The day is october 23rd. On this day in 1943, a group of French SAS paratroopers of the Free France, led by lieutenant Pierre Marienne, made history: as part of a jump meant to test some material and jump techniques, they broke the world record for the fastest group jump. The 20 paratrooper stick jumped from its C47 plane in 7 seconds and 5 tenth, a record which is still unparalleled to this day! Furthermore, on this photo of the group (taken on the day of the record), there is a particular man named Emile Bouétard. Following France’s defeat, this breton caporal had managed to reach Great-Britain, and enrolled in the FNFL in January 1943. However, him and one of his comrades, having learned of the search for volunteers for paratrooper units, ultimately decided to enrol as such, and signed on February 25th. After October 43’s record and the end of his training, he was parachuted during D-Day with lieutenant Marienne, as part of Operation Dingson, near the Plumelec mill, in Morbihan. Once they hit the ground, while some of the members of the stick searched for the material dropped after them, Bouétard and the radio team stayed put. They were then sighted by a Wehrmacht detachment composed of Ukrainian, Russian and Georgian soldiers ; Bouétard was wounded then effectively killed, at 00h40, while his 3 comrades were taken prisoners, making him the first French man to be killed during D-Day. Several monuments were constructed in his honor, in Plumelec, and also in Pleudihen-sur-Rance, his birthplace.
