Yankee Fighter - 1942 by Président AALEME

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an in the

gion

ASEY

OMPANY â&#x20AC;˘ BOSTON DI N N E E N

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

OHN F. HASEY

OOK OR PORTIONS INCLUDING THE RIGHT

D STATES OF AMERICA

s you told it, and as you

you had been able to get

instead of lying in a hos-

d bandaged and a tube in

our vocal apparatus.

out this story, you

you would not look like a

the hero stuff played

u wanted to advance the

an carry over to type the

yes that peeked out of

effort to minimize your

truding myself to stop the

o say: "Jack was not boast-

ing a fact. He wanted to

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it quickly, but I held him

upon it and amplify and

hink, would have been out

n story, it had to be told

lar in your own words as

y as I could transcribe them

me phrases that may make

or cringe a little. "Yes, I

n in the hospital, and

y I did it?" I thought you

story properly. If you are

taking the blame here and

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he fault is mine.

y Frontispiece

Wounded in the Desert 12

, with First

, near Jerusalem 12

rated by General

s 82

e Corps at the Chateau 8 6

Eddie Wiggins 86

nland 98

n Snow 98

assador in Washington 132

Lodge and Walsh 132

atform, Bridgewater 134

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les de Gaulle while

rade in Douala 212

he Cameroons 212

ops at Douala 214

ted in the Belgian

the Sudan 226

226

ritrean Desert 226

n Homemade Shade 230

oon 230

ia 268

t outside Damascus 270

irteen Days' Cam-

ear Damascus 270

h Planes Bomb the

he Sudan 274

near Kisque 274

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Gaulle to Lieutenant

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lared. The sun was

own square was

Syrians surrounding a

ed Free French Legion-

orated with the Free French

the Croix de Guerre with

Catroux called my name in

cent of a Frenchman pro-

llables, "John Hasey." I

me gently on the shoulders

he medals on my tunic

cheeks, a practice that I still

g, the more so on this oc-

d was thickly swathed in

y beard, and the General

f cheek to kiss.

s and was uncomfortable

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ink that any man shrinks

uld not speak above a

with the aid of a steel tube

regulate with my finger

f air in it and in my throat.

way and my vocal cords

as homesick, too, and my

t hear the citations and

later, anyway. I was think-

e house on Union Street, in

setts; of my mother, who is

d attractive; and of my

ourt he built in back of the

me and my brother Dick

f Mrs. Sample and Mrs.

school, recalling how Mrs.

year at a desk by the

ook out upon the girls in

see the fire engines pull out

e way every time an alarm

uita in Paris, and the fun

ondered what had hap-

he Nazis were there. I

silhouetted against the

n, in Finland, looking aloft

e, too. What had happened

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ing placing a necklace about

, and catching it in her

making her a gift of

er as a vendeur in Maison

was thinking of a con-

ess of Windsor about

ed her jeweled crests after

knew that I would never

ects and collecting com-

ous jewelry house.

Legionnaires passed in re-

ding beside General

rationalize a decision that

elve countries, three con-

vering 50,000 miles, fight-

ee years. And this was not

pped off to Jerusalem for

diers passing before me were

ld. I knew. I had fought

y were an anonymous col-

ttle about me personally as

ere, with Blashiek, my

g-robber, as he is known

my; and when I say "faith-

t. For six months that

cared for me as carefully

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my, fed me fresh mule meat

d tactfully neglected to let

e helped carry me back

tside Damascus when my

my chest and arms were

gun fire. It was upon him

egs began to wobble. I

been pride in the platoon's

ave been sheer curiosity to

ith a bandage mask over my

o classify their emotions.

fighting men. They would

y-five per cent of the Free

were completely indifferent

, never interested or con-

r political aspects of what

completely loyal to the

than barren ground for

e these men would kill

treason or sedition.

in my platoon, and wil-

em assigned to me because

endable fighters. There were

and, all told, divided into

with four utility men as

I had about every race and

ong them. Curiously, there

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platoon. Most of the French

nt. One of my sections of

tirely of men who had come

War, and I had a sprin-

n of uncertain races. They

vely and all commands were

nths campaign divided

the third and for me final

nvasion of Syria at Dera'a,

umping-off place, and

re at Damascus. We had

sawa (where we had con-

e by taking the town),

d part way through the

d Palestine and Trans-Jordan

ed a few miles, deployed,

Arab village. As an engage-

d not very exciting. Our

e Vichy French out of the

or the purpose of establish-

t and setting up a hospital,

ht that we knew would be

and material, for the city

Syria.

ely a way-station on the

l of Vichy French, mostly

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h. We rolled into the village

d it up, and were incon-

Arabs than we were by the

art in the fighting, and were,

usting neutrals we had to

with an odor about them

e nostrils. Like all Arabs in

cute, foxlike sneak-thieves,

g that wasn't nailed down.

e hundred and fifty and

the town, a few Bedouins

residents in mud huts. None

p his hands off a loose gun.

s with a Hotchkiss machine

ap it for ten rifles. An officer

way from him and shot him

others. When you've shot

that you've long since lost

t matter much, as long as

end, and there is nothing to

e out to balance nicely the

ind of petty thievery ended

h the pathway to Damas-

e cinch, but not for long.

move forward, we found

y French had blown up all

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We had no tanks, and

were diverted to bringing

bridges ahead had been

re blasted in awkward

ad of us were the enemy

s went out ahead of us to

a few days after we ar-

owed for the purpose of

s as deeply as we could over

mmand was plodding

ound like pebbles when we

rican Glenn Martin bomb-

d all had the French colors.

had seen French planes. We

d beckoned to the pilots to

They flew a few hundred

over, climbed, and then

ut of us. They were German

lenn Martins disguised as

ad ourselves out on the

over, I found that shrapnel

of one of my men. I had

nkle â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and left him there,

n ambulance crew would

back.

eign Legion is no myth.

