Manuel Pereira was a bricklayer in Portugal, but he worked in agriculture in Saint André d’Allas, in the Dordogne, France, the village where he was shot dead by the Germans.

On June 26, 1944, a German column crossed the village shooting at woods, crossroads, abandoned houses, all targets that could hide resistance members.

The Allied D-Day landing had taken place just weeks before and several German columns advanced through France to face them, while French resistance groups engaged along the way to slow down their progression.

After the column passed, Manuel Pereira's body was discovered at 5pm near the village cemetery.

Two days later the village was again crossed by a German column and this time four inhabitants were shot and robbed. One was a Dutch and the others were Portuguese Norberto Coelho, João Fernandes de Barros and Manuel das Neves.

Carlos Guerreiro