Letters from a refugee in Vierville to her son in South America

Written letters from Vierville during the war in 1939 and 1940

These letters were written by a Parisian refugee in Vierville since September 1939. She wrote regularly to her son, who lived at the time far from France. Most of his letters have been preserved and the excerpts below contain elements that can be used to understand the life of the village at that time.

Letters from Mrs. MH (in Vierville) to her son JH (in South America)

on Friday, September 1, 1939 Extracts

... the whole country is the gun in hand; the village has been emptying of all the men available for a few days; soon only the very young and old will remain.

....... Our Phil goes to the 1^er gong shot of the general mobilization. In fact, it exists without the word having been pronounced. We evacuate Paris from all the little ones, we received and installed yesterday in the small hotels that you know 50 very small between 2 and 5 years old accompanied by service women and teachers that people of good will (including your 2 brothers-in-law) went to pick up at Bayeux station. There was a whole train arrived with a thousand children to be distributed in the Bayeux arrdt. Everything happened in the greatest order, the little ones having their name, their destination, their address written on a metal plate and attached to the neck. I had received a visit from a Red Cross delegate in the morning and my 2 daughters had made themselves available to her to help her receive, to fit all this little world. Our brave Dubois/ (the mayor of Vierville) / had also put a lot of activity to organize beds and rooms, and since last night all these little people slept peacefully after walking on the "beautiful sand" and seeing "the great Seine"; They are all little ones from the 4th Arrdt - not rich!

.... We will have others, all empty houses are requisitioned here, both for children and for evacuated residents. Strasbourg is partly so, and here we have Messins who came for their own account, when it was still easy to travel.

... our life is only made up of everyone's worries; there are several young mothers here that the husbands had to leave; I saw 2 who are penniless; I sent them back with a viatic that will allow them to send some mandates to the father who left the empty purse. I remain in communication with the brave Dubois, who can point out to me the miseries and the charming Huet (the teacher) who has come back from her shortened vacation to hold her place here, she is a good girl.

The son of Jeanne (who was doing his military service) writes from Maubeuge that they are ready to leave and that it will not be long in coming. The poor mother cries silently.

My Doctor (Lehoux, in Trévières)must also be gone, it is a young Doctor chosen by Lehoux who will come to replace him in Trévières. He says a lot of good things.

Same day 3 p.m., my letter interrupted by lunch was also interrupted by the general mobilization decree. So it's war... Tomorrow Phil leaves us and probably JC. I don't need to tell you how we all feel.....

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Friday, September 7, 39 Extracts

My dear children, I am warned that the airmail is deleted, so only the ships remain which will leave... and arrive we don't know when. I have no news from you, and it is very painful for me ......

........ The mobilization ended yesterday in the greatest calm, the men left without a recrimination, the women held back their tears.

We work and knit hard for all the petiots who are here. On Saturday, your sisters helped install 80 small ones evacuated from Paris. Piprel had prepared rooms and beds for them, he feeds them for a sum that does not allow him to get rich and already these little ones look better, their laughter is nice to hear; They are children of the 4^ème (Bastille) - all poor-, it was necessary to take some to the Bayeux hospital, E. is the same complacency, and his car has already rendered many services. We expect 80 women and children tomorrow, evacuated from Vincennes, Legallois, Pignolet, Merlin have been requisitioned for them, the 2^ème alone consents to feed them, the others give housing. The women will make do with food that the village will provide, pending the allowances that will be distributed at the end of the month.

Miss Huet works the most intelligently in the world and with an unalterable dedication to satisfy everyone and her father, which is very difficult. Our mayor left too...and our brave Muscadet (the horse) that HN was driven yesterday morning to Trévières from where he was immediately directed in troops to Caen. I'm sorry, but what is it next to the sacrifice of so many mothers, so many women! .....

..... Little or no news from the French front and... the newspapers are censored mercilessly,; and we are not really aware... of what we want to be told only by the TSF which gives us the official press releases several times a day.....

All the villas are pretty much occupied, and therefore we have severely adjusted (even in the village) the evening lighting. Our old house is easy to mask, from the night it is the most complete black. It is a matter of not giving any indication to the Boches, already we see the large cargo ships along the coast, and the semaphore is populated with mathurins; while all the fishermen of Grandcamp have almost all taken back their bags to go embark on our boats, there remains the very old and the too young who have taken back the small boats to go fishing and thus help the families of the sons who have left;

Moreover, we are not rationed for a penny, the food is not measured, which makes it possible to satiate our boys whose appetite is sharpened in the open air. Butter has decreased significantly, shipments to Paris being partly stopped, partly only because trains can take civilians to the point of impossibility.

...I received a letter this morning from the Czechoslovak legation asking me if it was necessary, I will not refuse my advice and help to the secretary's wife, sent here with a dozen children whose fathers are committed to fighting the Boche. Of course!

...My garden is always beautiful, we pick pears, I will send some in a basket tomorrow to the little ones on the beach....

I wrote to all our friends, including of course your mom, my little Maine,... no answer. All the letters arrive drop by drop...

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12 September 39, excerpts

Our life is slowly passing by! So hard despite our fingers that work for the soldiers and the little ones. The little ones we have a whole horde installed at Piprel, whose fathers are in the armies, they have already changed their mine. We also have a small colony of Czechoslovak children whose fathers are committed, and whose mothers work in Paris. ..... I went to see them, they are under the supervision of the wife of the chancery secretary who treats and feeds them for 6F per day and per head!! ....

We lack nothing here, butter and all milk products have even gone down, as every fall.

The brave Dubois after taking the horses, (requisitioned for the army) organizes the arrivals of the refugees, helps the baker (he is mobilized) to make bread. What a good man. Everyone helps the neighbor as best he can,...

........Almost all the villas are occupied by mothers, women, children, and the gendarmes have a lot to do in the evening to close the eyes of all these illuminated windows. It's not about waving to the Boches.

The other day a strong cannonade in the NO made us assume that it was not far away. And the sky is crossed by squadrons of large bombers who monitor the sea and protect the landing of our friends from across the Channel, whose big cars crisscross our roads loaded with equipment and probably "jams" of ???? and tea. What a comfort to feel these brave boys and their St-Georges cavalry next to us.

I really want to write to my Commodore from Vierville who may be prowling with his device at home that his old house is ready to welcome him in his moments of rest....

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Vierville, Saturday, September 16, 1939 (EXTRACTS)

......... Men are gone, are replaced in our farms by the old, women and young. L. is now busy collecting at Dubois, and on Monday the remaining 3 boys will go to a small farmer whose husband is at the front.

No news from Jeanne's son, it's very long, he had to leave from the 1^er day for the front.

Here we harvest pears, and I was able to send good baskets to the little refugees and also to the little Czechs; he also leaves in more than one house in the village, and we knit like devils, Mrs. A is for this a valuable help and enriches our supplies with wool for the winter; it will take a lot for soldiers and the little ones; It is not about letting yourself be won by the cold.

