Memorial Fernand Beque Gasselte

This memorial commemorates corporal Fernand Beque, a French paratrooper who was killed here during operation "Amherst", on 9 April 1945.

Text on the monument:

Fallen for our freedom during Operation "Amherst"
corp. Fernand Beque

French parachutist

Madagascar
* November 30, 1924
Casselte
+9 April 1945

Du Ciel la Liberté [/ i]

Background: [/ b]
At the beginning of October 1944, a division of the National Socialist Kraftfahr Korps (NSKK) is stationed in Gasselte. It consists of Dutch volunteers who carry out transports for the German Wehrmacht as drivers. Only the commander, Obersturmführer Klaus, is German. The headquarters is located in the rectory. Chambers are requisitioned from civilians for the staff. The relationship between the NSKK and the residents of Gasselte is tense. The authoritarian behavior of the NSKKers has made them enemies of the village community.

In the night of April 7, about 60 men from the sticks of Captain Paul de Gramond, Lieutenant Jean Appriou, Lieutenant Michel Legrand and 2nd Lieutenant Henri Stéphan are dropped near Gasselte. Most of them land not far from their planned landing site in the forests west of Gasselte. Early in the morning a few parachutists knock at the house on the edge of the forest in the direction of Gasselte opposite the "Hemelrijk". The resident, R. Pronk, is a resistance fighter from the very beginning. Like the light
he finds a group of paratroopers at the back of the forest. In the meantime, the resistance movement is also aware of the landings. Information from the French shows that several men are still missing. All Sunday the resistance people are busy looking for them. Others collect the containers with ammunition, weapons and food. The paratroopers perform various actions on German columns. Meanwhile, the Germans and the NSKKers have also been alerted about the airborne landings. In the
assuming thousands of paratroopers have landed, they don't venture into the woods. Gaselters who have had contact with the French are stopped by German guards on their way home. They are taken to the rectory for questioning but then sent home. It was not until Sunday evening that radio Oranje broadcasts a code message from England: "The boat has capsized". This means that the resistance movement must take action to gather intelligence for the landed paratroopers. The paratroopers in the state forest near Gasselte are divided between two command posts. The first is located in section 46 about 1½ km from Pronk's house, the other in section 36 at the back of the forest. For the mutual connection one has radio transmitters / receivers, so-called Jedburgh sets.

With the information that the resistance fighters provide to the French, the presence of the NSKK in Gasselte is also reported. The paratroopers decide to attack the rectory to take out the staff.

The attack plan is as follows:
1. At the entrance of the village, Ensign Albert Bacuez will hold the road at gunpoint with a Brengun.
2. Lieutenant Jean Appriou's stick will advance along the north side to the
rectory to take out the enemy and then deflect to the east.
3. Lieutenant Michel Legrand's stick must move along the southern side of the road, attack the enemy and clear any houses.
4. Captain Paul de Gramond's stick should make a circling motion towards it
north to cut off the enemy's way back and the
prevent the supply of reinforcements.
5. Sergeant Louis Le Goff has to make a circling movement through the south with a few men and thus close the Dorpsstraat.

The attack will be carried out at the beginning of the afternoon, because it is expected that the surveillance will not be as sharp after dinner. As recognition, the parachutists will wear yellow scarves after the action has ended. The men who will carry out the attack will first go to the home of Pronk, from where they will advance to Gasselte, accompanied by guides of the resistance from Gasselte and Korstvlies. Gasselte is reached without difficulty. In run the men carry out the encirclement plan.

Appriou goes to the rectory with his men and opens fire. Although the NSKKers are completely surprised, they recover quickly. Paras are being fired at from the windows. Especially from the back house there is heavy fire from a machine gun operated by the NSKK; A. v.d. Angle. The French are in a disadvantageous position because they are too close to the windows, making moving almost impossible. In addition, there is cover behind the trees of the courtyard, making effective fire difficult. Corporal Bégue is fatally hit and Sergeant Briand is wounded. In the meantime, Legrand has also attacked at the front of the building, so that the enemy is now being attacked from both sides. To end the fight, the French plan to launch a storm attack on the building, throwing hand grenades through the windows. However, it does not come to that. The machine gun gunner v.d. Hoek is hit, after which the other NSKK men flee from the fiercely fighting paratroopers. Most, however, are captured by Legrand's men. A German car stood in front of the building; Begue and documents from the commander's office were placed there. They leave a truck with foodstuffs behind for the middle class. The prisoners were transported to the forest very quickly. Make the fight pause that has now arisen
several NSKK-ers who were not in the rectory used to flee. Most of them are tracked down by the French and two are shot. The raid, which had begun at noon, in sunny weather, had lasted no more than thirty minutes.

Allied troops approach Borger on Thursday 12 April. There is fighting all day long. In the evening the remaining NSKK members leave Gasselte. The next morning Gasselte is liberated by the 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment, followed by the Poles of the 2nd Squadron of the 10 Pulk Dragonow (10th Dragoons Regiment).

Awards:
Bronze Cross
Médaille Militaire (FR)

Actions and campaigns:
Operation Dingson (Pathfinders), June 5, 1944
Operation Spencer, Aug / Sept 1944

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries & Cornelis Reijntjes
• Photos: Erik Dijkstra
• KROEZENGA, J., De boot is omgeslagen, 1982.