The liberation of Oléron
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Operation Jupiter
Once Royan and Le Verdon had been freed, Operation Jupiter was launched to free Oléron. The landing took place on 30 April 1945, a day later than planned because of poor weather.
Beforehand, from 17th April, the German positions had been bombed by the air force and harried by several warships including the cruiser Duquesne.
Resistance groups equipped with radio were landed in order to detail the German positions and undertake sabotage. At Marennes, liberation forces were preparing for the future deployment of troops.
The landings began on Monday 30th April at 06:02 under intense fire at Gatseau beach; 24 American landing craft, 22 amphibious lorries and 42 fishing boats were involved. Saint-Trojan was the first village to be liberated. The initial wave allowed vehicles and armaments to be landed. There then followed a progressive conquest of the east and west coasts. At the end of the day, French fighters were masters of the southern part of the island.
On 1st May, reinforcements landed in the mud of Vieille Perrotine during the night. The advance continued to Saint-Pierre and the German HQ was captured. After negotiations with a German officer, most of the soldiers in the north of the island accepted to surrender. Only the garrisons at Boyardville and Saumonards opposed any resistance but that ended about 20:00 with the surrender of the remaining soldiers.
Altogether, operation Jupiter mobilised 8,882 French troops, of which 18 were killed and 56 wounded. The German lost about fifty dead, sixty wounded and 1,700 prisoners. The occasionally intense bombardments left permanent scarring of the countryside, notably at the citadel of Le Château and in the dunes.
Crédits
©ACT 597 © Réalisateur inconnu / ECPAD / 1945 / Défense
©Service historique de la Défense
https://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/
https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr
©Fonds Boyer/Musée de l’île d’Oléron/CDCIO
©U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 88962/ Naval History and Heritage Command
©André Léonard