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at times, ruthless practice.

e care of yourself â&#x20AC;&#x201D; if you

ur own power or are not

ou die where you fall. An

d up and the ranks cannot

r details to care for the in-

t back to First Aid and

rials are sent back. But Le-

themselves â&#x20AC;&#x201D; except for of-

and by them.

my mind a whole cam-

of it, as I stood beside Gen-

the troops. But certain

oked upon the marching

probably never again

at tortuous pilgrimage to

back with my platoon to

the ground in the center of

ers who were to protect us,

p of exhaustion. We awak-

mpany of French soldiers ar-

customary, asked the com-

do with their arms.

nd our eyes popped open.

lly awake. Arms were never

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to our wrists. When the

heard the officer say: "I'll

moves."

right. I thought of a

ewildered, until I observed

en quick to observe. A com-

ad stumbled among us to

they spoke French â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

ke that sent them back as

the campaign late in May.

within sight of Damascus,

dvance position north of

n was deployed behind me,

ray of machine-gun fire

rprisingly as a householder

am from the nozzle of a

ard. A numbing sensation

hile going forward, a sting-

chest . . . and instead of

hts, I thought only: "Oh,

aming blood and my jaw

lodged from its hinges. I

hold it in place and found

d my little finger and gone

t my left hand up to my

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a place can overcome every

wanted to get to Damascus.

there; but my batman

e back to a dressing station.

out an officer. Then a half-

om habit, I tried to salute,

hen I removed my hand.

he said. "What is it?"

dn't talk. I changed

from my tunic pocket and

icer forward."

ued on to the First Aid

t and the heat was in-

lying on a stretcher in the

ssed and I beckoned to him

my tunic pocket and I

won?"

and I was satisfied. Then,

upon me, and when next I

, I was in the hospital. I was

hospital to another until

one in Jerusalem. I re-

, so disfigured that when

lled he left his womenfolk

room to spare them a sight

omen blundered in with

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rs, they took one look at

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UND, AT THE SCOTTISH HOSPITAL, G WOUNDED IN THE DESERT

ON NEAR JERUSALEM

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forgetting to leave the books

glad to read.

spital was the Chaplain

rived soon after I was

he last rites of the Roman

the Chaplain. He was a

t it already had been my

uld administer the last rites

waved him away with

Catholic, and I supposed

ot my intention to brush

n. I respected the good

hind the proffer. What I was

wave of my hands was:

going to die."

s brightened. He smiled

er gently. "Bon courage"

in a few days later and

erical garb. I had just awak-

p. "Hello," he greeted in

me from the Garden of

s a disconcerting saluta-

pital coming out of a deep

operly orient myself until

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r Julian. I'm an American,

hode Island, and I'm sta-

just outside Jerusalem.

u?"

n earth.

ssed in review, and when

turned to General Catroux

General?'

ned by other officers, and

could have a drink of

day out. Tonight I must be

e sat at a table and ordered.

and although I had learned

that gave me a faint speak-

t yet expert at it, and I

stling mumble. The waiter

e, and I repeated, but he

cer barked, and glared

d came back with a beer.

igured it out.

e, I returned to the hos-

earted. I had been decorated

honors, it is true, but very

ch Foreign Legion would be

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that I would never again

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CORATED BY GENERAL CATROUX

oix de Guerre with Palm)

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ey would be gone, killed

d be in a hospital in Jeru-

ain, nostalgia intensified,

going home. Cabled news

k to the United States say-

d destitute there. How they

d them, I don't know, but

Free French had taken ex-

more minor operations

en, after gaining strength, I

ome. Already the wheels

tate Department to ease the

took stock of myself.

old and had already lived a

s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in the United States;

Africa. What had brought

h movement? What had

e French Foreign Le-

t me to this hospital bed

that the obstacle in my

me on this strange journey

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had learning French in

d college. Regularly I had

rely, or barely got by. My

Wheaton. She got good

other, Dick, had little

ked this subject; my

luency in it evaded me, and

d that I chucked everything

soldier of fortune or

urer. I set out to learn the

n in its native land; to master

stand being licked by it. I

tunity and the money.

me reasonably fluent in it,

business of precious stones

e world's most famous

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in the Foreign Legion.

Massachusetts, No-

as three years old when

irteen-room house, com-

and pleasant, on Union

brother, Dick, was a year

than I, and we had a room

econd floor, and a playroom

d everything within reason

s, games, our own tennis

here my father taught us

and every summer my

oys' camps.

hing warlike in my make-

I always waited for a fight

d never went around trying

anted to be sure that

d be able to take care of

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was in the fifth or sixth

ilbridge, a local profes-

o our house and give us

e moved the furniture out

y" and Dick mixed it up,

parred around; and in the

ways matched, with

en years of the fabulous

k market was climbing, my

me to Europe. Part of that

grave of Uncle Willard

ons in the first World War.

mpression upon me, and I

d a vague thought that as

e West to carve out careers in

be a reasonable destiny

ve out a career in an old

te Carlo, Antibes, Cannes,

e as a child, a spell that

I think I knew then that I

there; that memory of it

ven against advice and what

er judgment when I grew

years, I was far more in-

than the academic side of

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nd I dressed alike. All of

e. Whatever he got, I got

icked up a child's disease,

me. When I caught it first, I

had mumps together, and

ame troublesome, and a

them out, I went along, too.

to me that I did not need

ything that happened to

o me; when the doctor

at my mother and said

ed and she nodded, and I

pair of tonsils.

s I was eleven years old,

made suit, a duplicate of

other Dick. With my

ad toured Scotland and

an executive and director

oe-manufacturing firms in

y had retail stores in cities

States, and in all of the

ntinent of Europe. For the

r first vacation together.

tion of New England in-

were extensive. Because I

ily associated with a world-

I could never be out of

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ome atmosphere for long.

ys as close as the nearest

my earliest friends in

managers and salesmen in

h us only a short time on

nd hurried home after a

he pressure of business. My

artment at Neuilly, and as

at the Gare de Nord, we

attractive place, on the

ace in the salon, where I

room, kitchen, and bath.