Here! This leads me to tell you that the boiler has finally decided to come (he is a reformer) for two days my 1400l barrel of large cider that has been waiting for 2 years has turned into 96l of exquisite calva, they say, and which only asks to age. We will celebrate the victory with, not my H.? I'll drink it... God willing!

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Vierville, Tuesday, September 19, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

.... My brave (doctor) Lehoux left with the 43^th (the Caen regiment?) where he is a doctor.......... .......... Q. met his regiment the other day leaving Caen, in excellent order of march, full of cannons and ammunition, brand new, soldiers, officers of good attire, horses in excellent condition, Long live France! .......

.... The Russians entered Poland under the pretext of maintaining order, the unfortunate Poles were crushed between the Boches and the Russians. ...

..... Our overseas friends continue to land not far from here; it is a wonder to see their equipment and equipment. They settle on the west coast of our peninsula, Q. returned last night crossed all the time, and planes often fly over us. The semaphore is full of veterans and our customs officers have reappeared; we are watching the Boches; if only there was one of their submarines running aground here! ...

Our boys help with the harvest, K. spent the whole day of Saturday earning at Dubois; He held on very valiantly despite the rough task that was incumbent on him.

..... Mr. A. and F. are looking to rent a house in Grandcamp. We are partially evacuating their town, there is not a single child left.....

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Vierville, Tuesday, September 20, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

My dear children,

I am kindly warned by the post office that the airmail is restored with you, without knowing the day, I am writing to you right now; our letters on Paris and all of France are very delayed, and for good reason: control and staff reduced to PTT, convoys, letters are mainly reserved for soldiers, I would risk in the meantime to miss perhaps this blessed mail.

I will stay here where my place is, I owe myself to a lot of misery here, if only to these 80 little ones from 3 to 6 years old, evacuated from Paris and who are settled at Piprel. They are poor children, it will take a lot of wool this winter; we are knitting by force and I already have a good supply in advance.

We also have mobilized people, some of whom have been left without resources, and the allowance will not be given until the end of the month.

Georges, the son of Jeanne and Léon was at the front from the first hour; he left very simply and with courage (he was on agricultural leave on the day of the mobilization) but we have no news of him since 1^er, his poor mother and Léon are struggling, I have a hard time getting them back together.

...Everyone largely does their duty without complaint, our boys help farmers left alone to raise, our mayor makes bread on occasion, helps with beatings, etc. Mr. Leterrier saw his 2 sons and sons-in-law leave and remains with 2 important farms on his arms, many Parisians returned with the little ones, occupying the villas on the beach.

The A. father and daughter are in talks to rent a house in Grandcamp......

Vierville, Tuesday 26 (?) September 1939 (EXCERPTS)

... we had no news of Jeanne's son, I no longer knew how to encourage these poor people who had not received anything since their son left. He is unharmed somewhere on the side of the Saarland where we fight hard.

....... It is also possible that the old house will be requisitioned in part for refugees, we evacuate all of Alsace on the Limousin. I will do my best to soften the sadness of the hour for those who need it. In the meantime we knit fiercely, the newspapers, the TSF demand that all women knit thinking of the winter that is coming and will be hard for our soldiers. And then we will receive 100 other children evacuated, I don't know from where, and who will also need warm clothes... we will install them at Merlin, Pignolet, etc, where they will find a comfortable welcome, already the 40 little ones we have had for 1 month have changed their mine.

....... Almost all the villas on the beach are occupied by their owners,...

....... We lack nothing, food prices are very monitored, and our brave gendarmes travel our roads to watch over everything. The English convoys continue in the most beautiful order and equipped with splendid equipment to travel our roads, greeted by our peasants, and the planes that crisscross the sky warn us by their continuous presence when a landing is made not far from our home. They watch the sea and the Boche from above.....

... our boys continue to help on farms where farmers have been left alone. They have been with Baurens' daughter since yesterday (?) whose mobilized husband operates the Normanville farm, helping to bring the buckwheat into the barns. They do it from the best of their heart, with even cheerfulness and we like them. I think that tomorrow they will go to the Ormel where Leterrier is almost alone to run a 100 ha farm,

... As you know Caen will not be used by students, all faculties are transported elsewhere because of the blast furnaces and powders that work at full efficiency operated by mobilized 40 to 50 years olds.

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Vierville, Saturday, September 30, 1939 (EXTRACTS)

........ Our village is very lively with all the refugees and the little ones sent to us. We say, and it is quite possible that many of the former return home, their installation in some of our campaigns being very precarious and insufficient. The government is calling in vain that we do not return to Paris, where at any moment the Boche can launch a deadly offensive that would require a new evacuation.

... I still trust in our good right to be right about these brutes, and in the valory of our army always full of enthusiasm. The barracks are full of reservist soldiers who have been allowed to come and harvest and harvest, they like this better than being unoccupied in the barracks. We also sent back fishermen from Grandcamp registered maritime and left on the 1^er day, but the boats are full, they returned to start fishing with the order of course to be at the disposal of the military authority at the 1^er call.

No restrictions so far for people in the back, it is said that the gas card will be instituted on November 1st. The ease that we had your sisters with their cars... helped things well, because we only have one bus to and from Bayeux and trains are naturally reserved for soldiers.

.... The food remains easy here and without increase, but we must expect one day or another to review the cards of bread, sugar, etc.,

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Vierville Saturday, October 7, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

Hitler's speech delivered yesterday in the Reichstag who enrages for not having shot down the resolution of those who want to shoot him down leaves us no more illusions about how the war will now be conducted by the Boches. At the TSF we heard him shouting like crazy.... How are there still neutrals in front of this?

... yet it is not the men who are lacking, the barracks and depots are full of reservists, as well as the rear front, of troops, to such an extent that we have been able to grant permits for the harvests..... The very life of our village is already better organized. .... Agricultural products are selling well despite the sale in Paris from which part of the population is evacuated. We know something about it here, Grandcamp is crowded with Parisians from the 4th^th and residents of Vincennes, ..... I understand, however, that it can be hard for all these poor people to leave everything they have......

.... As soon as all my darlings leave, I will take my winter quarters,......, but I will only put the rest of the house in half a night light, because it could be that from one day to the next I will be invaded by refugees or troops. ..... our English friends are not settled far from here and their superb convoys continue to march on our Normandy roads to the East. All this is reassuring but tightens the heart... it's the fact of a madman and his gang of?? And the people they come out of, because my opinion has even less reason to change than ever, they are all bandits.

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Vierville Sunday, October 15, 1939 (EXTRACTS)

My dear children, I have just heard the official statement of this night that the TSF transmits to us, it is designed in about the same terms: activities of repelled enemy patrols, artillery duels on both sides. And that's all we know...

... De Lapis in his last letter to the boys claims that in his sector (he must be in the Ardennes) he occasionally hears a cannon shot and that this is what the press releases call an intense artillery duel. You have to do the part of his sarcastic and lively spirit which must be very precious to his comrades, but it must be said that everything seems calm "What are we waiting for? "Would say your dear dad. No doubt we have peremptory reasons to be the weapon in the foot. ......a mobilized person who came to help with harvests and beatings claims that his artillery brother would have told him that more than 10 rows of cannons one behind the other await the Boches. ....

