just some souvenirs from a 1914 born granny

[sebfrench76]

Hi to everybody on the forum!

Nothing to show you,but just a few souvenir coming from my Grandmother. Born in 1914 in Caudebec en caux, Seine inferieure, she loose her father when she was 4. He fell in April 1918, near the Mont Kemmel ,at this time, he was a Sergeant in the infantry and we still don't know where is buried (I keep on searching) She worked in the Latecoere plant, as secretary and in 1939(...) she get married. My great-father had 15 days for the honeymoon and left her to go for fighting. He managed to escape after being prisoner,and came back to Caudebec.

Some times after they bought a grocery in Totes, 20 km from Dieppe. She describes life with Germans as something strange but as many French, she dealt with them, selling everything the Germans needed. She calls them "les boches""les teutons""les doryphores"(a little beetle that eats potatoes)
In Totes was a Kommandantur and, one day, my father (3 years aged) had his celluloid baby toy(baigneur in French) stolen by a German soldier. My Grandfather, 5 feet tall...,went directly to the Kommandantur, arguing scandal and didn't left the place without the puppet...She told me , he had to be crazy to act like that because Germans were sometimes very violent, but, this time the soldier had big troubles...

In August '42, noises of battle were heard and during the 19th, it was quite dangerous to have a walk in the fields,Hurricanes and Spitfire shooting everything moving.
The next day,she was forced to take a basket and went to pick up the cases laying on the ground. She told me hoping for a liberation due to the landing in Dieppe. Disapointement....

In 1944, new terror,with the V1 having troubles and exploding close to the village (She calls them "robots") Many farmers were killed at this time by the blast.
Liberation came with the Canadians (I have to verify if they were not English) and so came problems for my great-father too. One night, drunk soldiers broke the grocery's door in order to find wine and liquors. Raymond, my 5 feet Grandfather wanted to stop them....Stupidity.....As you can easyly imagine,soldiers won !
Many hospital days....

He died in 1977, my father in 1998, my mother in 2006, with just my brother living in London, Emilienne, my Grandmother sometimes feel really alone (as I...)
Life runs fast,but considering her age,I think that ,for her,life goes slowly and with too much things to bare.
By the way, if you have stories of that kind, please share them with me, because "Great history" is made by these people.

Have a good day. From Rouen, Normandy with kisses.

[sebfrench76]

I made a mistake with my poor English language!My great mother has no brother in London!I have....Sorry!

[Adrian Stevenson]

It is always great to hear any stories from both world wars.

Your English is better than my French! But I have corrected your small mistake for you

Cheers, Ade.

[Woolgar]

Sebfrench

Your Grandfather was a brave man standing up to the Germans

Nice story

Nick

[HDTony]

sebfrench

Thank you for a very interesting story. History keeps most collectors interested in every way. See it is not only the items we have but the information that is some times passed along and what we find along the research highway.

Tony

[Patgore]

Hi, Sebfrench:

I think you were right re liberation of Totes. This was written by Capt. W.H.Powell of C Company of the Calgary Highlanders (Canadian):

From Hill 67 "C" Company pushed on to battle the Hun at such places as St. Andre sur Orne, St. Martin de Fontenay and Tilly la Campagne. Back those days too "Jerry" was making use of what remained of his Luftwaffe, and the Normandy skies at night reminded one of the 24th of May fireworks celebration back home.

Clair Tizon, St. Germaine la Campagne, Totes and Orbec are a few more names of places where "C" Company came to grips with the Hun, and sent him reeling back.

At Dieppe the men of "C" Company brushed off the dust of battle and polished up for what was to be their first victory parade. They accepted the cheers and gratitude of a liberated people with humble pride, and moved on to new battles and victories. At Loon Plage the company got mixed up with Jerry's 20mm shells and "Balls of Fire" in a heavy battle.

--I liked your story. Thanks for recording it and sharing it with us.

Pat Gore

[GasMasksUK]

Very interesting, and fantastic story, your Grandfather was a very brave man .

Thanks

Danny

[Steve T]

What a wonderful story.

Many thanks for sharing it with us.

I have a question, (being a collector of cartridges you'll know why ).......what did you grandmother do with the 'cases' ?

Steve T

[sebfrench76]

dear SteveT,thanks for your greetings,but I'm sorry to tell you that my Grandma didn't keep the cases but gave them back to the germans in order to be re-used.From this period ,I only have a 45 cartridge found in the Berkeley's destroyer wreck by a friend belonging to the diving club of Dieppe.A very common but nice item.This man offered me for my wedding an bronze made electrical box from this ship sunk on August the 19th 1942,with blast effects well marked.Sadly,I divorced and don't know where's the box.Gonna ask my ex-wife.A strange fate because it appears that the ship was hit by a german bomb,dropped only to escape the English figthers.This man had an impressive collection of relics dedicated to this landing,found in the wrecks and on the beaches.Have a good day you all

[sebfrench76]

thank you very much Patgore!My Grandma has so all her head(which I sometimes doubt...)