Paul Rivière

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Paul Rivière (22 November 1912 – 15 December 1998)

Biography

Early life

Paul Rivière was born in

In 1939, he was called up as an instructor for Cadets de Saumur. He was injured during the fighting for Pont de Gennes, then demobilised and returned to his position as literatur professor in the Saint-Joseph Jesuit Day School in Lyon.^[3]

In late February 1941, Father Chaillet, Jesuit in Lyon, put him in touch with Henri Frenay and Berty Albrecht and he became involved with the French resistance.

In early 1942, he abandoned propaganda for action and became liaison officer for Jean Moulin, General Charles de Gaulle's representative in France and the leader of the internal Resistance.

After a first airdrop, he was arrested and detained four months by Vichy France police.^[3] Upon his release, he continued his mission clandestinely until the end of War. With Mouvements unis de la Résistance (MUR), he was deeply involved in the organization of the radio transmission services and covert air operations for Southern France.

After the Jean Moulin arrest in Caluire, he was ordered by the Bureau Central de Renseignements et d'Action to reorganize the Landing-Airdrop Section (in French "Section Atterrissages-Parachutages" or SAP).^[3]

He controlled SAP until the end of War and was Head of Operations for the Rhône-Alpes Region where he organized the most important covert landing and airdrop operations : several hundred of tons of weapons and equipment and millions of French francs were so routed to the French resistance.^[3]

He also organized the transfer of numerous personalities and agents between France and

He died on 15 December 1998 in Lyon and was buried in Montagny.^[3]

Pseudonyms during French resistance

• François
• Charles-Henri
• Sif bis
• Galvani
• Marquis

Military honours

• Commander of the Legion of Honour
• Order of Liberation
• War Cross 1939–1945
  (6 citations)
• Cross for Military Valour (3 citations)
• Medal of the Resistance
  with Officer rosette
• Colonial Medal with clasp "Far East"
• Cross of the Volunteer Combatant of the Resistance
• Escapees' Medal
• Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
• Military Medal
• Order of the Crown (Belgium) (Officer)
• War Cross (Belgium) with Palm
• Czechoslovak War Cross
• Cross for Military Valour (Poland)

References

Bibliography

• Hugh Verity, "We landed by moonlight", Crécy publishing limited, 2000
• (in French) Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation, "Fonds d'archives Geneviève et Paul Rivière" – Les opérations aériennes (atterrissages, parachutages) en zone sud. 1941 - 1944, Les grands fonds d'archives du CHRD, N°1.
• (in French) Noguères Henri, Degliame-Fouche Marcel, Vigier Jean-Louis, Histoire de la Résistance en France de 1940 à 1945, 5 vol, Paris, Robert Laffont, 1967–1981.
• (in French) Vistel Alban, La nuit sans ombre. Histoire des mouvements unis de résistance, leur rôle dans la libération du sud-est, Paris, Fayard, 1970.
• All the personal archives of Paul et Geneviève Rivière are freely accessible in the
  Center for the History of the Resistance and Deportation
  in Lyon, France.

External links

• Résistance Foundation Website.
• Center for the History of the Resistance and Deportation Website.