e had to walk up. We leased

elbos, who later became

He was in his early forties,

se. He was an artist. (I sat

ich now hangs in my home

intellectual and bookish,

tish Military Intelligence

World War. He was becom-

that barbers told him this

a helmet constantly during

gaged him to tutor Dick and

d much more than that â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

tirely. We went swimming

nnis matches, to Saint-Cloud

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e kings, to cathedrals, and for

ulogne. I saw my first

im. Confident that we

y mother was free to do as

day. She would leave us soon

er lessons would come

would see Paris as the French

xis, but in metros and buses.

to take us to Rouen; in the

y process of hiring it be-

he Captain shopped for

automobile; when he

for my mother's approval,

and appointments. We

ench balcony looking down

foreign model. The Captain

and was pleased that my

We left early in the morning,

car stopped forever. We

del T Ford that got us there

in the style the Captain

Her name was Blan-

and very pretty, with black

married to a cobbler who

e war. She spoke no English,

t cooks in Paris. Whenever

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years on the Continent I

nd kept in touch with her

nce and was condemned

proxy, I presume, for

Berlin.

ons in Paris on that first

amatic parts in a night-

hese were Jack Stockholm

r George, or "Jo-Jo" as he

were sons of John Stock-

Walkover Shoe Store. Born

nior had lived in Paris more

s an old friend of my

rench, and by a curious

children, George and Jack,

their nationality. Jack chose

ge decided to be French.

e same age. He became my

a child in Paris, and my

in later years.

er that fall and entered

different attitude, perhaps,

the class: I had been play-

n all summer, and could

lthough not very well â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

we were doing the very

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merican kids do.

school, and went on

rivate preparatory school

d to develop a curiosity

ed to know about their

o get me by entrance exam-

ds, ultimately to achieve a

rts or something com-

n scholastic merit I tried

and friendship for my in-

when I did not get by, I

ely sorry to flunk me. Some-

ways tutoring me in some-

my, I was admitted to

ard the close of a year

ptain V. Delbos wrote from

established a school for

done well at Phillips Exeter

l for boys at that time was

having trouble with French;

al place to learn more about

very adult about it â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but

to it that all arrangements

keted, guided, and met

agents, who, in turn, were

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mpany employees, and word

transmitted back to my

e Stockholms, and al-

ve in Biarritz the next day,

Paris for a week or more

ing their home was a

rs older than I. He had a

me friends. We drove around

one day we went out to

ry where my Uncle Willard

d, too, at another cemetery

ut to him the black crosses

ead. He was Helmut Haller;

eel business in Stuttgart; his

again under different cir-

ppening in Biarritz and

country and seaside for

time studying French that

That was enough. Techni-

Captain Delbos' School.

a crowded and exciting

nnis club and improved

of friends, and was more

rance was the place for

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me that fall, I continued

ege at Phillips Exeter. In

he end of that year I was

ent, but I had managed to

ard, perhaps, I was permitted

n cruise.

n home only on occasional

t visits during Christmas

nd now I was about to set

oad. It must be clear, by

ollege preparation very

years old and not yet

that I was typical of the

ent of the mid-thirties.

mand for us in business or

was full of unemployed â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

dreds of thousands

rolls. Reds and pinks and

beginning to crop up in

, among teachers and stu-

were in reasonably secure

were in no hurry to get

was far more attractive then

ou got as much fun out

you flunked a subject, you

ut regret, fairly certain

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e second time.

onsidered a disgrace to

ne. Some students made

fail, because it was more

n in school on an allow-

nto a business that held no

e, or into a profession that

ed with starving practition-

e goal or the incentive that

us had had. Somebody

eration," although I didn't

d don't think so now. "Youth

nning, and some who started

aking a profession of it

cs of the democratic,

ic systems sprouted every-

oncerned, the present system

d I had no burning desire

ew that a time would

uld have to buckle down to

ere was nothing that at-

on, I decided to gather me

If the system was going to

would taste the full flavor of

and if it was not, then I

a comfortable spot until

to knocking. A year at

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another year at school

de between trips abroad.

ed and supervised tour on

small, leather-tooled book

y Travel Memories," and

seven years later, I find

a Russian woman who is

came from Odessa. She had

us and notorious Russian

een whisky, and she treated

or $9 a bottle. In the eve-

ion dinner with gay danc-

on deck afterwards. Got

al Cook's Tour, on it

d myself a little with a

me to know more in-

. I went boating on the

year with a girl from the

he moon and the stars and

to the girl that every boy

stances. I was to remember

, unshaven and in dust-

bled into the Nile and

r up in a cup of my hands

t, while to me it tasted like

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all, there was a good

ting to a definite conclusion

f free travel and explora-

ere now over, and that a

o tuck my passport among

the gay knickers of boy-

to work. To emphasize

o Worcester Academy, and

had a salutary, albeit tem-

attitude and behavior. Also

ession from both my father

nic was over; that I was

nish college before my hair

rely beginning to doubt my

self; but to prove that we

ke studies seriously for a

t that the city of Worcester

y of places to spend a

went out for track and

as a cheer leader. My high

a revelation to me and a

parents. However, having

done, I promptly lost in-

merit that year, I saw

o the Grand Canyon and

by the Southern route

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ember, I entered Columbia.

n having a time for

and summer sports, the

tennis courts, cocktail par-

week ends, halfway around the

continuous ride on the

ght I was an expert at es-

ew all the angles â&#x20AC;&#x201D; until

nd then I found out that

ractically a hick from the

ed in the college on Morn-

rry Mahoney and "Bud"

e for the Delta Upsilon

new and exceedingly at-

t before me.

