"We were soon cosily tucked up on our train to the South-West and for Le Mans now, the landscape changing to sunnier and more pleasant countyside, not so harsh looking as the North.
As we listened to the French talking we gathered that they had had more than enough of the Boche. Eventually, we were taken to be northern Boche with a more proud bearing. We had another stop over at Le Mans for Cherbourg. Long enough for another visit to town. We had a good hearty meal in the German canteen for which John had coupons. The meal was typical Nordic, a thick soup and a big plate of meat, potatoes and veges, with custurd pie for dessert.
We walked up the sloping avenue till we reached what looked like the central square. It is always amazing how one can pick up exactly what one is looking for. In this case, a biggish bistro with girls which turned out to be a brothel of course. After ordering the wine the girls came in to join us and we had one called Suzanne Bardot. To this day I still wonder about that connection!
There were Germans around going up and down the stairs in full force. At the same time you could notice the French patriots everywhere talking and sitting conveniently at the tables. Somehow, they realized that we did not come for the usual information. That is the way it was done and we have fallen into the right place. Suzanne told us very trustingly that every week or so an English agent came for pick-ups and took them to the coast of the Vendee or Bretagne, to be transferred from the French fishing boats to the Royal Navy trawler somehow under the nose of the Germans.
There it was the contact just like that! On this she left and attended to other customers. We had found what we needed. Now, we had to lose John and stay behind and make good for a week or so. We had no rations or passes and didn't know anybody or have much money left on us either.
It had to be done alone, a group of three or four was too compromising. So we left the bistro deep in thought seriously pondering the whole subject. I decided I would make a go of it somehow while strolling back to the station because time was up.
John was ready for us and at any moment the train would arrive. Once on it the train would take me far away. I had to look for an opportunity to stay in the station. The locomotive came hissing and steaming in on the other track like a huge monster. My nerves were tense and I kept to the rear of the group quickly looking everywhere. John in the lead ran with the pack to the other tunnel to get to the other track. I was trying to lag behind them when they all entered the tunnel.
I passed stealthily along the other side of the wall and took the stairway. Down they all went in a rush not observing my absence in their hurry and excitement. They climbed on the train which suddenly departed quickly in the same manner as it had arrived. Nobody seemed to miss me and I kept a bit in the shadows out of their view. Good bye! When the train was a good distance I have to laugh loosening the tension of my subdued fears and now in relief, I had made it to the first stage!
I could just imagine John looking all over the train compartments and starting to ask questions. I hoped they would keep quiet for my sake. The first thing was getting my bearings here. I started chatting to two french porters, telling them I was lost, after missing my train, which was the unvarnished truth after all.
They told me that the best thing to do was to go to the Renault works as they needed people and from there get myself established. Well and good I walked towards the place after looking around to find it and then in the process got myself an enormous aperitif. On going back to get my few belongings I took a chance in the German canteen again. Indeed, I got myself another hearty meal but also the attention of a nosy lieutenant asking me all kinds of questions. He tried German in my dialect but ended up talking English which we both had a working knowledge of. From there, after excusing himself, he somehow got to a telephone and soon I was picked up by the German police and taken to their headquarters.
I don't know if John had signalled from somewhere and somehow but they treated me well on someone's orders! They were not yet Gestapo and I had a comfortable room but was closely watched....."
To be continued
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