Biya joins WWII event in Toulon on Friday

President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal arrived in Paris yesterday in response to an invitation to attend in the commemorative ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of Allied landing in Provence.

Hundreds of Cameroonians thronged the Orly Airport yesterday August 13, 2014 in Paris to give a hearty welcome to President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal Biya.

On hand to welcome the Cameroon First Couple were two bouquets of flowers presented by two six-year- old compatriots and the Cameroon ambassador to France.

In song and dance, Cameroonians in the Diaspora turned out in their numbers to give their First Couple a befitting welcome. Shortly after the airport ceremony, the Presidential convoy was escorted to their residence at Hotel le Meurice in the Paris First District.

President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal Biya will be part of the twenty eight Heads of State invited by French President, Francois Holland to participate in the commemorative ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of Allied landing in Provence.

The strong umbilical link between Cameroon and France stretches through a shared history and a rich package of shared interest that saw Cameroonians among the African contingent that fought for the freedom of France in the Second World War.

Commemorative ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of Allied landing in Provence will take place in Toulon and other Communes of Var in the south of France. Twenty eight Heads of State are expected to take part in the international segment of the event.

According to the programme, there will be a naval parade of twenty military ships, a parade of military vehicles of the Second World war period and display by parachutes.

The ceremony is expected to start at 10h30 tomorrow Friday in Toulon with a memorial ceremony of Mont-Faron in the presence of the French President Francois Holland. The international ceremony begins at 17H20 at the Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier. After a naval parade, fireworks will accompany the rest of the festivities.

The 70th anniversary ceremony taking place on Friday also pays homage to the African contingent that contributed to the liberation of France. It constitutes a great moment of mutual pride and collective reminiscences between France and all countries whose citizens spilled blood to free France and Europe.

Dubbed operation Dragoon, the landing in South of France, liberated a vast swathe of the region in 1944. From this landing, the Allied troops marched north, joining others who were forcing their way through France to Germany.

During the planning stages, the operation was known as «Anvil». It later took the name of «Dragoon». Operation Dragoon was controversial from inception.

While the Americans and the French saw its usefulness, their British counterparts initially disagreed on its urgency. Winston Churchill argued against it on grounds that it diverted military resources that were better deployed in ongoing Allied operations in Italy.

Renamed «Dragoon», the operation was later revived after the successful execution of Normandy Landings which freed vital amphibious assets.

Finally authorised by the Allied combined Chiefs of Staff, operation Dragoon sprang into action on August 15, 1944 with the chief objective of capturing the important French ports of Marseille and Toulon from the Nazi forces.

The Landings were overwhelmingly successful, enabling Allied forces to liberate most of France within four weeks and set the stage for the defeat of the Nazis and eventually the end of the Second World War.