man, about five feet

ghing about one hundred

ew every political figure

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around. His father was a

Fowler knew every night

importance in Manhattan,

nk was dry on my tuition

Musketeers and I was swept

happy-go-lucky crowd of

knew how to go about

un â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a circle, incidentally,

nknown New England

d, and yet I felt as if I

can never repay them for

olumbia that year, and

die's, and never succeeded in

o show me what a superior

and Bud introduced me

to the DU fraternity

3th Street, and lived there

I met Micheline Hardy at

r met her father, Judge

ith them at Democratic

tel Biltmore listening to

d later the speech by Jim

r, we went up to Farley's

of a traditional Republican

erfectly at home in the

ce that time, some of my

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there. A group of English

ar on a "good-will tour,"

were asked to volunteer as

were there. Before that

an truthfully say that I

doorman and head waiter

my research and home

The Stork, 21, Bill's Gay

Eddie's, and as a result,

thought it might be just

the high seas when my

e Normandie and sailed

at the marks home, though.

nd at the boat to see me off.

tuation to them then,

g letter written aboard

deal of money had now

ation. My mother always

that I should know the

nd now I was ready to cut

riously tackle the job of

. It had been argued, too,

o "lean," and I was de-

hat by going it alone hence-

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a that I would continue

rbonne, but that faded soon

was living, until I could

ockholm, whose wife and

, in Deauville. I took in the

round drag. I still liked Paris.

ble in front of the famous

aix, sipping an aperitif,

go by, appealed to me

ful life. I liked the French

ms â&#x20AC;&#x201D; their easy unhurried

olerance of the odd, and

erienced when I went

s town, either purposely or

for the complete satis-

of men. I had good friends

at I would quit college and

get a job, and a studio of

truggling, compelled to

de and outlook might have

other hand, if I had been

ould not have been in

d shelter had never been

ere not now. I had an in-

om Helmut Haller to come

six months as a guest at his

would not hear of letting

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t his house. I finally hired

narrow, winding street of

egan to haunt the Ameri-

erce and the American Em-

learinghouses for jobs.

o find one. Unemploy-

and I had two serious

anguage poorly, and I had

essary little document al-

One Friday morning, at the

ommerce, I was tipped off

national jewelry house, was

merican or an English sales-

en the Paris and Monte

Monte Carlo during the

rest of the year. Qualifica-

ld be young, personable,

make a good appearance.

acquaintance among Who's

merica among visitors in

st of these requirements,

n a shrinking violet, and al-

round and meeting people,

acquaintanceship on short

s on the Rue de la Paix

morning, dreary and

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uickly from the Place de

wed raincoat, and when I

tbrim were dripping large

ghly dignified place that

o explain my mission to

ocked Frenchmen in a

gh I spoke my best French,

en speaking Greek. They

d and uncomprehending.

ecretary overheard me and

tors.

n appearance. One was

mpy-looking. The other was

yed and businesslike.

ere?" the small one said,

to admit it.

He had asked the ques-

ed in English.

who wants to play

" the tall one observed in

with you â&#x20AC;&#x201D; "I began.

one interrupted. "By

is time he spoke in English.

here," I said.

sume," Grumpy sug-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

admitted.

ght, is high, and this is

ing from scratch. The ap-

essmen is far different from

an businessmen. "May I

and I am a salesman," I

with vanity. I state it

elling and business have been

in America for more

ng, but I know I can sell

many of the people you

English salesman to meet.

ground by cabling to New

umber of business references

can give you."

nversation verbatim, but

mmary. It took me fifteen

oint that I cover here in a

n't high-pressure French-

them is a particularly slow,

ing process.

here must be oppor-

wn country," one of them

ou get a job there?"

unity that is here," I

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

unemployment problem in

There, I would be in com-

of the population. Here

on only with other Ameri-

welry, and I doubt that there

here is, it isn't important.

an salesmen selling Ameri-

They are successful, and

as successful."

hen this is not a tran-

of them asked.

urse not. This is a big

ould finally sell something,

ike the idea of selling

I will make a career of

ou have a New York store,

, you may transfer me there."

her and the tall director

ack tomorrow," he said.

cautioned me: "You're

'Come back tomorrow.'"

ning I was back in the

xplain my presence to the

office, when the tall director,

d after the traditional hand-

a va?" asked, "Can you go

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ek?"

ged," he said. He had

s and cabled New York. I

s store that morning, on

ld go right out on the

ness by trying to sell, and

ned. Technically, I was sec-

rofessional jewelry salesman,

with his clients; and as secre-

urn, had my own secretary,

me in my poor French

etary, transcribed it into

signed the letters. For

usand francs a month to

n my way to the Monte

hers: two vendeurs, an

y, and the gargon de maga-

cretary and I had three

jewels in our baggage in a

, and we worried and fret-

aced in the vaults of a

om the Casino.

ful then. Flowers were

om in a hotel overlooking

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n awakened me every

ut upon red roofs with the

he background.

ght; "and I'm getting

f me was complete and

had taken a personal in-

d to discuss my future with

ere next in New York. In

actical purposes, I was ap-

ur, who was personal jeweler

d, Hindu princes, and

ould still afford to buy

s begun in the tradition

all existing crowned heads

Emmanuel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it was said

because Mussolini wouldn't

have been staid and digni-

artier were alert neverthe-

on a number of developing

hich might become even

e title trade. As a prospec-

, I was told that I had a

importance and must live

s during evening hours, be

and cocktail rooms, cultivate

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

invited to the right homes.

at such high prices is not

men, and an account must

red as carefully and pains-

as a little overawed and

gnity. It cramped my style

k to the American idea: the

y is there, I'll make the

ew vendeurs in the United

nce after the collapse, who

s in horror at my saying it

proach was the chief diffi-

had in selling jewels to

t need fancy verbal grill-

g up a sale. If you had a

had the money, and they

make them want it, they

the best way to get busi-

and I tossed the approved

overboard, one day, when I

bathing suit into the Medi-

t to the yacht of a million-

s throwing a party. I joined

later brought them to the

m with wrist watches, brace-

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me of my red-plush as-

ally American," and char-

out it as "revolting" except

s technique that would

very vendeur in the store

as "Monsieur." I asked that I

r "Monsieur Jack," nor

hard Jack, and requested

rs be turned over to me.