... nothing new here, autumn is advancing slowly.... We pick the last pears. I was able to make people happy with all these fruits, not counting all those who treated your nephews.

........ It was necessary to add a class, which is done at the City Hall, for the little ones of refugee families in the villas. I have seen some refugees whose allowance is long overdue. We can't do anything about it. I do not assume that the state coffers are full of reserves, and yet only expenses from all sides. I help as long as I can, while reserving the largest share for our small village. I saw Dubois yesterday and must see Miss Huet these days; all fulfill their duties as mayor and secretary with an admirable good mood. We can't imagine the flow of paperwork with which they are overloaded, and the brave Dubois is always ready to give a hand to the beating of the grains, to the plowing that should be done in the farms whose men have left. Brave people than those who make their war too. I think .... the budget of our canteen is very low....

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Vierville Saturday, October 21, 1939 and Sunday, October 22, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

... Piprel fulfills his task admirably, these little ones miss their dads and moms! ... a big van brought warm clothes from Paris for them. I saw the teachers and also not mayor, the municipality's budget will not allow the school canteen to be opened this winter. Many of those who were customers have parents who have not left. They will be helped with bread and meat vouchers;

..... Allowances are paid much more sparingly than in 1914; not without reason, there have been such abuses! Children always touch, but mothers, many of whom are growers, do not touch anything. In general, fathers of 4, 5 or 6 children stay in the back.

.... So far none of our little soldiers in the country have been reported injured or dead, except for 2 boys from Asnières, who served as liaison officers on motorcycles, have crashed into a tree.

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Vierville Saturday, October 28, 1939 and Sunday morning 29/10, (EXCERPTS)

........ All that remains is to wait for the permissions that Daladier promises to everyone soon. We must avoid what was done in 1914 by holding under arms the soldiers who stayed more than a year without returning home. The situation was also very different.... now the wall of the Maginot line supported by our tanks and our cannons opposes ...... an insurmountable barrier.

........ The press releases give little detail, because the activity is reduced to few things. However, there must be victims, but so far our little corner is unharmed. Classes 1909 and 1910 (men aged 49 and 50) have just been demobilized....

.... We really wonder what this crazy Hitler thinks and reserves for us. Apparently this week we expected a strong attack between Sambre and Moselle, then the passage of hundreds of Boches tanks through Holland. ..

....... Lightning fell last night with a terrible noise on the lightning rod of the bishop's tower ........ causing no damage, not even that, always to be feared, of welding the lightning rod. But is it? My TSF position has been silent since then, and I regret it because the new data 3 times a day and the very good music helped me spend the hours knitting. I didn't have time to close the meter, because it was sudden, surprising the whole house....

29/10 Since last night, I found a doctor for my position, and I'm not angry about it. In this case, it was Gambier's son who was sent with other soldiers as a coast guard. So he came very kindly and found that a lead had been melted, few things therefore, he was returning from guard and had found the body of a drowned man on the beach. Where does this poor body come from? Some victims of the Boches perhaps, including a large submersible ran aground near Dover; a wreck where 60 corpses were found. How sad all this is! The sea rejects in its fury, because the storm continues, piles of wrecks that come from we don't know where.

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Vierville Saturday, November 4, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

..... Georges Victoire is in Brittany for X times, part of his regiment came to instruct young people and Poles including regiments, as well as Czechoslovaks are formed every day.

....... Nice weather however for 2 days, which has allowed .....to go to the apple trees in the Vignets, these are the 7 lean cows, and we will not make a big cider in abundance this year. Fortunately, I had thought of this, and we will only need a 1400 l barrel of cider, the harvest will be enough.

........ I'm installing a small wood stove in K's room, the next room of the storage room has a fireplace - so it's easy - and I'm also buying a small salamander that I'll have placed in the small dining room. I could see in these weathers of north wind, that it was very difficult to be hot, and I have 7 tons of anthracite that have been waiting for our goodwill since 1914. Fortunately the stake has a good supply of wood, and I filled up on coal for the kitchen, and the Good God blew a little hard on one of our old apple trees in the Vignet, which will still give heat, because we have to think of our poor old people who warm up badly in front of their half-extinguished fireplaces.

........ I see from time to time Dubois always ready to do me a favor, he brought me a rabbit, poached it must be admitted, the hunt is not open this year - and Miss Huet to whom I will provide wool, crochet and needles for the big girls of her class who work for those who need it.

... here many small villas go to the municipal school.... But it's not going well and for good reason! However, there is a 3^th teacher and we do the class in the town hall. ...

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Vierville Saturday, November 11, 1939 (EXTRACTS)

......The days are greatly shortened and here is that as a precautionary measure cars must be equipped with black lamps. Already the blue lamps gave little light, these will give so little that we risk, despite all the attention, to crush some passers-by, especially when arriving in the city.

In France, many reservists have just been put on leave for several weeks whose task was more useful to raise and lead our ....economy.... than to dig very far behind the front of the trenches that no one believes are useful.

The apples picked up and brought kindly to the baneau of our neighbor Auvray, gave a deficit that I have never known, barely 15 bars (1/2 hectos) to make our cider barrel, I will have to buy more and I have already had 100 liters of water put in the barrel in emptying. By adding sugar and spoiled product it will be very drinkable. I cry tears of blood on my barrel of big cider that E. kept boiling me this summer, I obviously have 100 liters of calvados - which no one touches except E. - at the bottom of my cellar, but I could have boiled half as much and used the surplus for our cider of the year. This is a good lesson for the future.

Did I tell you that I had 7 young apple trees planted to replace those so unfortunately uprooted last year with a gust, and which were good old trees in full production.

Our small village is always very quiet, as I told you the school canteen has been removed, we will give individual help.

I'm waiting for Mrs. Ygouf's visit these days. I believe that the Christmas tree will not take place either, there are about fifty little Parisians here who could not be excluded and this would terribly increase expenses, but I think I will be able to stock up on delicacies that will be distributed to school at the end of the year. .....

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18 Nov 39 excerpts

........ Our small village is always quiet, and the work is done thanks to the dedication of women and old people. Leterrier runs the Ormel, whose eldest son was going to marry to take the direction, he is engaged, and the exploitation of his son-in-law who is at the front. Tough task, I saw him the other day very tired.

........ I want to have the phone put on, but I'm afraid that the Navy and our English friends will prevent calling in the English Channel; the department belongs to those who settle... for 10 years.

....... Life has not yet increased much, and we find everything, including gasoline, that we widely distribute.

....... Leterrier arranged to find me 20 apple bars that added to mine will make a drinkable cider all the same.

I find here all the possible help to replace our brave Muscadet who is still working in Caen in his artillery regiment; and it is to whom I will lend a horse or banneau. There are still a lot of bundles and apple wood to bring back Vignets, this will increase our provision, but I was able to distribute it to poor old people who are more to be pitied than me!

