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Georges, Emmanuel, Antoine SOULIER April 2, 1922 to November 4, 2014
Last born from a Lyons family of five children, Georges Soulier was 18 years old in 1940.
Being hostile to the occupant, he decided to leave for North Africa, on March 14, 1941 and signed his enlistment with the 2nd Regiment of Algerian Spahis in Tlemcen (2nd RSA).
In Algiers, as volunteer for intelligence missions in occupied France, he was lengthily questioned by colonel Gilbert Renault aka colonel Rémy from B.C.R.A.*, British officers from I.S.** and American from O.S.S.***, before to propose him a very special and high risk mission. After a training in a specialized school in England, he would be parachuted with civilian clothes into France occupied to transmit intelligence information to the Allied Headquarters, in preparation of the forthcoming D Day landing.
He gave his agreement without hesitating. He had to change identity, cut all relations with his family, his close relationships and his unit, the 2nd RSA.
He was sent to England and assigned to the B.C.R.A.* in London with the rank of lieutenant (P2 Agent), then detached with the O.S.S. ** for the Sussex Plan.
Training in England : In February 1944, he arrived in Saint-Albans (Great Britain) where he received a special training in the Praewood House School with other French comrades, under the pseudo of Gerard Boudemange.
His instruction and exercises included all the matters likely to be useful during his mission. His training ended by one week in Ringway to learn how to jump using a parachute.
His missions: As radio-operator of the mission “Vis” (Sussex/Ossex), he was parachuted with civilian clothes in the night of June 1, 1944 in the area of Nantes, to carry out an intelligence mission in Blois, until the liberation of this city.
He carried out a second mission (Sussex II) for the B.C.R.A. and the O.S.S. in Strasbourg, from January to March 1945, in anticipation of a German forces counter-attack (Von Rundstedt’s offensive).
Assigned to the B.C.R.A. cipher office which became the D.G.E.R. in April 1945.
Demobilized on November 20, 1945.
Joined the National Police Force on December 15, 1945.
Appointed to the D.S.T. Strasbourg station (Direction of the Surveillance of the Territory), in 1955
Followed by 2 assignments in Algiers and Oran in 1961 and 1962 (Intelligence missions for the DST).
Appointed in September 1973 as chief of the Antenna of counter-espionage of the Guadeloupe.
Retired on April 2, 1978.
On December 18, 2012, Georges Soulier graced with his presence the day of support for the National Contest of Resistance and the Deportation in Strasbourg.
Georges Soulier died on November 4, 2014 in Strasbourg at the age of 92.
Ranks:
Military decorations:
Foreign decoration:
Décorations de Georges Soulier :
* Bureau Central de Recherche et d’Action ** Intelligence Service (GB) *** Office of Strategic Services (USA)
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