ked into the store, asked a

French salesman, and

his eyes brightened and I

sale even before I opened

dallying, dawdling and

about a sale drove me fran-

get the name on the check,

n and call it a day. In

n with the firm scarcely

cult to justify such odd

siness, closing up shop and

the streets for the big

o foreign to French politics

ern of my employers and

new government, and sup-

. Bonnet, the Minister of

rary President of the New

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t to learn.

make, clients on a pros-

upon. I would show stones,

ke a sale, and if I found it

e the door to further dis-

ight revive it at a later

s far different from selling

went to the client, the

ou. Sometimes it took

e, but that sale was enough

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e season.

s were the directors,

, and on a really

s that ran into four or five

m in to clinch the deal,

that I would be able to put

e very patient with me

beginning, and later became

were in middle age, slender,

gray at the temples. Both

e first World War, and

nd of Americans. One had

n. He was in the army

erved on every front, was

s had affected his eyesight.

ful time in California while

hey were my companions

ing Club, and they saw to

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that I ought to know. I

h, trying hard to achieve

the tongue. One of the di-

recious stones for me from

ary. I had had trouble

language up to then, but

s in a French book floored

er Club, I would find

a group of such guests as

who was much-talked-of

kill Rasputin, the Mahara-

never played the roulette

y. (I saw her win three hun-

francs one night.) Win-

unded by a knot of bankrupt

sez-passer, good anywhere

an negotiations to get a

difficult document for any

time. As an introduction

d jewelry, I was asked to be

designed to put over the

The office was trying to sell

a lot of money. This

e sale went through, it would

, and the purpose in having

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

h me to "think big," so that

ound to regarding $250,-

ok an ambitious project to

Lady Y, but I was still a

ater, and had to call in M.

take over. For a time there-

to the trade of elderly

to buy stones for pretty

possibility of losing a

n. Whenever an expensive

e was always a gargon along

om the moment it was un-

ered again. A gargon, how-

exclusive clubs and vendeurs

e over delivery unguarded.

t of gold suspenders to

d to look all over Monte

he had specified a dead-line

nd her in the private

asino.

onte Carlo, was always

ess transaction, even to the

n to visit the store had

, and under the proper,

spatched in full formal-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

Mrs. W on their yacht,

ents of the directors and

look over a few rare speci-

went aboard, but they were

g for them, I had a drink

yacht, and later found out

ember of Parliament. I

hink the setting over-

pets, glittering fripperies,

r made our diamonds look

ys later, I met a tourist in

He knew an American who

garette case. It cost me

the information I needed.

arette case for 20,000

d I sold him a diamond

1600 pounds ($8000), and

ct who bought a gold cig-

pphire to match the case.

ded in Monte Carlo early

would close the store and

Christmas season, when

te Carlo again. The upper-

heir vacations, but I was

uty in the store. I was still

and build up a clientele,

was having trouble with the

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er's had got me a worker's

ty of Monaco without

ris it was quite a different

e other complications, like

ed an apartment in Rueil

r about forty dollars, a

that I got my first really

banks, Jr., practically

t Car tier's had been trying

d it because I was an Ameri-

lid. Fairbanks and Marlene

y at the same time. He

e knick-knack for her. He

hen he saw me in the store

American, turned down all

vendeurs, waved a friendly

"Hi," as though we had

hood. We shook hands. I

we talked about baseball and

made his purchase, did some

ed me to deliver it per-

er hotel. I did, and invited

e to look over our mer-

eluctant and I could not

s came in again, made a

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ivered, and I brought them

and I told him it would

if Marlene were to come into

e, even if she bought noth-

ly. He was packing, pre-

he left for London the

next morning, Marlene

asked for me. She made a

rench vendeurs and

liar with American collo-

y were concerned, every star

either personally or in-

deurs shook their heads and

nd said: "These Americans

her." They did stick to-

xotic undertakings, later,

uld attempt. I never saw a

rench store who would not

erican if he knew one was

s by all others once he had

actresses passed the word

from New York with my

oks, and the office got the

nown from coast to coast.

of Windsor came to

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French and American popu-

, each for a different rea-

Duchess had been married

de Cande, in Monts, the

harles Bedaux, before

f them either regular or

rder's. There were many

were regular employees of

nd United States firms with

as a large sprinkling who

aris Post of the American

mained in Paris after the last

ves, went into business and

e were indignant at what

abby treatment given the

rime Minister Stanley Bald-

nerally. These Americans

ould have had the title

and I was one of them.

e embarrassed, and the

o have these royal visitors

cumstances.

my jurisdiction be-

not been actually agreed, it

hat I would have first claim

o English or American

ients. I don't know whether

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

led when they heard that I

e angels feared to tread,

ered that I was an American

hat the Duchess was an

e, and that I had already

Americans. At any rate,

em, I was given the op-

hink I got to know them

an any other salesman in

ettled in the Hotel Meurice,

some of her pieces of jewelry

them over and found en-

allis from David." A few

hey were dated so far back.

s, tie pins, and knives came

st on them. On the inside

ond ring was engraved in

d's hand: "W â&#x20AC;&#x201D; really for-

as the biggest and most

ore, and working on it was

for me. I called upon them

ment at the Hotel Meurice,

pleasant couple. The Duke

, and knew just what he

poke with a combination

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ord accent. I showed her

and emeralds that we had

xpense to make up. Our de-

ew crests; his an E and hers

he W superimposed upon

y crowns. The Duchess ad-

eautiful, but said that she

a response that dumb-

ht a few trinkets, and I

over the designs, the

he window, reading. I re-

cases, and looking down at

t the book that was ab-

rised at the title: Why Ed-

ered why he should be in-

lse's account of why he did

had been planning to

visit was cancelled, and

further sale of jewelry were

cause the American Federa-

ed over Charles Bedaux.

