In between the corner of D37 and D956.

Plaque

Three concrete tables bearing rectangular black plaques which the two plaques pay tribute to the Special Operations Executive (SOE) officers who died during the operation or deportation and also contain the history and description of the monument in the central island. The plaques are located adjacent to the monument entitled "Spirit of Partnership". 

Section F (Section France) os the Special Operations Executive (SOE) is remembered on this memorial and includes several Americans.  

The 1^st plaque is written in English while the other plaque is translated into French. The center plaque is the Roll of Honour listing the names of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents who died during operations and is written in French.

Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a British organization formed in 1940 to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in German-occupied Europe and to aid local resistance movements during World War II and included Americans.

SOE personnel operated in all territories occupied or attacked by the Axis powers, except where demarcation lines were agreed upon with Britain's principal Allies, the United States, and the Soviet Union. SOE made use of neutral territory on occasion, or made plans and preparations in case neutral countries were attacked by the Axis. The organization directly employed or controlled more than 13,000 people, about 3,200 of whom were women.

The Americans who are included in the list are Flying Officer Edward Mountford Wilkinson, Lieutenant Robert Bennett Byerly, 2Lt Noor Inayat Khan, and Lieutenant Paul Eugene Ullman.

Source of information and photos: www.musee-resistance41.fr

Left plaque:

THE F SECTION MEMORIAL

SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

IN JULY 1940 WINSTON CHURCHILL CREATED THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE (SOE) TO PROMOTE RESISTANCE IN ENEMY OCCUPIED COUNTRIES AND ENCOURAGE SABOTAGE AND SUBVERSION

DURING THE NIGHT OF 5th-6th MAY 1941, THE FIRST AGENT OF SOE'S F SECTION TO BE PARACHUTED INTO FRANCE, THE RADIO OPERATOR Georges BEGUE, LANDED NEAR VALENÇAY. THERE HE MADE CONTACT WITH Max HYMANS, DEPUTE FOR THE VALENÇAY CONSTITUENCY WHO VOLUNTEERED TO WORK IN COOPERATION WITH LONDON AND TO SUPPORT LOCAL RESISTANCE GROUPS. THUS THE INDRE DEPARTEMENT BECAME A HUB OF EARLY RESISTANCE IN FRANCE.

BETWEEN MAY 1941 AND AUGUST 1944 MORE THAN 400 F SECTION AGENTS WERE LANDED SECRETLY TO WORK WITH THE FRENCH RESISTANCE AS ORGANISERS, LIAISON OFFICERS, RADIO OPERATORS, ARMS INSTRUCTORS AND COURIERS. OVER 90 F SECTION CIRCUITS WERE SET UP, COVERING THE WHOLE COUNTRY. THEY HELPED RECEIVE AND DISTRIBUTE MORE THAN 10,000 TONS OF ARMS, AMMUNITION AND SUPPLIES DROPPED BY PARACHUTE

TO THE RESISTANCE OR LANDED FROM THE SEA.

THIS MONUMENT COMMEMORATES 104 AGENTS - 91 MEN AND 13 WOMEN OF F SECTION WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. IT ALSO PAYS TRIBUTE TO THEIR COLLEAGUES WHO SURVIVED, INCLUDING MANY WHO WERE ARRESTED AND DEPORTED, TO THE AIRMEN WHO TRANSPORTED PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT IN AND OUT OF FRANCE AND TO THE SEAMEN WHO MANNED THE CLANDESTINE LITTLE SHIPS.

ERECTED BY THE FRENCH RESISTANCE IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO BROUGHT THEM HOPE. THE MONUMENT SYMBOLISES THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SOE AND THE RESISTANCE. THE ESSENTIAL SECRECY AND THE SHINING SPIRIT - LINKED BY THE MOON WHICH BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER. THREE FLOODLIGHTS AT THE BASE RECALL THE L-SHAPED FLAREPATH LAID OUT BY THE RECEPTION COMMITTEES TO ENHANCE TOUCHDOWN OF

AIRCRAFT ON IMPROVISED LANDING GROUNDS.

