Operation Dickens

This operation took place from July 16 till October 7th 1944, near Nantes in Brittany, France. The operation was carried out by 46 men of the 3rd French Parachute Battalion, assigned to attack the railway lines between Saintes-Parthenay-Saumur and Saint-La Roche-Nantes; in addition they were to assist the local resistance. The Germans lost 453 men, 20 locomotives and the railway lines were blown up in 88 places. The French lost three men, 14 were wounded.