-up and stretch-out system

labor, he was also arranging

excitement subsided, we

s a diamond necklace that

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k and had flowerlike leaves

he Windsors back quite a

for the Duke that was

de, with a small timepiece

ach side a crown with crys-

ccount was finished, I

meet and serve customers.

th a black beard came in.

sale. I asked him in my best

im something. He looked

led, and he asked me if I

k Bay Station.

to me," I said.

ton," he said, but I

had our first war scare.

tate visit to the Reich and

tuous reception, and con-

Duce and Hitler were un-

at I first discovered that

d conversations between a

nt something very definite

g around, and I was be-

prices began to climb, but

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ame. Business houses, like

e in the franc, and turned

and dollars, making mat-

of September, 440 English

ncs. On the thirtieth it was

ade quite a difference

ewelry. For the first time,

inot and Siegfried lines,

s on here?" I was no econ-

tly clear to me that some-

e I knew it, I was getting

an I would have if I were

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s on the WPA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and I had

omen clients began to

f my time and attention.

e New York Times in Fred

ust one of those transient

ut of your vision in the

told me I was living in a

s picking apart Hitler, Mus-

ng them up in a nice little

can veto on the Duke and

e explained everything in

Nuts!" Since then, almost

d has happened.

ould promote a good

the girls in the Casino de

gere. They were nice girls,

Australian. They used up

ast as they used up silk

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e boy friends and stockings

ted. They'd bring the boy

fancy items, and the next

offer to sell me the jewelry

But Cartier's was not in

nce the jewelry was sold, it

it was possible I steered them

xpensive and somewhat use-

ll it outside, that was their

n and a few others were

et stones and valuable gems,

afe-deposit boxes. I de-

ipsters as a newspaper

cierges, valets, maids and

nal payroll, to let me know

ts who looked like ready

year, until I went to

st of the staff for the sea-

s of war were in the air, and

y became tight-fisted. I was

even o'clock at night and

he directors thought the

y French. They picked out

ch girl, who spoke no Eng-

k either. The franc had

ed and got better. The Gov-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ot sick, and for a couple of

e company were dosing

me to Monte Carlo, but

y he was hopeless. He is the

who was said to have a

y beat roulette; if he had

used as stated, have broken

no wrong, even in the

Carlo. And this was the

aced a few chips on a num-

hing on the board whether

oupier would not lift a hand

winners were of course paid

uld be said, though, that

he didn't do this very often,

usually for pin money and

nal debt.

n the gaming rooms, the

most amusing. He came every

ticipate in the many ten-

man of eighty, he had re-

as able to stay up at parties

a few sets of tennis the

hin figure was a familiar

, usually with his hat

d a cigarette in a long holder,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ong, lanky legs crossed. He

parties over the phone,

ents, and then, often as an

o was extending the invita-

her King in the rooms.

ber of a hymn in church, the

umber of courtesy salutes

ming into the harbor, or

sts between the hotel and

ady once bought a small

he number of diamonds in

and won â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that time. It

hat Zero would come up

exactly seven o'clock on

appen several times, but

ven o'clock more often.

utines was to stop losers

banister to jump, and an

nplace at the door.

ays in 1938, 1 got a letter

tuttgart. "I want you to

wrote, in the stilted Eng-

t who accommodates Ger-

penmanship, "to look at

r has done for us, so you

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

in Stuttgart. I invite you

olidays here. I do not know

n or if you have the money,

u will not need a penny.

her."

as good a place as any

nd accepted the invitation.

k Forest, about twenty-

the town is built on the

aturally pretty spot except

f the Haller steel works were

loud it with soot. Helmut

se on a hillside overlooking

with a gravel drive, three-

many rooms and a large staff

had the best of everything

t. Neither fancy food nor

o them, and Helmut and I

yside in his car.

him one night, and be-

him and said: "Am I ex-

ers. "If you don't," he said,

conspicuous."

n't, I will make you

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

d naturally follow," he

to be on. I despised what

Helmut was my friend,

asoned that it would be un-

orable attention to him.

y stood and chorused

y hand with palm out-

d, and kept my mouth

of that ridiculous episode

urning out heavy guns,

ents; and the greatest dis-

ers, while I was there, was

ir money out of Stuttgart

he Government forbade it.

vest it in Anaconda and

d to Paris with my thoughts

bered. I decided that hence-

closer attention to the

on coming to me, and

he United States to look

le time in Bridgewater. I

but arranged to sail on the

s about to board, I was

y the very virus that ulti-

France. Looking on at the

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

I saw hundreds of men

rew gangplank, and at sailing

that departure would be

ew strike. I had dinner at a

ned at ten, expecting to sail

Lafayette ablaze, berthed

and sinking. The Champlain

d a guard of policemen

n about it. The next morn-

hip would not sail, and

ke other arrangements. I

an boat from Cherbourg.

o me. My parents and

at the pier to meet me.

better, and for a couple

Bridge water; then I be-

to get back to Paris again.

was a short interlude. Before

n Mary on my way back

ut "Paris in the Spring,"

en made about it, all for

nges so completely in the

peaceful. The funny little

much; old buildings are

longer moldy; girls blos-

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shions. This time I went

nd found a more pleasant

, where I had more con-

irls from Paris clubs. Most

few were French; they

night after their shows to

tail, and to smoke and talk.

not made no difference.

d most of us did not know

got there. Only in Paris

e so casual. They introduced

iend, Father Carew, an

spread the gospel without

ers or sermons. Beautiful

m England, Australia and

nd his wife for comfort, ad-

ristian, his door was al-

d many of them. My next

hem in his hostel in front

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

bly permanent resident

mmer of 1938, two events

pled together in my mind:

Queen of England, which

iately, and the visit of Judge

ughter Micheline, which

n were coming to bolster

endship in time of crisis, to

nce how England felt. Judge

ut leads in a German spy trial

York, and receiving con-

tention there.

