I read today that de Gaulle refused to allow Free French forces to participate in the Normandy landings, and I wonder why. I've never heard that he refused and supposed that the Free French just didn't have significant forces to contribute. What were de Gaulle's reasons for refusing what would have been a huge morale victory for France? Did he just not like the Allies' chances? Was he trying to preserve his forces from bloody battle?
A unit of Free French Commandos landed on either Gold or Sword Beach, while Free French agents were flown in the night before, or were already operating in France when the invasion took place. Not exactly infantry divisions, but then the Free French Expeditionary Force under Alphonse Juin was fighting in Italy at the time, and De Tassigny's Armee B was under formation in North Africa in preparation for the Anvil/Dragoon Landings due to take place in August in southern France.