F.F.I.: FRENCH FORCES OF THE INTERIOR.

F.F.I.: FRENCH FORCES OF THE INTERIOR.
France: C. 1944-45.
Collection of 4 items relating to the Free French Forces in occupation of France after the Normandy landings comprising: A blue, white, and red cloth armband embroidered with a red Cross of Lorraine and the initials FFI, one face slightly faded; and a small enameled "France Libre" badge; and a printed French Resistance instructions for drawing up a counterfeit travel card; and a French fire fighters helmet emblem; all mounted on red cloth in a Riker box.
Provenance: War Museum, MA.

A fine selection of Free French items. The French Forces of the Interior were established in late June 1944, after the Normandy landings, under the command of General Marie Pierre Koenig. They were mostly comprised of Resistance fighters, who used their own weapons, as well as some former French soldiers. They used civilian clothing and wore the FFI armband. According to Patton the rapid advance of his army down and up through France in a matter of months, was only possible with FFI operations, who mopped up the small groups of German forces that were bypassed by the advancing allied tide of soldiers. In June of 1944 they numbered 100,000 men and by October of the same year were up to 400,000 men. By August 1944 the FFI had liberated hundreds of towns across France and wanted a share in the new government, and when Charles de Gaulle arrived in Paris he was challenged, but after a series of discussions, the FFI were amalgamated into official French Army Units.