Paris began to dress up

g and Queen. War fever

was going to be all right.

about? Germany and Italy

ectacular shows for each

e were going to show them

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ke when it was put on right.

ussolini and Hitler right

put these upstarts in their

h gay, bright colors, flags,

cal fountains. Once again,

to the city. Prospects were

g was set for a summer

when the royal visit was

ted from the city like snow

gloom descended again.

ad expected evaporated

personally, though, was

dy and his daughter, my old

New York. I had no thought

as far as they were con-

hem anything. In fact,

I was so glad to see them

them the store. They were

on the boat train at the Gare

of newspapermen, foreign

rican newspapers who

ut the investigation, and

ht it would lead him. "When

m, we three stepped into a

llon. For the next two

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

did the town from the

nd at night, when the Judge

prefects, gendarmes, courts

e joined us.

people for a long time

ughly French attitude

o exasperated by the at-

was ready to give up my

d go French entirely. When

he nodded his head under-

on the shoulder, pursed

ead, "No." Later, I decided

e and wise, and I did not do

more alone than I ever

walked up to Sacre Cceur,

the city. I knew a time

st make a decision that

unced that the King

were coming after all. The

ecorations were broken out

for a five-day celebration

arties in the streets on

er one of those dizzy assign-

om London, and Farines and

orning for Vichy and the

d a ruby ring for $100,000;

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

e at 27,000 pounds (or

exchange rates) and an-

nes sold all three. The

o me, was that there were

that kind of money.

find the city jammed for

Queen. Flags of the two

erywhere: from the Rond

me and Porte Maillot; ban-

ish: "God Save the King

Their Majesties." From all

e biggest thing that ever

timers said the Armistice

it. The visit of Edward

t, but nothing like this.

undreds of miles were fes-

d banner headlines that pro-

iendship and peace.

n as the greatest event

tory, and told each other

erlin show beat a mile. It

us that we were not fight-

ns, or that the side that

ar public theater would not

ee days it was a diplomatic

ival. But when the debris

vendeurs in Cartier's were

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

nd studs and looking across

many. Diamonds and sap-

with those who bought

e threat of war was a load

until the flags and bunt-

s opened a new branch in

d de la Croisette, that year,

ondon with $3,000,000

rip to stock the store, and

to protect it. I had a reason-

. The Joseph P. Kennedys

Morgenthau and family,

nnabella. The place was

make news, and some were

vaguely familiar to me

ne day, looked around for

me, and walked over.

he asked.

ered.

ny?" he asked me.

w of him, but Pve never

uy for a guy like that?"

him, but he walked out

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

was Don Ameche, at that

rom the Chase and Sanborn

a jittery month through-

n the month the French

e army to take over the

Marseilles, a control point

h a North African reser-

materials for war. Hitler

nference that Germany had

d stored enough food re-

man people could forget for-

mic blockade, and said he

ate to no one. There were

en German districts of

September 15, Prime Min-

n went to Berchtesgaden

tler. He returned to Eng-

ng and to the Cabinet, and

dily worse. Czechoslovakia

w days later Premier

o London to confer with

rlain. Chamberlain and

port Hitler. Cabinets met

ed out until armed invasion

hreatened. On the twenty-

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to Hitler, and for a time

d not agree. President

o Hitler, Chamberlain, Da-

Benes, appeals based on the

king that negotiations be

nts in Cartier's, as well as

d industrial establishments,

. The season was ending in

er. We closed the store and

with about $2,000,000

g in Paris, I went to the

d been ordered to be on the

a day, ready to pack jewels

s notice.

y center, jammed with

soldiers and veterans. The

reinforced, and war became

ance was mobilizing fast.

ft us, and I stood in line

e l'Est and saw trains, pas-

s, crowded with men in

guns, cannon, leaving for

d soldiers were either

as a good deal of drunken-

ans and young soldiers. A

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

m car windows "Come on,

o Berlin." A sudden trans-

er Paris within a few hectic

placed white ones on the

appeared outside banks and

underground entrances.

nsient hints of the war-

ome a full year later.

uted in the store. The

Americans to leave France.

the jitters. Any loud noise,

obile, made people jump.

r air-raid warnings, and

ndstill. Our clients were bring-

king us to send it out of the

s between the branches in

Paris and New York, were

uld be shipped out of France

led indefinitely.

hen I must make my deci-

d up the hill to Sacre Cceur,

ut.

y and good to me. It

tunity and permitted me to

when men like me were

f they were financially in-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

n futile for them during

er college each, with few

pon a blank wall. If they

ependent, they were in the

n public welfare. Paris

mused me, and provided me

ons. I felt that I owed a

ance, at that moment, than

American editorials,

columnists and radio com-

m were seasoned in France

nd others made flying trips,

d the surface, talked to a half-

ediately became the greater

ense of being a twelve-

not particularly interested

of war. All I knew was that

tler, just as almost all

hatred that made me sick to

tough, rugged members of

merican Legion, and the

men in Paris I met every

t twelve-cylinder intellects

I wanted to get a crack at

the way Senator Wheeler

were sounding off back

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

t back to the United States

at dictators as an American

y have gray hair and white

nce came. I had been getting

r inquiring what I intended

me down from the hill that

hat come war or peace, I

ys and wonder how I ever

ome of the opinions and

at time, I actually ap-

etings between Chamberlain

France, I was sure that

tion and civil war in Ger-

people would stand for

her. I thought Cham-

t piece of work, a master

d in American papers head-

ENGLAND DESERT

mad. This, I was sure,

Pierre Cartier greeted the

a nod of satisfaction.

d toward a vague Ger-

cked business now for six

ation was that we could

d forget about war.

siness as usual had re-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

s were replaced with bright

es in and around the city

rain schedules went back to

carted away. Demobilization

ured back into Paris. Every-

relief and said: "It's over,"

were kidding ourselves.

