The majority of the Allied troops who took part in the D-Day landings were American, British and Canadian. But a small number were French; part of the Free Forces serving with the Allies. The story of the "Groupes Lourds", French squadrons who were integrated into the Royal Air Force and took part in the D-Day operations, is not well known in France. In this report, FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin and Stéphanie Trouillard met one of the last surviving members of the "Groupes Lourds" and spoke to people whose fathers were killed during combat missions during World War II.
Images: SCA 30/Réalisateur inconnu/Service cinématographique de l’air/ECPAD/1945/Défense
Elvington Airbase, where the Groupes Lourds were based, is now the Yorkshire Air Museum.