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Vierville Saturday, November 25, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

... These 2 wars in 25 years and the military preparations that we had to support put us dry. I wonder how we'll end up paying for all this. Our countrymen get away with it, products are selling on the rise, livestock are requisitioned at a good price, but it must be recognized that it is not without harm on their part, because their work cannot wait. Have I told you all the complacency I find near our good people, as soon as I need a cart and a horse. Léon Auvray went yesterday to Le Vignet with Léon to get me the last 2 apple trees uprooted last year and that Georges had helped to saw. Leterrier sent me yesterday the apples we needed for our cider, they come from his daughter's house whom he helps to run the farm, which she successfully pulls. I am touched by their kind complacency. I could have had another horse; to replace all those that have been requisitioned, we castre beautiful pure blood, cobs especially, for agriculture. But it's an expense I want to do without this year and it will give me the resource to sell my hay....

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December 10 39* excerpts

........ H.A. takes everyone - in two cars - to have lunch and hear the mass at Mont St-Michel. What a great idea to go and implore the patron saint of the cadet on this day. With this, the weather is superb after a horrible week of wind and rain. They have to leave early and come back in the same way (there are only 85km from Coutances) because we are always very severe for the ignition of car headlights in all our coastal departments..... where our friends (English) are installed as at home. They have an airfield not far away, which earns them an alert of boches planes from time to time, of which the big church bell warns them in time, but this is limited to alerts and so far these pigs of Boches have not committed any murders on the population.

......... We are required to be cautious here and 4 soldiers watch night and day on the coast, who have made their home in Pignolet. I don't know if I told you that a couple from Boches whose windows of the villa shone with light every night, in Saint-Laurent, were arrested and deported to a concentration camp. So it was necessary to put blue paper on the lamps that were difficult to hide, I put large curtains in the kitchen and the small dining room.

.......... We have been watered down all week with the bell that our parish priest rings 3 times a day and 4 days for the least at each death. Father Leberruyer died, it is a deliverance for him and his, ......; also died the 2nd daughter of the Saillard, 19 years old ½, of typhoid fever, she was good in Bayeux, the mother is waiting for her 12th in 2 months, completely exhausted, moreover. She is Leon's sister....

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Vierville December 19 and 20, 1939 (EXTRACTS)

......... We pounded our cider this week, it happened the best in the world, and a 1400-liter barrel is waiting to be pierced at Easter to end the year 1940...

......... The Christmas tree will take place this year at the town hall and I think that the chocolate and brioches that I offer to the 75 little ones who attend school will delight and warm all this youth.

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Vierville Tuesday, December 26, 1939 (EXCERPTS)

.... I just received a letter from Q. this morning mailed on 12/21 in Coutances, it is to tell you if the post office is irregular.

....... Nothing new in our village, there were permits and a Christmas tree for 75 children that I then treated with a hearty snack. There was even a Santa Claus, in this case one of our maritime guards - teacher of his profession who was able to say some words of good advice, the adults laughed and the little ones... were at first a little scared then.... realized that the shoes of Father Christmas resembled strangely those of the soldiers who wandered on our coasts.

....... Women knit all day long for soldiers, I give up telling you the kilos of wool your sisters used! They made many happy in socks, sweaters, nose masks, passe-mountains among poor soldiers without parents or very poor. The thank you letters they receive are so touching.

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Vierville Wednesday, January 3, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

....... Your eldest is holding up with her good health.... Their old mother .. ..is however better regaining some strength (it's long at my age!), every day kindly my dear daughters took me for a car ride, it changed my horizon; we went to see some old mansions and even we discovered some others in broken paths, changed into farms and very poorly maintained! But a few pretty details, a gate, skylights, everything shows the prosperity of yesteryear. And it rests from all this agitation....

.... But we must expect tax increases, levies on annuities, etc. J. and B. came to faithfully bring me their rentals, I'm waiting for Pohier (?), but I still have tension with Z. who has not yet paid me the June rent. I will ask him to come see me.

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9 January 40 excerpts

........ In addition, I am waiting for your sisters this afternoon, they want to be tomorrow at the service that will be done for Dr. Parmentier removed in 4 days by infectious anemia. He was perfectly fine on December 31 since he spoke kindly to your sisters when leaving mass, he must have caught a cold, had been quite tired, but he was 80 years old! I imagine the confusion.... ... I immediately wrote to E.

.... We were cold and it unleashed a disaster in the attic, where the water pipe broke, flooding the Bishop's room and the small living room below.

........ My phone is being installed right now, portable device in my small living room, double ringing (one in the kitchen) this will be practical, although since the war, it is forbidden to call from dept. to dept. I hope to be able to call your sisters for health reasons (at the time we always went through an operator in our countryside; the automatic existed in Paris and in the big cities, and of course not for the inter-urban).The English who are masters of the department are fierce about this, in any case this will make it easier for races in Trévières, Bayeux, etc.; because once the sisters have left I am absolutely on foot. However, it is not that all our brave people in the village are not ready to do me a favor but you know me enough, my H., to know that I am of the opinion not to abuse, almost not even to use......

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Vierville January 16, 1940 Tuesday (EXCERPTS)

....... My farmers all paid me, agricultural products sell very well, at an animal sale the least cow was worth 4 to 5000F, a horse without it being a thoroughbred 10 to 11000F, a lame and 28-year-old mare made 6000F. I got news from Pohier of the trip we made our poor bourins make when they were requisitioned, he was driving them. They had 1 bunch of hay each for a 2-day trip without being watered, I'm not surprised that many of them are out of service. What a carelessness, what a carelessness!

....... Wednesday, January 17

I'm afraid this letter won't leave tonight for Paris,... we woke up this morning in a snowy landscape, we no longer see the top of the lawns, it's telling you if there are any.

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Vierville Tuesday, January 23, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

... we have been pretty much blocked by snow since I wrote to you last week. The mail arrives when it can and leaves the same, the buses have been stopped for 2 days, it is said that the snow is almost a m. high on the road to Bayeux, and it hardly surprises me to judge because we have around here. We were deprived of electricity and almost cornered to starvation if our personal reserves had not allowed us to feed our table.... The landscape was sinister on the side of the sea violently shaken by a strong wind of NE.... No way to pull out a salad or a leek, and our cuttings, despite the fire maintained night and day, almost spent a bad ¼ of an hour in the greenhouse whose door could no longer be opened sealed by the frost....we had –9°.

..... In the occupied rooms, we were able to maintain a sufficient temperature thanks to the tons of wood that we put in the oven and the salamander that eats my anthracite. I had a wood stove installed in R's room. .......

.....Thinking of our little soldiers who are on guard with –25 and –28° of cold. This is what H.A.. accuses us of who fortunately supports this without discomfort. It looks very similar to the winter of 1917 which resembled that of 1870.....

