"This Battle Will Be Tough"

Lieutenant Cauvez decided to send for men to report to the commandant’s headquarters about the section’s difficult situation. I was designated, with no hope of returning, to inform the commandant. I left with the deputy corporal, the rifleman and the loader, towards a patch of woods 3 kilometers away. It’s about 11 p.m., and we move slowly and carefully, because we can see the flashes of grenades and tracer bullets all around us.

When we arrived to see the captain, the battalion’s commandant, we reported on our section’s difficulties. His response was to order the officer to position us in front of the woods. Since our ammunition was running low, we decided to travel by the woods. It was smarter than getting ourselves shot like rabbits.

We moved through the woods and the 234^th artillery regiment officers stopped us and asked us to leave the woods with the horses and get to the first village to turn them over to the authorities. The deputy corporal had been in active service with the dragoons. He lowered the stirrups, gave me a few tips and – voilà – I was a horseman. I did the best I could. The horse didn’t throw me off. Walk, trot and gallop became my new world, even though I wondered sometimes whether the horse was over me or under me. I was never on a horse before, except for the wooden ones on the carousel at the fair. We accomplished our mission and the horses were returned safe and sound.

It’s now June 10, 1940. Since we had no more contact with the 33^rd Infantry Regiment, we were put under the command of the 8^th Engineers of our division. Listening to the TSF we heard General Weygand, who said, “This battle will be tough and success will be difficult.” Not a very encouraging speech during this “difficult” time. Just wait, we’ll see what the future holds.