Lackey 3A

Posted on November 1, 2025 • No Comments

A series of stories and biographical sketches exploring the lives of those who stand at the edges of the narrative told in The Écrivélo Book. BEAUREGARD, ALCIDE “CYRANO” THE LACKEY 3A DROP SITE On the night of 27/28 April 1944, the aircraft Worry Bird of the 801st Provisional Bomb Group[...]

André Dammann

Posted on October 19, 2025 • No Comments

One of a series of stories and biographical sketches exploring the lives of those who stand at the edges of the narrative told in The Écrivélo Book. Andre Dammann 2 Introduction - A Tempsford Passenger On the night of 7 August 1944, a Hudson aircraft of RAF 161 Squadron approached[...]

Sgt R. W. Watson (RAAF)

Posted on October 17, 2025 • No Comments

Crew of Lancaster Mk I AS-Z Back row, left to right: F/O Geoffrey Vivian O’Brien – POW; Sgt Jack Marsden – Evaded; Sgt Ralph William Watson – Evaded; Sgt Terry Kelly – later replaced by Sgt Henry Pickford. Front row, left to right: Sgt Eric William John Ashford – POW; P/O Garnet[...]

The Croixault Aerodrome

Posted on September 8, 2025 • No Comments

L’aérodrome de Croixault sous l’occupation allemande, 1940-41 During the Battle of France, 53 Squadron was based here, engaged in reconnaissance duties to track the advancing German Army. One aircraft of the squadron was a Blenheim MK IV PZ¤C. The crew were Flying Officer Alastair Panton, Sergeant John Christie, and AC2[...]

Homage to the Airmen

Posted on August 30, 2025 • No Comments

On Saturday, August 30, 2025, I had the privilege of being invited by Les Amicale des Anciens des Maquis de la Vallée d’Azergues to pay homage to Flying Officers John Christie and Dennis Kieran Flaherty at their Commonwealth War Grave in Létra. It was a tremendous honour, and I extend[...]

The Pilot of The Admiral Prune

Posted on July 24, 2025 • No Comments

Context Thursday, February 4, 1943. It was 22:30 hrs, and Lancaster W4118 was four hours and twenty minutes into a mission to bomb the Industrial Italian city of Turin. Six Lancasters from 106 Squadron had left RAF Syerston as part of a bombing mission consisting of 188 aircraft. The last[...]

Charles Arsène Victor MARIZY

Posted on August 4, 2023 • No Comments

Charles Arsène Victor MARIZY 1847 - 1930 Marizy Charles Arsène Victor SOURCE: Unknown It's less confusing if you look at the family tree first. Charles Arsène Victor MARIZY was the great-grandfather of the last Chamelet Mayor of the 20th Century, Charles Bréchard. Charles Arsène MARIZY was M. Bréchard's grandfather and served[...]

It’s 79 Years Ago Today

Posted on July 26, 2023 • No Comments

79th Anniversary and Worthy of a Quick Reminder. FO Gribben RAF and FL Griffiths RCAF Crew of DZ 534 rescued from English Channel.jpg (L'équipage du DZ 534 sauvé de la Manche) SOURCE: © United Kingdom National Archives It's 79 years since the Mosquito Crashed in the Forêt de Brou. Overnight[...]

SONNERY becomes Mayor

Posted on July 10, 2023 • No Comments

Chamelet gets a new Mayor. M. Sonnery is Installed as Mayor. 7th July 1943 Mr. SONNERY is selected as Mayor of Chamelet by the Préfet Délégué of Rhône. Under the authority of of the Vichy Law of 13th Nov 1941. Monsieur Sébastien Jean Marie SONNERY was selected as the new[...]

Sébastien Jean Marie SONNERY is selected as the Mayor of Chamelet by the Préfet

Posted on June 26, 2023 • No Comments

The Resignation of Mayor MARIZY is accepted. Source - Document Archives départementales du Rhône et de la métropole de Lyon 3353 W2 Mr. SONNERY is selected as Mayor of Chamelet by the Préfet Délégué of Rhône. Under the authority of of the Vichy Law of 13th Nov 1941. Here is[...]