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A few meters from the town hall of Leboulin, on a former portion of the RN 124, is the place of July 26, 1944. In this place, a stele testifies to this sad day where the place called "Porteteny" would enter thehistory of the French resistance ...
Resistance active in the Gers
That day, a detachment of the Franc-Pomiès body, camouflaged in the farms of Lussan and Isle-Arné, was alerted: a motorized enemy column is on its way. Boutin, one of the maquisard leaders, thinks he can intercept the Germans between Gimont and Auch. In Leboulin, precisely, there is a compulsory passage point: the bend, near Porteteny.
Le FFI chief Wolinsky has his Come and Estrella fighters with submachine guns. The others: Boulanger, Prokaroff, Nitkowski, Faure and Jollis, are armed with guns and grenades. The group settles down on the hillock at the intersection of Chemin de Lussan.
The fight
As the trucks passed, two grenades were thrown, creating panic and causing damage to the two leading vehicles. Covered by Prokaroff, Boulanger and Faure also launched an attack among the Germans by jumping to the ground. The enemy was in total panic, when a third truck emerged and entered the path upstream. The resistance fighters are taken from behind !
Wolinsky yells "Fall back!" "
Covered by Come's submachine gun, the resistance fighters carry out the order, but Prokaroff, aged 55 and left behind, is shot dead. Come and Boulanger are found, camouflaged in a stream and will be killed and disfigured. In the ambush, the Germans lost 3 men and 6 were wounded.
Memory work
Every year, a commemoration is organized in front of the stele which recalls the sacrifice of the resistance fighters, one of whom was of Russian nationality.
In Auch, the Resistance Museum draws a portrait of the department during the Second World War. It can be visited all year round by reservation. The tours are offered by volunteers from the association.