... I hope that next year we can do the same (return to Paris, as many Parisians are doing at the moment). The hard blow is said for next spring, but as the spiritual Dorin said the other day at the TSF "there are good and bad tips... but all are wrong"

........ I see here all the Parisians who remained for the winter warmly dressed in wool, almost all the women with pajama pants or skis tight to the ankle on huge shoes with strong soles, on the head a small wool or waxed canvas hood depending on the weather. I made several of these for good old women from our village who are delighted to have a hot head.

........ I make in series small hoods that look terribly like what our good women wore 50 years ago, it was out of fashion, even in the countryside, but our old women are delighted to "much" their ears behind my knitwear.

.... I haven't seen anyone from the Parmentier who must be even more stuck than me at sea.

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30 January 40 excerpts

... Finally 2 days ago the beautiful(!) Snow (fled) that blocked us like in a hole..... I really congratulate myself to have a salamander in the small dining room, without it we would not spread. So we watch the rain fall with satisfaction, your sisters despite their 4 pans and the stove could not feel a little lukewarmness, and poor Suzon had her fingers swollen with frostbite.

.... Here our life resumes its regular march; the mail, the butcher, the fish, the suppliers and the buses work...... it was a problem to make a menu; our vegetables under 30cm of snow do not seem to have suffered too much, but the hungry hares throw themselves on our salads.

... I had sent a note to Mrs. Godard that I always knew in her hermitage - that you know - in the middle of the woods. She tells me that they had to eat pasta, potatoes and onions for several days, of which she fortunately had some reserves; everything is fine with her, including one of her sons-in-law who has not left the front since September.

January 31

......Yesterday at the TSF I came across, by chance, a German post that broadcast a speech that I then knew was that of Hitler: a real demented shouting his choppy word which contained, it seems, we are told this morning all the customary insults; it ended with Heil! So chanted that they could only be guided by a master of ceremonies. He continued to infinity without being silent and I turned the button to no longer hear those screams that broke my heart. When we think of the effort, the sacrifice of all the French to defeat this raging devil, we wonder if God will not have mercy on us by getting rid of the clique that surrounds him.

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Vierville Tuesday, February 6, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

... this leads me to talk about our poor Muscadet, of which I have indirectly heard: some of the beautiful and strong Norman horses who left from the 1st^ère hour are apparently, out of use, they lacked so much care and food, ......... our countryside where farms barely have enough for the current work.

... I.. finished a big sweater that will go to the front for one of our little soldiers from Vierville who asked me. I will add some delicacies and a small viatic because he is a father of 2 children; the mother treats to help herself live, and the allowance granted by the State only allows the essentials.

... several adjourned from the old classes have passed a new revision. Some, including the son Ygouf, were taken back.

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February 20 40 excerpts

........ The old classes are reviewed and some are recalled in activity to allow others to join their back seat. Our brave farmers need the help of their husbands to finish the plowing and prepare the harvests. I saw Dubois who told me that Jacques de Mons was recalled,....

....... Nothing new in our small village, the school canteen will definitely not be reorganized, bread is distributed to large families and old people but the 1st are very largely helped now by the allowances that the State distributes - not without reason - and in addition the fathers are now at home. ......

........ We always have great supply facilities, bread (if it is less good) is not rationed, neither sugar nor coffee, we are 3 days without meat, but there are still poultry and fish. The main thing is to give our soldiers a hearty bowl.

With Q., we went for a few walks; I always have great pleasure in it; we went to Campigny where there are 2 old castles; but we will go back to visit the church where there are 4 lying, and also a beautiful Renaissance fireplace in a farm. It's buried in the countryside, all 15 km from La Mine and we wonder why all this luxury and who it was used for! The paths that lead there are not good! What was it supposed to be under Louis XII or Francis 1^er?

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Vierville Tuesday, February 27, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

..... Nothing new in our village, the old people are falling one after the other, it's their age, we bury Father Brisset tomorrow, former postman and old Father Célestin is at his bad....

....... Dagoubert worked all week to repair the damage caused by the frost, a real disaster, especially in my bathroom, it was necessary to remove the bathtub, lift 3 pipes from ....., one was punctured at the passage of the ceiling!

Wednesday 28/2 1940 .... I just saw Dagoubert for the tank leak; after explaining that the repair was very difficult - me to answer him that nothing was impossible and that it had to be done, it turns out that it is not the tank, but a lead pipe that passes through the back that is punctured. This will therefore be done without too much trouble. This allowed me to see that the ceiling of the engine room is sinking terribly... ditto in the place where the wheelbarrows are put. The weight of the earth ceilings is the cause; but what a repair! ... I'm too old to start all this and moreover there is no worker around here right now who can do it.

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Vierville Tuesday, March 5, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

You must have seen that our government organizes the rationing card, which will be meat, bread and sugar; already butchers are closed for 3 days in a row, charcuterie 2 days, pastries 3 days and the sale of alcohol ditto (this is a good measure for Calvados!). For our reduced appetites, for K. and me, I'm not worried, but I wonder how the sisters will do in front of the appetites of young people who are not full! We will have to double the dishes of noodles, rice and potatoes... Too bad if it's for France and for victory.

... Our mayor is sick......

..... I would abolish, if I could, the privilege of vintage boilers who provide all these people with a supply of alcohol at a cheal market. I had a visit from our teachers; .... I provide them with the supply of wool they need to teach their daughters how to crochet and knit. The result is not so bad, and I promised at the end of the year to give a reward to the most skilled: work bag or other. These two good girls go to great lengths for their students. .......

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March 12 40 excerpts

....... the funeral of our old priest. Indeed, this one that I announced to you as very tired in my last letter died on Thursday, having wanted to fulfill his duties as a priest until the end; he had said Wednesday the monthly mass for our dear father and all those we cry, he wanted to do the same on Thursday and dragged himself to the altar, ending his mass with great pain, and he then returned to the presbytery without being able to do the catechism to the children, went to bed and died in the night after painful suffering (I do not know what he died of). He had prepared as a good Christian all his departure, still recommending to Christine Dagoubert who helped the poor old Louise, collapsed, to have him buried in the purple satin chasuble that your dear father had chosen for him for the wedding of your elders..... To my great regret, I could not go and bless his remains or attend the funeral where the whole country had made an appointment. There were, it seems, 22 priests, veterans and their flag as well as firefighters, and all the benches were filled with assistants.

........ He had been a parish priest for 40 years. I'm not sure who we're going to have, priests are rare, young people gone to the armies, there are chances that we will be served as well as we can by the parish priest of St-Laurent who already has 3 parishes on his own, with Vierville and Louvières I wonder when we will have a mass!! ..... The mayor leaves here, he had to go talk to the dean of Trévières (former missionary .....) and try to fix things. It's not the money that will be lacking, I'm sure, I would be sorry if our village was without a priest, and I think with emotion of the One who just left, he loved us all, and it's still a little bit of all my old past that's leaving! Winter has been cruel to all old people.

........ The big boys see Easter arrive with a smile, they will have to go to Rouen to take the higher military preparation exam that they have prepared compulsorily as students at the grandes écoles. From here to Rouen, it's 150km and gasoline is increasingly rare, taking the train you have to sleep 2 days on the road. Trains are also rare. It is incomprehensible that we do not go closer to here to take the said exams since we recommend saving gasoline and taking the railway only if absolutely obliged. It's incredible that in our dear country there can be nonsense... and waste.

