GREEN BERET - Commander Kieffer's Account of 6 June 1944

Béret Vert testimony of Philippe Kieffer, edition presented and annotated by Benjamin Massieu

A family man with no military experience, Philippe Kieffer nevertheless became the founder and commander of the Free French commandos.

Trained at the formidable Achnacarry camp, these volunteers carried out secret raids on the European coastlines. They were the only Frenchmen to land on 6 June 1944 and distinguished themselves throughout the Battle of Normandy.

A few months later, they would take part in Operation Infatuate: the assault on the island of Walcheren in the Netherlands, described as "one of the most courageous and daring feats of arms of the entire war" by General Eisenhower.

The memoirs of a banker turned commando, Béret vert will let you discover, as never before, the longest day.

Historian Benjamin Massieu specialises in the Second World War and in particular the history of Free France and the Liberation. He is the author of a critically acclaimed biography of Philippe Kieffer (Philippe Kieffer, chef des commandos de la France libre, 2013) awarded the Académie de Marine medal, the "Beau livre" prize from Marine & Océans presented by ACORAM, and a commendation from the jury of the literary prize of the Résistance; of the book Les Demoiselles aux pompons rouges (2014) and of the book Les Français du Jour J (2019), again acclaimed by critics for having revealed for the first time the participation of 3,000 French personnel in the operations of 6 June 1944.