Conquest of Our-Lady of the Guard
(August 25, 1944)
When the First French Army, exceeding Toulon, sinks towards Marseilles, it is presented in front of an insurgent city.
The General de Lattre de Tassigny fears to let its troops enter a bow net, "in the disorder of a city in full insurrection." Nevertheless, under the responsibility of the General of Montsabert,
the third Division of Algerian Infantry makes movement. De Lattre writes that it was left "literally to aspire by southernmost crowd". The official report/ratio of the army known as: " the arrival of the regular army relieves them French forces of the Interior,
hung hard since 48 hours ". It is true, but what is it also it is that for 48 hours the German garrison has been blocked in some points of support.
The interior resistance, animated mainly by F LEENHARDT and G DEFERRE (combined Massereau) souléve on August 21, 1944, two days before the input in Marseilles of the 3rd Division of Algerian Infantry, controlled by the General of GOISLARD de MONTSABERT. August 23, three Groupements de Tabors Marocains (GTM) encircle Marseilles: In north: Cadolive - Peypin - Septêmes - Estaque - Nerthe (August 24), Route of Martigues 25, Aunt Rose on August 26.
In the center: Collar of the Angel - St Wolf - Borély Park - Penetration in Marseilles Is the 26 Prise of Strong St Nicolas on August 27 with 17hOO.
In the East: Along the littoral - Cleaning of Ciotat - Blackcurrant - Cape Small cross - the Old Vault - the Red Point - Catch of Strong Napoleon 28 with 09hOO.

Le August 23 in 07hOO of the morning, the 7th Algerian Riflemen penetrates in Marseilles, with the 2nd Regiment of Cuirassiers (Sherman tank). St Julien - Canebière - the Gate of Aix - catches of ND of the Guard.

The 24 at the evening, the First Company of the 7th R-T.A. confines in the middle-class houses of the Course Pierre Puget. Its objective: The Basilica of ND of the Guard perched high.
August 25 with 06hOO, under the plane trees, accompanied by the cries of myriades of sparrows piaillards and trenching, the company which it is faggot of ammunition, goes up to play its card.
By the staircases of the street Abbot DASSY, by the street Vauvenargues, then by the gardens, the men infiltrate. Other riflemen leave the street Cherchell (currently Jules-Moulet) and the F.F.I. Pierre Chaix-Bryan their fact of climbing the hill by one staircase about unknown.
Arrived in front of the garden of Evêché, the men slip under the last frondaisons, in the episcopal garden.
In front of them, the Basilica, immense and majestic, cherished by the first sunbeams, irradiates around. More than one objective of choice, beautiful, unreal, it is a goal, a mission, a symbol.
First shot on the casemates. Calms is broken, the finished walk, the business of ND starts.
The weather is 8 hours, it is nice, one feels the joy in life, they are the 25 of August. The house of summer of the Bishop is used as infirmary. Monseigneur DELAY and it Chanoine GROS, the wounds of the casualties bind; Christian hands, Moslem blood, all is in the order.
The combat makes rage.
About midday, the residence is unrecognizable. The roof burns, 88 German hammer the walls, from all the windows, the Algerian Riflemen draw without stop. There is blood everywhere.

At the end of the morning, two tanks will come to support their actions. At the beginning of the afternoon, the tank "Jeanne d'Arc" touched by two 88, takes fire (its turret is torn off) and flames with share of its personal.
His/her companion of fight, the tank " Jourdan ", springs towards the rise of the Oratory, but change on the first line of mines and, déchenillé, is immobilized.
The crew, stoical, car all that it can, on the embrasures of the blockhouses.
Around 15 hours, the rise of the Oratory blazes up, immense tongues of fire leave the rock and sweep the path.
The permanent device of the flame throwers with electric release has just played. Nobody is fortunately touched.
Holding the rifles with end of arm, the section of the 7th R.T.A. leaves while howling.
The attack is launched. At every moment, they expect to be swept by a flame thrower. The four hundred meters, of climbing ground, appear interminable to them.
Then, it is the enclosure, the penetration in the course interior, the crossing of the gate and the surrounding wall. Shooting in gusts on the inputs of German shelters. An arm tightens a white handkerchief. Fire ceases. Vingt-trois German soldiers go.

Not being unaware of anything tactical I' importance of ND of the Guard, which dominating the whole city, is the genuine key, and made up, for the adjustment of the shootings of their artillery, the ideal observatory. The Riflemen must hold, and avoid the surprise.
Fire, intense and growing, coming from the batteries of the islands of the Friuli, and surrounding, is likely to ruin this company.
The tank " Fabert " which joined the esplanade with height of the smoking carcass of the Jeanne d' Arc, opens fire in direct shooting, on active objectives of Strong St-Jean (German PC), with buildings held by the enemy.
Some men, with the old Vice-chancellor, Monseigneur BOREL, who always held head with the Germans, while refusing to evacuate ND, spring and hoist side more considering, the immense Tricolour, largest of the Basilica. The enemy shooting stops Net. A powerful clamour, incredible, like output of the plot of the land, assembles city then. Hundred thousand chests have just howled their joy.
Marseilles knows that the Good-Mother is delivered. Germans too.

One sends a prisoner like member of Parliament near the some fifty officers and German soldiers cut off in undergrounds of the hill. They go... The evening of the 25, they are French soldiers who sleep in the old barracks that German re-occupied since 1942.
But fire enemy, aggressive, tough, coléreux, begins again of more beautiful. The flag concerned, does not fall. Holes, by which a man could pass, will be open in walls of the Basilica by German artillery.
From 20 hours, fire is calmed.
An observation post which consequently, will regulate the shooting of the 105 and 155 of the R.A.C.L. (Regiment of Colonial Artillery of Raising) is installed in the top of the bell-tower. Three days of engagements, will be still necessary, before obtaining, August 28, 1944 as from 13 hours, the rendering of the German General Schaeffer, and all its troops, which occupied Marseilles and its surroundings.

The following day, August 29, on the Old man-Port, a pathetic procession, where will côtoieront themselves, with the elbow with elbows, Armée of Africa and F.F.I., will mark solemnly, and with glare, the end of a nightmare.