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Vierville March 18, 1940 Tuesday morning (EXCERPTS)

... we were deprived of mass here, yesterday morning, we had the resource of St-Laurent, we will have a service on Easter day, the brave parish priest of St-Laurent multiplies among the 5 parishes he has to serve. We are even deprived of the Angelus, the city council is very active to fill all these gaps; it is so sad a parish without a priest and without bells!

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Vierville Tuesday, March 25, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

.......... We don't have too bad weather, the weather is mild with a few showers; great tide that allowed our boys to go pick us mussels at the end of the Percée with their canoes.(Observations of D.: The rock in front of the Percée, which emerged only by large tides was the "marcelle rock"; this is where we brought back mussels during our first outing with the two canoes on the day of the declaration of war, and after; as no one could go on foot, the mussels were very large and very clean) They came back with a full bag of beautiful big mussels, and a smaller one of gogins.

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Wednesday, March 26 extracts

........ Our boys left this morning from 6 a.m. to take the only train that can take them to Rouen where they will be for lunch, we will see them again on Friday morning because they will only arrive in Bayeux during the night. This is an exam that would have benefited from being simplified, and I am surprised that military service could not also do something analogous in Caen? It is not the officers and the troops that are lacking, there are them everywhere. We will have to start this again in July and we will not know the result.

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Tuesday, April 2 40 excerpts

... We send back farmers for 15 days, 1 month, because our women can't hold on with kids aged 14 to 18 as helpers, and the work of the land is done as it should.

... Our boys were in Rouen on Thursday to spend the first part of their PMS - the 2^th part will take place in August - this is mandatory for students preparing for the grandes écoles. Our guys found Lt. François de Bughas among their examiners.

.... Between days of good weather we had a real tidal wave that arrived suddenly and left the same on the day of the equinox. The boulevard de la mer was unaffordable, all the gardens flooded, that of the Guignard among others where there is still 60cm of water at the bottom. Everything has to be redone in this case in a garden. The earth itself is unusable. It seems that the spectacle seen from the cliff was splendid, but when the sea was tasted, we found the road invaded by pebbles and large excavations with the protections that follow to St. Lawrence. The dike hardly suffered. Big job to do again. ...... however, it was necessary to close the shutters on the sea side to shelter us from the wind that infiltrated everywhere. The good weather that followed made it possible.......to work hard in the garden, it looks very good and we will have a nice harvest of potatoes and vegetables this year. It is necessary, we do not see what the following months have in store for us, we will establish tomorrow the supply map for all of France. It doesn't matter much for the old and the small who will always have enough, but I wonder how we will spread in front of appetites like those of our boys.

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Vierville, Tuesday, April 9, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

.... The naval news on the side of Sweden and Norway are burning; these neutrals have been below everything, they are now protesting that we refuse to let the boches boats loaded with ore follow their territorial waters under the protection of Norwegian torpedoes. A new sensa from New York arrived this morning claims that the Boches invaded Denmark in order to better defend themselves and Wilhemshafen's complete squadron would have sailed to the Northwest. A naval fight would be expected. Our hearts are tight thinking about everything that may follow; but unfortunately we will have to get to hit each other firmly.

Wednesday .... Since yesterday the news has been rushing and the war is lighting up in Scandinavia... it is said that a great naval battle between the Franco-British and German fleets is taking place on the Norwegian coasts, the most diverse news has reached us, even by TSF. ..... I am, as you surely are my dear children, horribly anxious about the future. May God keep us all.

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Vierville, Tuesday, April 16, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

The parish priest of St. Lawrence says a mass here every Sunday, often even vespers, and takes care of the little communicants. He has reinstalled a singer, the choir children are better kept, and less talkative; the church is cleaner.

....... It is now the brave Coliboeuf (Jeanne's husband, our cook) who sounds the angelics with great regularity and strength, because here he is now our field guard

.... I have the impression (!) That few or nothing of our soldiers have left to support the English and Norwegians, but we are holding the Maginot line from Belfort to Calais, ready to return to Belgium if necessary. I wonder what the Boches think and where they want to go.

..... I had a lot of fun the other day seeing the whole column of little Parisians from Piprel who came at my request to walk in the woods, I made a distribution of lollipops, naturally, the teachers had told them that they were taking them to the Bois de Vincennes. "But it's much prettier than the Bois de Vincennes," said one of them, and we left with little hands full of flowers with a smile on our lips. ... They are still here for X time.

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Vierville, Tuesday, April 23, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

..... I also received a visit from the teachers who send you their respectful memories. We are actively preparing at the town hall the rationing cards with which we will be rewarded in June.

.........With all the expenses I will have to make for Vierville. I will be able to make ends meet without more and again! It remains to be seen what the Government has in store for us as taxes; we will have to expect a big note! ... but Long live France! We see the war being dragged on and for my part I have little hope of seeing the end of it this year. The TSF is very discreet, too much in my opinion, because we know nothing about what is happening. (the Norwegian war was still undecided before going wrong for the Allies) Tough wait for all.

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Vierville, Wednesday, April 30, 1940 (EXCERPTS)

...Operations do not seem to be exaggerating in the East; the permissions of our soldiers had been removed, they are restored, I think we will soon see our corporal and probably also Georges Victoire; this one to whom I send packages from time to time or a mandate, writes me my faith very kindly and we feel him full of enthusiasm, is he in the front right now? ...

.... Yesterday I had a visit from Mrs. Monceti, the wife of a Checoslovlegation secretary, a refugee here with her children, her husband is still in Paris at the Legation. She had about fifteen Czech refugee children at home for several months and I helped them a little. Her husband.... sent me several very beautiful colorful brochures from their country.....

....... Nothing new in our village where field work is courageously done by women and very young people. Our boys will have something to take care of during the holidays. My hay looks superb, even in the "Pompom" field which is no longer trampled by the horse. I will sell the harvest once bundled

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Vierville - Tuesday, May 8, 1940 - excerpts

......We sound the bell of poor Piprel who killed himself in a car last Friday....

....... Jeanne came to warn me that Piprel returning from Formigny where he had been driving his son to the bus had just killed himself by meeting a truck coming from Port, at the crossroads of the Post Office. He survived this terrible accident for a few minutes, the time to look for his wife. He succumbed to a heart attack, because he was not dangerously injured. And here is a family in desolation, the brave mother Piprel is unable to finish raising her sons, one of whom will leave for the armies, and the other is still in high school. The Casino is still mobilized and gives asylum to about thirty little Parisians and their teachers.

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14 May 40 excerpts

........ Before I started writing to you, I turned the button on my TSF which for a few days has been giving us the operations report, every hour. It is to tell you if we are anxious about the news from the East and the North and how much we think of those who are fighting for it.

