Operation Dingson

Operation Dingson
Part of Normandy Landings
Date 5 to 18 June 1944 Location Southern Brittany, France Result Tactically indecisive Strategic Allied victory
Belligerents
French Resistance  Free French Forces	Germany

Operation Dingson (5–18 June 1944) was an operation in the Second World War, conducted by 178 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service (SAS), commanded by Colonel Pierre-Louis Bourgoin, who jumped into German occupied France near Vannes, Morbihan, Southern Brittany, in Plumelec, on the night of 5 June 1944 (11 h 30) with Captain Pierre Marienne and 17 men, then advanced to Saint-Marcel (8–18 June).

At this time there were approximately 100,000 German troops, and artillery, preparing to move to the Normandy landing areas.

Immediately upon landing in Brittany, on the night of 5 June 1944 (11 h 30), the Free French SAS who jumped in near Plumelec went into action fighting against German troops (actually, Georgians and Ukrainians).

One hour later (0 h 40), the first victim of the liberation of his country, Corporal Émile Bouétard (born 1915 in Brittany) was killed near Plumelec.

The Free French SAS established a base (Saint-Marcel) and began to arm and equip members of local resistance fighters, operating with up to 3,000 Maquis fighters and 200 paratroopers. However, their base was heavily attacked by a German paratroop division on 18 June and was forced to disperse.^[1][2]

A few weeks later, Captain Pierre Marienne and 17 of his companions (6 paratroopers, 8 resistance fighters and 3 farmers) were summarily executed after being captured in Kerihuel, Plumelec (12 July at dawn).

The Dingson team was joined by the men who had just completed Operation Cooney. Dingson was conducted alongside Operation Samwest and Operation Lost.