Liberation Sud: The March to Lyon September 1944.

Immersive WWII campaign featuring trench life, tactical missions, occupation duty, and the liberation of a French village in 1944.

Liberation Sud: The March to Lyon is an immersive WWII living history event set during the Allied advance through southern France in September 1944. Throughout the weekend, American, German, Free French, French Forces of the Interior (FFI), and civilian participants will portray the realities of occupation, resistance, and liberation. German forces will occupy the village, conduct patrols, establish checkpoints, and suppress Resistance activity while delaying the Allied advance. Allied forces will carry out tactical missions, reconnaissance, trench operations, and assaults leading to the liberation of the town. The FFI will gather intelligence, conduct sabotage, possible raids, and support Allied operations from within the occupied village. Members of the public will become part of the experience by portraying French civilians, receiving identity papers, interacting with occupying forces and the Resistance, and witnessing the liberation of their community as history unfolds around them.

Impression Guidelines :

Rank Structure

Unless otherwise directed by event staff, all participants will attend as enlisted personnel (Private for Allied forces or the equivalent rank for their chosen impression). Participants bringing an established unit or a significant number of personnel may be assigned an appropriate leadership position based on the size and organization of their group. Rank assignments are made by event staff to support the event scenario and chain of command.

An official event roster and chain of command will be established prior to the event. If you have any questions regarding rank assignments or unit organization, please contact event staff.

The primary Allied impression for this event is the U.S. Army, 36th Infantry Division during Operation Dragoon and the advance through southern France, September 1944. (If interest exists Free French Forces will mostly be embedded with American forces and their kit will be virtually identical to the 36th ID)

Required Uniform & Equipment

• M43 Field Jacket and wool service shirt
• Wool service trousers
• Double-buckle combat boots (required)
• M1 helmet
• Standard M1928 web gear or M1936 gear
• M1928 haversack or appropriate field pack
• Shelter half, blanket, and period field equipment for overnight encampment

Appropriate Weapons

• M1 Garand
• M1 Carbine
• Thompson M1928A1 or M1A1
• M3 "Grease Gun"
• Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)
• M1919A4
• M1911A1 pistol (where appropriate)

Participants should portray a seasoned combat soldier. Uniforms should reflect a unit that has already fought through Sicily and Italy, with appropriate field wear, repairs, and campaign appearance. Trench life, patrols, tactical operations, and extended time in the field should be expected throughout the weekend.

German participants will portray occupation and rear guard forces operating in southern France during the Allied advance in September 1944. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Required Uniform & Equipment

• M40, M42, or M43 field tunic
• Field gray wool trousers
• M43 field cap and Stahlhelm
• Low boots with gaiters or jackboots (both acceptable)
• Standard leather equipment appropriate for late 1944
• Bread bag, canteen, mess kit, gas mask canister (or approved substitute), and entrenching tool as appropriate
• Zeltbahn, blanket, and period field equipment for overnight encampment

Appropriate Weapons

• Karabiner 98k
• MP40
• MG34
• MG42 (rare)
• Walther P38
• Luger P08 (where appropriate)
• 2nd Line German and Foreign Weapons encouraged

Participants should portray experienced frontline soldiers conducting occupation duties, patrols, checkpoints, anti-partisan operations, and delaying actions while covering the withdrawal of German forces to the north. Late-war equipment variations and field repairs are appropriate and encouraged.

FFI impressions should represent Resistance fighters operating in southern France during September 1944.

Recommended Clothing & Equipment

• Historically appropriate civilian clothing
• Captured German equipment
• British or American web gear
• French military equipment where appropriate
• FFI armband
• Civilian footwear or period military footwear
• Period packs, satchels, or bread bags

Appropriate Weapons

• Captured Karabiner 98k
• MAS-36
• MAS-38
• Sten Mk II or Mk III
• M1 Carbine
• M1 Garand (limited)
• Thompson submachine gun (limited)
• Captured MP40
• Captured MG34 or MG42 (limited)
• Hunting shotguns and civilian sporting rifles (subject to event approval)

FFI fighters should not appear as a uniform military unit. A mixture of civilian and military clothing is encouraged, reflecting locally organized Resistance groups fighting with whatever equipment was available.

French civilian impressions should portray ordinary men, women, and children living under German occupation during the liberation of southern France.

Recommended Clothing

• Period dresses, skirts, jackets, trousers, sweaters, shirts, and work clothing
• Period hats, scarves, aprons, and footwear
• Baskets, bicycles, period luggage, shopping bags, and other civilian accessories

Weapons
Civilian impressions should generally be unarmed. Any civilian carrying a firearm must have prior approval from event staff and a scenario-specific role.

Please avoid visible modern clothing, logos, sunglasses, smart watches, athletic shoes, coolers, tents, and other modern items whenever possible.

