How French commandos' contribution in Criccieth to D-Day was almost forgotten

  • ITV Wales' Rob Shelley spoke to historian Professor Merfyn Jones in Criccieth to understand why it holds a unique place in D-Day history

For over a year, French commandos lived in a small town in north Wales and trained on the beaches and in the mountains of Snowdonia.

It was 80 years ago that the town of Criccieth found out they were expecting around 100 new guests. They were the Kieffer commandos, a group of exiles who took their name from their leader, Philippe Kieffer.

It was in the North Wales town that the members of the Kieffer commandos, rifles in hand, took their first steps in getting back home towards the invasion of Normandy - and towards D-Day.

The little town of Criccieth had around 100 new guests, 2 years before D Day. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Historian Professor Merfyn Jones said there's been a "kind of lapse of memory" about the soldiers and it is only now that people have recognised them with a plaque in Criccieth.

"This was home to a very unique company of soldiers," he said. "They were the marine commandos and they later had to honour of being the only French troops that were involved in the D-Day landing.

"So, they were a very particular breed of men. They are highly trained, very tough, very strong, and very determined to free France from the Nazis.

"It was the best place possible to practice for a sea-borne invasion, which is what they had to do at 7.30 on 6 June 1944. They had to jump into the water in Normandy and attack some very strong German oppositions."

The French commanders, a group of exiles who took their name from their leader Philippe Kieffer Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

But many of the men did not live to see the end of this day 80 years ago.

Now, a group based in Criccieth have created a knitted version the commandos' story in order to keep it alive as part of a huge project called the Longest Yarn. They were even able to take their work to France.

Sarah Davidson, part of the project, said: "I'm learning a great deal. I probably did it in school, but didn't take much notice. But when it's brought to life with the experience we've had in the last few weeks, it's different altogether."

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