Résistance-Fer

The Résistance-Fer concentrated its activities on: Jean-Guy Bernard, Louis Armand and Jean Marthelot established the group in 1943 with the help of the director of the SNCF Albert Guerville and of the Cohors-Asturies and Emilie Plouviez groups.

After the arrest of Jean-Guy Bernard in January 1944, Armand took charge of the group under the control of Jacques Chaban-Delmas.

Philippe Leroy was named head of the movement in northern France while Louis Lavignon, part of Combat, led the group in the southeastern Rhone-Alpes region in 1944.

Immediately before and after the Allied invasions during Normandy and Provence in 1944, the sabotage of rail transportation became more frequent and proved highly effective first in preventing German troop deployments to the front and later in hindering their retreat.

[2] On 17 May 1945, General Charles de Gaulle praised the group: "The railway men and women of the Résistance-Fer have fought, regardless of the risks, during the entire occupation with persistence, courage and discipline for France and freedom".