........ Little Georges Victoire who was with the tanks on the Belgian border also had to enter Belgium; all our leavers left leaving brave women but in tears and since last night we see little refugees arrive from the North and even from Paris who are installed in the houses already requisitioned. The Deputy Prefect warned Dubois that we will probably send a hundred other refugees (families) and finding out where to put them, do I need to tell you that I offered everything I have available in the old house....... In any case, it will be necessary to arrange for the unfortunate who will still find themselves driven out of their homes.

..... I gave in yesterday to the mayor who was with a single bourricot to go to Bayeux our old Pépita who will help him with all the shopping....... We can't imagine what the administration of a municipality can claim - even if it were small like ours - in these days; the teacher who serves as secretary is on her teeth, and the deputy Piprel who lent himself and his car to everything we needed, having disappeared (he and his car in crumbs) cannot be replaced, elections cannot be held in France in times of war. It is therefore a matter of helping each other and I offered myself to serve as a secretary to the secretary who folds under a mass of rationing cards that are sent to her. I regret that my activity is stopped and that I cannot help in a more effective way

....... The invasion of the Netherlands and Belgium was like love at first sight; certainly we could expect everything with the rabid dogs of the East, but we could still hope that they would keep their promises, it does not seem to be so and we follow from hour to hour the progress of these hordes that recall the Huns.

........ I learned yesterday with surprise that the queen mother of Belgium is a refugee not far from here with her 3 grandchildren in a small castle that you know well between Mosles and Bayeux; the villas of St-Laurent are rented to people from the Court arriving with some talls.

.......... Cars are starting to pass again loaded with suitcases, we even see entire buses coming from Paris or far away, and the war continues unfortunately! With the same acuity.

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May 21 40 excerpts

........ For 2 days especially a parade of cars continues on our roads, transporting people who are fleeing. Last night I gave asylum to one of them whose owner was broken down on the Grandcamp road with 2 other cars. They arrived from the North, from Avesnes, the poor people and the succinct account of this Mr. gave a very terrible idea of what is happening there.

Naturally the whole village is full everywhere, and I have made the old house available to those who will need it. Dubois (maire) puts a lot of discretion to use it. .....

........ The post office works very badly, and the letters from the front do not arrive. On all sides I hear the complaints of anxious parents. Poor Jeanne and Léon have not heard from Georges for almost 15 days, the same is true for everyone, and this is what leaves hope for the unfortunate worried parents.

....... I was horrified last night looking at the map to see everything that these brutes already occupy in our dear private country as well as some of its best factories.

....... Our village is full of refugees, especially people from the North who almost all have been able to rent cottages, empty or furnished villas. It is obvious that those who arrived in this way still had some means in their pockets, the most to pity are the workers, the peasants evacuated by trains who often had to go very far away, the parade of these unfortunates repeated what we saw in 1914.

I saw our mayor again who spends his time running, he bought (by order of the prefecture) bedding, household utensils, crockery, tables and chairs that are distributed. I regret that my health does not allow me to be more active and to help install all these families. There are many children that our brave teachers have welcomed and that they put I don't know where! In the evening at 4 1/2 a.m. all these little people go to church accompanied by the good mother Campserveux who helps them say a rosary for France. When I think I can't even go that far anymore. I'm better, but walking is very tiring for me.

Since yesterday, many planes have been crisscrossing the sea, why?

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4 June 40 excerpts

........ The first French convoy arrived on Sunday evening by Cherbourg, repatriating our exhausted soldiers. From a train crossing Bayeux, one of them was able to warn his wife who lives in St-Laurent that he was safe. (the whole army is directed to Le Mans) it is the 1^er of our little corner, let's hope there will be others. The Northern regiments were composed of many Bretons and Normans.

(The following text seems to relate to what is indicated above)

{The first was in one of the cattle wagons that repatriated our soldiers from Cherbourg to Le Mans where our soldier from St. Lawrence was. I know since Mr.'s guard Leterrier, passing on this train at Molay station, jumped off the moving train and arrived home in the middle of the night. You can see the scene from here. He's leaving for Le Mans today, I don't think he'll be punished.}

The poor Leterrier have not heard from their son for 24 days, ditto the Saillards for their elder, a brave and strong guy, engaged! Laurent Thomas that you have (seen?)as a child at the station and 4 others you don't know.

....... Here we take precautions for a boche advance. I have to house 3 senior officers and 40 soldiers. (They never came)

....... Restrictions are going well: 750g of sugar per month; meat 4 days out of 7, 30 l of gasoline per car and per month; increasingly rare oil, 50kg of coal per month and per 3 people.... I really don't know how we're going to be able to get away with it this summer when we'll be 12 people to eat and winter scares me. Fortunately, wood is not lacking in the fire pit; its living space is further narrowed.

....... The 1st third of class 40 is called,

....... We see carts filled with furniture, women, children, old people passing through the main road, who are pushed back here. But they are people from the North. All Belgians were pushed back to the Center.

....... We have a civic guard composed of all able-bodied men (Léon is there!) Who mounts guard every night in our small paths, we fear what happened in Belgium, a silent invasion of this famous 5th army ready to help the Boches when necessary. It's no longer a war, it's a (???? Illegible) of bandits. Our men have the order to shoot if necessary, they all have a rifle and 5 cartridges. Our two boys have been registered to take custody as soon as they are here, they will also help on the farms.

........ It was Sunday the communion here, sad communion of which most of the dads, gds brothers were absent. There were tears in many eyes. A young abbot who escaped from the North now lives in the presbytery and helps the parish priest of St-L. (St-Laurent) who had a hard time maintaining his 5 parishes.

........ We heard very well the cannonnade by N.E. wind all day Saturday (on June 1st, bombings on Le Havre or Rouen??) and we were woken up last night by 3 strong detonations that made our windows shake, probably some boche plane dropping its bombs on one of our boats. All the sloops of Grandcamp and Port left clandestinely one night for Cherbourg where they formed an imposing convoy that left for Dunkirk and Calais and participated in the rescue of our army.

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24 June 40 excerpts

....... Since then, our beautiful and dear country has been invaded by troops in green of gray all motorized, we saw them appear here from Wednesday (June 19) . I will not tell you everything that happened, know that we are at peace for the moment here, but the horrible capitulation that filled us with stupor and grief took place; signed by one of our greatest and pure military glories! Is it possible! We can't believe it! France shot down in a few days, an armistice signed in Compiègne and our lack of word given to our allies! .. This is something that not all French hearts console themselves with. We are without news, the post office no longer works, neither does the trains, the TSF itself, apart from the English, no longer informs us since the Greens of Grey took Rennes where the main French general post was located. I think of you my darlings, of your grief which is no worse than ours! Believe it. We are still waiting for the conditions that will undoubtedly be draconian to sign peace. I imagine that some around you have to straighten their heads, our turn will come, I can't believe that God abandons us.

........ Goodbye, ......when will this letter arrive to you?