Questions regarding French civilian or FFI impressions, authenticity standards, or recommended vendors should be directed to the Liberation Sud Facebook pages. Our members have spent years researching French civilian and Resistance impressions and maintain vendor recommendations for both original and reproduction clothing and equipment.

By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these guidelines. Failure to do so may result in removal from the event without refund.

Event Rules

By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these rules. Failure to do so may result in removal from the event without refund.

All participants will follow the directions of event staff and their respective chain of command at all times. Event staff decisions are final. Failure to follow direction may result in your removal from the event without a refund.

Safety overrides immersion. Any participant may call "Cease Fire" or "Real World Emergency" if an unsafe condition exists. All participants will immediately stop and await further instructions.

Participants are encouraged to remain in period character while in public areas. However, if a member of the public has a question or is not participating in the immersive experience, you are encouraged to break character and answer respectfully. Modern items should remain out of sight whenever possible.

This is a story-driven immersion event, not a competition. Support the historical scenario and the experience of all participants. This means you will likely be "killed," wounded, captured, or become a prisoner of war at some point during the weekend. The objective is to recreate wartime conditions and the life of the common soldier—not to "win" the event.

Work within your assigned unit or role unless directed otherwise by your chain of command. Soldiers will not wander off alone, especially in wooded areas. Maintain a battle buddy whenever possible.

This event is not based on counting individual hits. Participants are expected to use good judgment and portray realistic battlefield casualties. If a squad is caught in the open and receives sustained machine gun fire, it is reasonable to assume casualties have occurred. Moving to cover or hitting the ground is highly encouraged as well. The objective is realism, not Hollywood. Work with your team and use period tactics.

Casualties must be treated or recovered by a medic or fellow unit members and transported to the designated Casualty Collection Point (CCP). CCP locations may change throughout the event and will be established by the medical staff.

For the scripted public battles on Saturday and Sunday, casualty procedures will differ from the tactical scenarios. Additional instructions will be provided during the event briefing.

Members of the public are part of the experience. Treat all visitors, volunteers, and museum staff professionally and respectfully while maintaining historical authenticity. Harassment, unsafe behavior, or inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated and will result in immediate removal from the event without refund.

Participants are expected to meet the published impression standards for their chosen unit. Event staff reserve the right to deny participation to impressions that do not meet the minimum authenticity requirements.

Leave no trace. Respect the property, buildings, vegetation, and equipment. Pack out all trash and restore trenches, fighting positions, and event areas as directed before departure.

No engagements will take place within 30 feet during daytime tactical activities. There is ample maneuver space at this venue, and participants are expected to maintain realistic combat distances.

Do not intentionally point a firearm directly at another participant unless it is part of a pre-approved scenario directed by event staff.

Under no circumstances will blank firearms be discharged toward members of the general public.

During nighttime tactical activities, no engagements will occur within 50 feet. Additional safety procedures for night operations might be added.

If you fail to follow these rules or the basic rules of firearm safety, you will be ejected from the event and not provided a refund.

The possession or use of illegal drugs is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate removal from the event without refund. Participants may not consume alcohol at any time during the event weekend or while participating in event activities. Alcohol may not be possessed or consumed while carrying or operating any firearm, blank-firing weapon, or military vehicle.

The event scenario runs throughout the weekend. Anyone who appears intoxicated, impaired, or otherwise unable to safely participate will be removed from the event without refund.

The objective of this event is to portray realistic World War II tactics and soldiering—not action movie scenes. Reckless charges, unnecessary exposure to enemy fire, excessive "spray and pray" firing, intentionally ignoring casualties, and unrealistic individual heroics diminish the experience for everyone. Use cover, maneuver as a unit, communicate with your chain of command, and portray the battlefield as it would have been fought in 1944.

Every participant contributes to the overall experience. Be respectful, be helpful, and remember that we are here to educate the public, preserve history, and enjoy the hobby together.

1. Vehicle Policy

Period military vehicles, including tracked vehicles, are welcome and encouraged at the event. All vehicle operators are expected to operate their vehicles safely and responsibly at all times.

Excessive speed, reckless driving, aggressive maneuvering, "showboating," or any other dangerous operation will not be tolerated. Vehicle movement during the public scripted demonstration components will be coordinated with event staff to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.

Vehicle owners who intend to bring a military vehicle are asked to contact event staff prior to the event so it can be incorporated into the event scenario.

To enhance the immersive experience, the event will feature an in-game economy. Participants will receive period currency that can be used to purchase food, beverages, and other items throughout the weekend.

Refund Policy

Due to the significant costs associated with running this event, all registrations are final. Refunds will not be issued for any reason. By registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to this policy.