| THE KOSB AT WAR 1939-45 A Second World War Historical Reenactment Unit in Texas, commemorating the service and sacrifice of the 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers in Northwest Europe 1944-45 |
| LE GROUPE ROCHAMBELLES |
Les Rochambelles They were “les Rochambelles”, the only women unit on the European front of WWII. A group of French ambulance drivers that helped save soldiers from Normandy to Berchtesgaden. The group was or- ganized in New York by Florence Conrad, an American widow who had lived in France and had helped soldiers in WWI. They were young ladies stranded abroad by the German invasion of France, par- tisans, members of the Resistance who had escaped the Nazi occu- pation. These women wanted to help liberate their nation and if they could not fight, driving an ambulance was what they were going to do! Joining the Fighting Free French Florence Conrad bought 19 Dodge ambulances with her own money and donations from her friends. She dressed her “girls” with US mili- tary issues, took them to Brooks to get the necessities (this included a pair of white crepe de chine pajamas, which was not very practical for what they were going to do!!) The group sailed to Morocco by US transport. They arrived in October 1943. Florence Conrad contacted General Leclerc who was head of the French Army in North Africa, and asked if they could join his 2nd Armored Division. Women in an Armored Division? He took a look at the shiny 19 ambulances and decided that the women could join the Division if they could pass the rigorous training in Morocco. General Leclerc had a way of doing the unexpected, and this was the unexpected at a time when women could not even vote! The group was “attached in support of” rather than “assigned” to the Division. Florence Conrad had strict rules of conduct for the women. (My favorite is #5:”Never forget that you are not on a cruise and not part of the Russian ballet!”). Other woman joined the group. They had left France to join the French Auxiliary Forces abroad. Thousand of others stayed home and braved danger working with the Resistance and the Maquis, or joined the Medical Corps, but the Rochambelles were the only group assigned to a combat unit on the European front. Preparing for D-Day The group was now at a total of 32. They trained with the Medical Battalion in Morocco, learned to evacuate wounded soldiers and provide first aid. They underwent simulated air attacks for practice, learned to drive, repair their ambulances. They learned how to uncover and defuse road mines (the real thing would come too soon!). The 2nd Armored Division was set to depart on May 20, 1944. As they started to board an officer tried to block the Rocham- belles, citing regulations against women on military transport. General Leclerc said: “They are not women, they are ambulance drivers!” And they were allowed on board. The ship sailed the Atlantic Ocean without incident and docked at Liverpool on May 30. On the morning of June 6, 1944, they heard of the D-Day invasion with tears in their eyes. From Paris to Berchtesgaden The 2nd Armored Division was to cross the Channel on July 30. General Patton had ordered the division to join his 3rd Army in Normandy immediat- ely. The Rochambelles landed at Utah Beach on the 1st of August with their 19 ambulances. When they got to their encampment, an officer drove by and tossed a few Camembert cheeses and baguettes: they were home!!! It was fabulous and frightening. The group had the same percentage of casualties as the soldiers. The ambulances followed the armored vehicles, half-tracks and jeeps. They had to pick-up the wounded at the front line and take them to the field hospital. They had maps, but all the road signs had been removed, they drove “blind”, mostly at night without knowing where the enemy was. They went on and participated in the liberation of Paris on August 25th, then on to Alsace and Lorraine, for the battle of Nancy, to the pocket of Colmar, in the middle of the coldest winter, and on to Germany, to Berchtesgaden.
After the war ended, some of them went back to a civilian life they did not remember. A few got married, found jobs and learned to readjust. General Leclerc took the 2nd Division and some of its ambulance drivers to Indochina, where they stayed until the end of the conflict. All of them received the “Medaille Militaire” an honor reserved for sol- diers and most of them won the “Croix de Guerre” and some the “Legion d’ Honneur”. The Rochambelles have opened the door to women as integrated members of an army, not just auxiliaries. They had worked at the front under the worst conditions and earned admiration and respect of their fellow soldiers. On August 25th, 2004, six Rochambelles participated in a ceremony for the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Paris. A group of army ambulance drivers was formed in 1982 and named itself the Rochambeau Group, after the WWII original, making the Rochambelles the first wo- men unit to begin a tradition in the French Army.
Anne-Marie Berglund, a native of Paris, France (whose family has long and deep ties with the French Army) now reprises the role of a French Army ambulance driver in North-West Europe with the formation of the Rochambelles reenacting group in Texas. Anne-Marie's group takes part in weekend living history displays, wreath laying cere- monies and WWII-oriented reenactments. Anne-Marie has a most impressive display of original uniforms, equipment, insignia and wartime photos. For information on joining the recreated Rochambelles, contact her by email. Sources
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| The Women of Valor: The Rochambelles PHOTO COURTESY WWW.THEROCHAMBELLES.COM "All of them had a deep desire to help liberate their nation, and if they couldn’t fight, driving an ambulance would be the next best thing." -Ellen Hampton, Women of Valor: The Rochambelles on the WWII Front. |
| Anne-Marie Berglund, Rochambelles PHOTO COURTESY TXZEISS (WAXAHACHIE WWII REENACTMENT POOL PHOTOGRAPHERS) Anne-Marie Berglund, a native of Paris, France, reprises the role of The Rocham- belles in historical reenacting. INSET: Rochambelles cap badge. |
| The Story of the Rochambelles PHOTO COURTESY AMAZON.COM. Ellen Hampton's prize-winning history captures the heroism of The Rochambelles during the Second World War (1939-45). |
| This page updated 18 November 2011. (c) Copyright. 2008. The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) at War (1939-45) A Second World War Historical Reenactment Unit. All Rights Reserved. Read our Disclaimer. Questions or Comments? Contact the webmaster. |
