The Giganti Family

This story involves a French family living in Montelimar during the occupation of France in World War 2.

The following is unfortunately only the barest of facts. As with many who survived the war they would seldom talk about it. This information has been passed down from my Granfather, Grandmother and my Mother (all are still alive).

Grandma Giganti (my Great Grandma):

She is my great grandmother and appears to have been a very strong willed woman of principles. She was the glue that binded my family together during the occupation. I know of only a few stories and as stated earlier, just snippets of each.
Grandma Giganti, as with the majority of my French family of the time, was a member of the resistance. She carried messages and helped with organisational aspects of their operations (as i gather). On one occasion she stole a German officers gun while he was drunk in a bar. She housed a jewish woman in her loft for a year (the woman later returned to France after the war to thank her) and was sent to a concentration camp for six months. She was the glue.

Aime Giganti (my Grandad):

A very intelligent man. He was a radio officer in the Free French. Whilst in an Atlantic convoy he worked out that his ship (The President Dumar) was likely to be hit within 24hrs so he donned his lifejacket while continueing his operational duties. The ship was indeed hit and sunk. As the radio officer he was one of the last people to leave the ship. As he abandoned he took a hammer and hacksaw with him and came across a full lifeboat with one cable that could not be unhooked, with the hack-saw he cut through the cable saving the men inside and then jumped into the water (he could not swim). Of a crew of 600 men only 60 survived, he was one of them. He also later gave an interview on the BBC Radio about the sinking of the ship but we have not yet contacting the BBC to find out if this is held in their archives. He was in regular contact with Charles Degaul, we did have letters but they were lost after he suffered a nervous breakdown. All we have now is a signed photo and a certifacate thanking him for his services to France. After his ship was sunk he went to England and worked with a French scientist on a form of radar. The project failed.

Rose Irene Giganti (my Grandma):

Although they separated soon after the war my Grandmother recalls that when she first met Degaul, he looked straight at her and took off his hat. This she says was a sign of how beautiful she was and is always keen to add 'he hardly ever took off his hat, not for anyone'.

Raymond Giganti (my Great Uncle)

He was part of the Markee and fought (and lived for a time) in the hills of southern France. I know of one story, while fleeing a group of German soldiers he was the last of his men to cross a bridge they were trying to blow up. He turned, two German soldiers were also on the bridge shooting at him. He killed them both and halted the German advance long enough for the bridge to be destroyed. I am fairly sure he received a medal, the Croix de Guerres for this act. He spent a month living on chesnuts which he said sent him mad for a time. After the war he never eat them again.

Roger Giganti (my Great Uncle

During the war he and his wife Alice (she is still alive and living in Montelimar), were both involved in the resistance. He was 'ratted out' by another Frenchman to the Germans and spent a few years in a concentration camp. When he left the camp he weighed only 6 stone. The informant (I am told by my Great Aunt) was found and 'dealt with'. I assume by this that other members of their resistance cell killed him.

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