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30 June 40 excerpts

........ My place was here, thanks to that and so far the gris-greens that occupy all our villas have not tried anything, .....; moreover so far everything is going well; I had to provide p. of earth to the small detachment that occupies the Casino; and I closed the key gates to prevent us from entering my house as in a mill. I have a lot to tell you my dear children, it will be for a little later. May God help us! We need it. I don't know when I'll see your sisters and the little ones, we siphoned the gasoline of their cars, and in addition we raffle here young people between 20 and 32 years old. We probably fear help for our brave allies who courageously continue the fight. It is said that on the Colombières side there was breakage; I saw ambulances passing by towards Gr. (Grandcamp?)

....... Dubois is very up to his task taking with energy the defense of his citizens.

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July 6 40 excerpts

... We have no relationship with the outside world. Our small town is largely occupied by a large staff, but there is the greatest order. All the villas are inhabited, they were all empty of their owners; we forced, without more, the doors of those who were without guards, I did not hear that we had looted the cabinets, the slightest theft is punished by death, they say. So I am still in faction at the door of our old house that would have suffered the fate of those who are empty, they were filled with soldiers right away, and it must be said that it is quickly damaged by all this soldier. G. de P. has 45 at home, and her avenue lined with large trucks that we probably want to hide from English planes. We hardly see any of these, but our sky is crossed by others, which we can easily estimate at more than a hundred.

....... The cantons of Trévières and Isigny, as close to the seaside, have been emptied of all young people aged 20 to 32. With the help of Pommier (the notary of Trévières) who replaces Brée (?), too old, at the town hall of Trévières and who must have shown himself well at the Com.(the Commander??), I would like to get what some have obtained here, to keep their sons provided they work and come every week to sign at the Com. Leterrier spontaneously accepted my offer to take our 3 boys as agricultural workers. This does not suffer any difficulty for D. and K.(they are 17 and 18 years old), it remains to be seen if we will be able to obtain authorization for HN (he is 20 years old). It is necessary for the V. (the Grey Greens) that everyone works, it's not me who will blame them. Let.(Leterrier) saw his eldest son return this week, who first remained - a prisoner - in the woods of Mortain with a whole EM, after blowing up bridges of the M. and C. After a week they were still in an old castle lost in the woods. The Gen. and his officers decided to surrender, and left their men free to try to reach their homes. Louis L. walked 12 days to arrive here sick having eaten little or not, and his father is working to make him stay at home. Everyone is here without news of his soldiers, that's what gives us hope for ours, but what moments of worry and anxiety for all hearts! When will I read you my H.? May God help us!

.......( PS) Gasoline has completely disappeared, we return to wheelbarrows, but horses are rare and for good reason! The supply is doing quite well and the markets have been restored by order. Transport is done in horse-drawn carriages... for us, because I see others who crisscross our roads in superb cars. I'm pretty good of course, and you? All public coffers are empty, and civil servants are not paid. Where are we going? What a misery there will be.

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July 15 40 excerpts

....... I received your plane letter of June 15 the day before yesterday, I wonder where it comes from, because here it is impossible for me to use this quick way! However, it would be very comforting to feel closer; the events that have just passed have all broken us, I see it in your little letter and yet you have not had the worst... Tell you what was for me, for everyone, this horrible debacle, our France invaded by ¾ and the green-of-gray installed master here, ... as everywhere! And there are some! And they come out like grasshoppers. We don't have to complain here about their presence, an EM (Staff) is in the villas, and I have so far been able to keep the old house empty. I don't know if I'll be able to get it to the end, I repeat what I've already written to you several times: I've had courteous relationships with my neighbors, but it's not without a huge heartbreak that we bend to their laws

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Vierville August 19, 1940

........ Even our small village is invaded; well, it took me not to leave the old house that I have so far preserved from unwanted guests. All the villas on the beach are inhabited by an E.M. officers and men. So far it's courteous. Dubois (the mayor) who speaks a little German is up to his task and fiercely defends his fellow citizens. Miss de P. (in Gruchy,?) had 50 men at home; with all the inconveniences (sic) that followed.

........ H.A. demobilized ..... We saw him again for 24 hours. He had to walk with his suitcase in hand the 20km that separate us from Bayeux because gasoline is nowhere to be found now, for us. The same is not true for the B. (Boches) who are never on foot; how sad, my dear children to see our dear country on such a yoke. We all suffer from it, and my health is not bright.

........ Mr. Godard died in Sablé as he was fleeing with his people by car to the South;

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22 September 40 excerpts

........ I take advantage of the trip of H.A. who came to pick up his own to bring them back to Paris and leaves later by car, to send you these few news that he hopes to be able to pass in the free zone, so address you. We are always cut off from the rest of the world by the will of our winners who have a rough grip. But first news from everyone; I have been without anything directly from you since June, what a torture! However, I was able to learn from H.A. who knew from Gilbert that a letter from you dated the end of August arrived at the Bl.( Le Blanc, headquarters of Hersent in the free zone), so you live and, I hope! In good health. It's certainly not worth your letters every week, but it's at least something.

........ So I did not move from here and therefore the old house is still intact, occupied it is true by officers whose courtesy is sufficient. They live on the 2nd floor and have their meals in their mess at Than's mansion. Your sisters had been with me since August.

........ Here the village is occupied, there are verderets in all the houses; but without much looting, we begin to feel the restrictions, because we have to feed several million winners in France and many provisions go to Germany. Sad fate that ours; we have not yet returned from this humiliation! Our government has not yet done much, as for the culprits of this horrible defeat, they deserve death.

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24 September 40 letter from HA (in Paris) to HF (abroad). This is the draft of the letter, we do not know if it has arrived.

....... It's been a long time since we heard from you and a long time since we wrote to you. Having obtained a pass to go to the free zone, I take this opportunity to let you know.

........ You will find attached a word from your mother that I left the day before yesterday morning in Vierville. She is still not in good health, however she maintains herself with ups and downs. The obligation to house the Germans was for her a great cause of worry, of annoyance as you can suppose, although everything happened in the least bad possible conditions.

........ As she had remained at the time of the occupation, the Kommandatur of Vierville (captain of??? Very correct) did not put anyone in the castle; but in mid-August, there were so many troops to lodge that they lodged without going through the Kommandatur, and that's how a first series that lasted 5 days settled in the house: 3 officers, 1 ordinance, 100 hours in the woods, with about twenty trucks, cars, motorcycles, etc... This was the most unpleasant period, it was a lot of movement, noise, with some damage (minimal by the way) in the wood and the vegetable garden.

......... A 2nd series included a very friendly captain by whom we obtained that there were no more soldiers, but only 2 or 3 officers.

......... Currently there is only one colonel who looks good and who lives in D's room.. This is the best solution, because it makes soldiers and other officers flee, and it is to be hoped that he will stay for a long time.

......... The attitude of the occupants is generally correct, even seeking to reconcile the population, but as soon as they believe they are obliged to (??? Illegible). with brutality.

........ In addition, they have control and control over everything in the occupied area, and France is gradually emptied of its substance by the requisitions of food products, raw materials and equipment, intended for the maintenance of the occupation troops and the necessities of the war with England which naturally passes for the Germans before any other concern.....

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