Fédération Libre Résistance                              Résistance et Maquis

Réseaux « Buckmaster »                    Nord Indre - Vallée du Cher

UNVEILED ON 6TH MAY 1991

By Monsieur André MERIC

Secrétaire d'Etat Chargé des Anciens Combattants et Victimes de Guerre

In the presence of

Her Majesty QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER of GREAT BRITAIN

Sculpt. ELIZABETH LUCAS HARRISON               Arch. JEAN PIERRE CAILLAUDEAU

Center plaque:

A LA MEMOIRE DES AGENTS DU S.O.E. SECTION "F"

TUES AU COMBAT OU MORTS EN DEPORTATION

LTN BYERLY R.B.

SLT INAYAT KHAN N.

LTN ULLMAN P.L

LTN WILKINSON E.M.

CDT – Commandant

CNE – Capitaine

LTN – Lieutenant

SLT – Sos-lietuenant

SGT – Sergent

ET A LA MEMOIRE DES EQUIPAGES DES FORCES AERIENNES ET NAVALES

ALLIEES DISPARUS AU CORS DES MISSIONS SPECIALES                

English translation:

IN MEMORY OF THE AGENTS OF THE S.O.E. SECTION “F”

KILLED IN COMBAT OR DIED IN DEPORTATION

LTN BYERLY R.B.

SLT INAYAT KHAN N.

LTN ULLMAN P.L.

LTN WILKINSON E.M.

CDT – Commanding Officer

CNE – Captain

LTN – Lieutenant

SLT – Second Lieutenant

SGT - Sergeant

AND IN MEMORY OF THE CREWS OF THE AIR FORCES AND NAVAL FORCES

Right plaque:

MEMORIAL DE LA SECTION F

SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

DIRECTION DES OPERATIONS SPECIALES

EN JUILLET 1940, WINSTON CHURCHILL CRÉE LE S.O.E. AFIN D'ATTAQUER LE POTENTIEL ÉCONOMIQUE DE L'ALLEMAGNE EN EUROPE OCCUPÉE PAR LE SABOTAGE ET LA SUBVERSION

SECTION "F"

SECTION FRANÇAISE

DANS LA NUIT DU 5 au 6 MAI 1941, EST PARACHUTÉ ENTRE VALENCAY ET LEVROUX Georges BEGUE, AGENT DU S.O.E. PREMIER OPERATEUR RADIO ENVOYÉ EN ZONE INOCCUPÉE. IL PREND CONTACT AVEC Max HYMANS, DEPUTÉ DE LA CIRCONSCRIPTION DE VALENCAY, QUI S'EST MIS A LA DISPOSITION DE LA RÉSISTANCE FRANCAISE À LONDRES.

LE DEPARTEMENT DE L'INDRE DEVIENT LA PLAQUE TOURNANTE LDU S.O.E. EN

FRANCE

DE MAI 1941 à AOÛT 1944, PLUS DE 90 RÉSEAUX FURENT CRÉÉS, ANIMÉS PAR 400 AGENTS HOMMES ET FEMMES, DONT 104 DISPARURENT EN MISSION. (91 HOMMES ET 13 FEMMES) LE SOUTIEN LOGISTIQUE FUT ASSURÉ PAR LES AÉRIENNES ET NAVALES ALLIÉES. LA RÉSISTANCE FRANCAISE REÇUT 7 498 PARACHUTAGES REPRÉSENTANT 10 000 TONNES DE MATÉRIEL DONT 418 000 ARMES DE TOUTES SORTES

ÉLEVÉ PAR LA RÉSISTANCE FRANCAISE A LA MÉMOIRE DE CEUX QUI LUI APPORTAIENT

L'ESPOIR.

Fédération Libre Résistance                              Résistance et Maquis

Réseaux « Buckmaster »                    Nord Indre - Vallée du Cher

INAUGURÉ LE 6 MAI 1991

Par Monsieur André MERIC

Secretaire d'État Chargé des Anciens Combattants et Victimes de Guerre

en présence de

sa Majesté La REINE ELIZABETH, REINE MERE de GRANDE BRETAGNE

LE CÔTÉ CLAIR DU MONUMENT SYMBOLISE LA RÉSISTANCE FRANCAISE, LES VOLS DE  NUIT NÉCESSAIRES AUX OPÉRATIONS CLANDESTINES SONT EVOQUÉS PAR LA PARTIE SOMBRE, LORSQUE RAPPELLE LA LUNE COMPLICE, LES PLOTS LUMINEUX LE BALISAGE DU TERRAIN

Sculpt. ELIZABETH LUCAS HARRISON      Arch. JEAN PIERRE CAILLAUDEAU