

09/10/10 Operation Dragoon Admin Comments (0)
Veterans return August 2007

"Hello Joe fancy seeing you again"!

Two old soldiers, one British, one American and both veterans of Operation Dragoon, meet once again outside the Musee de la Liberation in Le Muy.  Peter Matthews (left) and Joe Ciccinelli have been returning to the Le Muy area of Southern France since the 50th Anniversary in 1994.  Both are recipients of the Legion d’Honneur bestowed upon them for their part in the heroic efforts in helping Liberate France form Nazi occupation.

Le Muy was the first town to be liberated in the South of France on 15th August 1944.

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Categories : Liberation Remembered
Tags : anvil dragoon, operation dragoon, remembering operation dragoon, WW2

Liberation Celebrations 2009

09/10/10 Operation Dragoon Admin Comments (2)
4th Batallion Bridge - Le Muy

4th Batallion Bridge over River Nartuby - Le Muy

On the 15th August 2009 as part of the Liberation celebrations in Le Muy the people of the town dedicated the bridge over the Nartuby on the N7 near the town, to the 4th Batallion Parachute Regiment.

On the morning of 15th August 1944 the bridge was the scene of some fierce fighting as it also stood near the main crossroads to the town. During one firefight members of the 4th Batallion B Company saw a German patrol with 2 American prisoners…in the fight that ensued the Americans were freed. Peter Matthews and Spike Nolan and other members of 4th Batallion ‘B’ Company were first on the crossroads on the morning of 15th August 1944, there was some fierce fighting but the British held the crossroads and began to force the Germans back up into the town.

The photos below show members of the 4th Batallion, including Dick Hargreaves who was B’ Company Commander and Peter Matthews. The veterans were honoured to unveil the commemorative plaque and throw flowers into the river to remember those who died in the battle that took place here in 1944.

4th Batallion veterans

British Veterans survey the newly dedicated 4th Batallion Bridge.

British Veterans

Proud Veterans of Operation Dragoon and the Mayor of Le Muy, Madame Boyer display the Union Jack on the Bridge

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Categories : Operation Dragoon Commemorations
Tags : anvil dragoon, operation dragoon, remembering operation dragoon, WW2

Michael Compton

09/10/10 Operation Dragoon Admin Comments (0)
Pathfinder 1944

Michael Compton

Taken from Michaels own account of his involvement in Operation Dragoon.

“……We spent the first four months of 1944 on Sicily, based on three USAAF bases – Gerbini, Ponte-Olivio & Comiso, (where we loved the food, after our British rations, especially at breakfast – “how many eggs? Sunny side up or easy over?” and all the trimmings!- and the PX !), training with the American aircrews to bring them up to pathfinder standard – to home in on our directional beacons and ground landing aids, so as to avoid a repetition of the disastrous Sicily landings.   We carried out numerous day & night exercises with them, dropping between one man at times and a section of eight at others to let them get experience of making correct landfalls and identifying the dropping/landing zones which we would mark out.

This training paid off in August when we were able to pick our own crews for our pathfinder drop in the south of France (part of Operation “Dragoon”) who dropped us, despite heavy ground fog, on the correct spot.  Our work was also appreciated by the American Air Force, who awarded us the unique right to wear their torch pathfinder batch on the left sleeve of our uniforms.

On Operation “Dragoon” we dropped at 03.34 hrs into the fields & vineyards of the village of Le Mitan  near the village of La Motte & town of Le Muy and set up our Eureka beacons and other landing aids in good – 3 -time for the arrival of the Brigade at dawn.  Again the leading planes of the three battalions were crewed by our friends from Sicily and two of the three battalions landed right on target on our DZ; the third, unfortunately had its Rebecca receiver malfunction and, not receiving the signal from our Eureka beacon, dropped its battalion some miles away.     (They were able to rejoin the Brigade later during the day.)    The value and efficiency of the pathfinder unit had been proved to the full.  During the rest of the  day and subsequently we cleared the ground of obstacles, brought in American gliders and supply drops, created landing strips for light aircraft and so on.   We returned to Italy by sea on 29th August, billeted near Rome, and were re-equipped for our next adventure, already in the pipeline…………”

Michael Compton was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the French on the 6oth Anniversary celebrations of Operation Dragoon at La Motte.

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Categories : British Veterans Remembered
Tags : anvil dragoon, operation dragoon, remembering operation dragoon, WW2

British Operation Dragoon Veterans Honoured

09/09/10 Operation Dragoon Admin Comments (4)

Parachute Regiment veteran Veterans RememberedPeter Matthews receives the Legion d’Honneur from French Minister Hubert Falco on the occassion of the 6oth Anniversary celebrations of Operation Dragoon at La Motte which was one of the first villages to be liberated by the British in 1944 in Sothern France.

In all 10 medals were awarded to British veterans representing the Pathfinders, 4th, 5th and 6th Batallions of the Parachute Regiment.

Comments (4)
Categories : 60th Anniversary
Tags : anvil dragoon, operation dragoon, remembering operation dragoon, WW2

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