Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Commandant (Major)

Unit:

Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur

Awarded on:

April 14th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Commandant (Major)

Unit:

Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Commandant (Major)

Unit:

Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur

Awarded on:

April 24th, 1946

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Commandant (Major)

Unit:

Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur

Citation:
"This officer was the moving spirit in the resistance movement in the Orleans area. As a prisoner of war from June 1940 until early 1941, he organised, at great risk to himself, the escape of several hundred of his fellow-prisoners. He himself escaped in February 1941, and began organising resistance throughout the Loiret department. He sheltered a large number of Allied airmen, arranged for wounded to be cared for, and organised escape routes.

In 1942 this officer came in contact with a British organiser, with whom he worked for several months until the British officer was arrested by the Gestapo. Although seriously compromised, Charié continued his activities. He was handicapped by lack of contact with London and shortage of stores, and was consequently unable for a period to do more than carry on small-scale sabotage and prepare his region for D-Day.

In March 1944, a British organiser and W/T operator were parachuted into the Loiret. They immediately contacted Charié and found that he had organised the department thoroughly and efficiently with sabotage teams ready for action on all the chief railways and tele-communications and with grounds reception committees and arms depots ready to receive stores and that there was nothing to do but arrange with London for the dropping of supplies and await the receipt of the D-Day motion(?) messages. In four months 90 plane-loads of arms and explosives were delivered to Charié's grounds.

On D-Day and after, all the telephone cables, high tension lines and railway in the Loiret were effectively attacked, and rail traffic was suspended for long periods, particulary on the line Montargis-Paris. Several bridges were destroyed and effective attacks were made in enemy road convoys.

The British organiser was arrested towards the end of June, but Charié carried on and even extended his activities, organising four maquis groups - at Sully-la-Chapelle, Chambon, Ladon and Bois Thomas - numbering some 2000 men. He led his troops in a number of engagements with the enemy, notably at Chambon, where, with 120 men, he fought for 10 hours against a German force of 1200, of whom 78 were killed and 40 wounded, and at Lorris where he led a force of 700 F.F.I. against 1500 heavily-armed Germans and again inflicted heavy casualties.

These sabotage and gerilla operations contributed largely towards the disruption of German traffic through the important "Orleans gap" and greatly facilitated the task of the Allied Forces.

For his outstanding services in French resistance, his loyal and unselfish co-operation with British Liaison officers and an S.A.S. team who were dropped in his area, for his unswerving devotion to the Allied cause and for his great courage and perseverance, it is recommended that this officer be appointed a Companion in the Distinguished Service Order."

Recommended by Colin Gubbins
Major-General
22.5.45