1939, France was not the

ese laying golden eggs.

outlook was bad again,

e arriving at the conclusion

come. We reasoned that the

e ready, and that ultimately

d take a hand. I tried to

Temps, Paris Soir, Le Matin

the New York Herald,

fusing.

became worse than I had

o was almost empty.

eserted. Because the Italian

re was plenty of excitement.

k to Italy and agitators were

all over the place.

he Swiss Alps, skiing and

d calm there, although

h antiaircraft guns. Across

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

hree classes had been mo-

nemployed were being

actories. When I got back,

ng was in Monte Carlo,

it of excitement. There was

t be shot. He came in from

n who was said to be his

French dealers and vendeurs

rom a Jewish jeweler at a

rman soldiers were mobiliz-

er. An English battleship

e Carlo, and more were

o Nice. War was the sole

Around Easter time, Span-

the Southern concentration

n France were either in-

. Wherever Americans

ood deal of shouting about

e were ready to enlist in

ht the dictators.

m bad to worse. In April,

n at three o'clock one

eds of soldiers in steel hel-

d all bridges were guarded

Monte Carlo, Frenchmen

were drinking more liquor

ach other: "Where are

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

fleets?" All leaves had now

bilization, which had been

ddenly stepped up. Once

f Cartier's gathered at the

ch of unset stones went into

nst the Germans and Italians

e Carlo and Southern

s in Paris â&#x20AC;&#x201D; chiefly because

e of the Spanish refugees

re intimately, about the

lians and Germans in beat-

d undrilled band that was

troops could have won that

f help had been given to

o would never have emerged

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

stage.

nce in June 1939,

n Paris for several

a villa in Deauville, and al-

king at Cartier's, we saw

er. We went to Paris often,

ent to the theaters and saw

till a Paris of laughter,

h the overtones of war were

g to rumble. Over week

nch friends or went for

ntry through calm and

warm July afternoon, we

in my open roadster to

gh I was prepared for it and

seemed to come upon those

row, so abruptly.

beside a cross on Grave 5,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

again read the inscription:

T LIEUTENANT, 1ST DIVI-

, July 18, 1918."

an not much older than

en the same road out of

earlier. We thought of Wil-

yself, and I knew that my

pprehension; another world

That war did not make the

cy. Was it my destiny to

orch that "Willard had

ars ago and carry it through

ere silent and thoughtful

oped war would not come,

would go. The sun was

low hills as we approached

peaceful country, then

eful city, where subways

peeped.

ier's to assist in opening

Deauville, and went there

and Jacques Guyot. De-

y-five years old, a blond,

Guyot was a few years older

ght, suave, confident and a

a comfortable assignment

live with my mother there;

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ust, as tension between

e Axis intensified, business

customers came into the

o might be developed in

evaporated.

n the Normandie on

of us could know that this

etime voyage of the liner.

d cheerful at that parting as

ng parties. I was cautioned

mised to do so, and re-

ely and depressed. Mobiliza-

up. Desouche and Guyot were

w threatening Poland, and

genuine ring than the usual

I had had a final drink

I never saw him again.

ther left, I was ordered

hide the stock of jewels

I hope they are still safe,

to believe that they are. I

twenty-fifth. Once again

or war. I felt like saying

." I looked on at the same

witnessed before; blue street

ackouts, sandbags piled out-

in the parks and streets,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ght cars and uniforms

me it was too purposeful

al war scare or dress rehearsal.

ance was going to war.

n I knew had been called

ier's director, who had

r to me, fifty-four years

r, had already gone. Except

s seemed to be filled with

nd a few Americans.

nd clubs and cocktail

n Express and the American

ng but the conversational

was cocky and confident.

mpregnable, and this time

nsive at the outset and knock

t. It seemed so reasonable

was just one of those things,

o it. I actually believed that,

en me a contrary opinion,

im as a traitor and fifth

at the time had now come

hat the proper outfit was the

ervice would not be con-

ed fortress with hot and

elevators. The Foreign

o Africa or the Middle East,

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ht a war on one spot.

show in Biarritz, but

as suddenly as the jewelry

e straggling back from the

nal manner of troupes

merican and English sales-

ng advised by their em-

ita looked me up immediately

going to enlist. No ex-

ary. We had already covered

Together, we had what

al fling at Paris . . . but

way.

tion to sign up with any

d be other Americans.

nd Fred Payne's were clear-

on to all Americans in Paris.

blish a thing quickly to

unce it there, and the mes-

every American who came

aces that Colonel Charles

he Lafayette Escadrille in

ting Americans for a na-

ign Legion. Sweeny, a

erved in the Foreign Legion

an office at 71 Rue Saint

understood that all Ameri-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

me regiment. I went to

, and was directed to the

s. There, I found hundreds

onalities, among them a

ans. The line extended

ng the street. American

line were hard to dis-

rican Negroes in France

as Indians. I waited an hour

w and discovered Sweeny

about six feet tall, weighing

was crisp and businesslike,

nfantry brigade. I left my

him, and was told that if war

lled.

d expected to leave Paris

nd now I returned to Guita,

we continued to paint the

, Hitler marched into

neral mobilization was or-

tion of the New York

RE GOES FRANCE â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

by all Americans.

clared. I was in the coun-

ms and heard the King's

Paris, was called up on

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

o the Bastille garrison for

There were hundreds of

ook my place in line with

nd standing on a stone floor

Several doctors looked

rt, lungs, leg and chest

accepted, and told to report

itted in the uniform of

garrisoned temporarily at

ansient, changing group of

ther Americans in the regi-

n uniform and all looked

e for Americans to search

w no familiar faces. For five

routine was finding dif-

thing. Training had not

ting bored. Rations were

mattress to sleep on.

ansport train of 40-and-

Foreign Legion outside

raining, but the day after

efore the officer in

h soldier, about forty

, looking at my record.

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ericans cannot serve in

es because of arrangements

he said.

I asked.

," he said. "You will re-

your uniform at the

hat the neutrality law

rough diplomatic channels

all combat units. I reported

and he told me to leave

would be called again if

e available.

not combat service.

merican Legion was form-

s. I went to the Post rooms

rospects looked bright until

convention at Cleveland

e Paris Post's arrangements

the more militant members

ry on, and organized the

bulance Corps. There on

at the Legion in America

the parade and would

American whose father

Company in France, in

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

We thought there were.

aris to finance, support and

ps. There were American

lesmen, mechanics, clerks,

merican Express, all work-

f them had money. There

re active men between the

fifty who could drive

ers' mother had a chateau

Avray, and she was willing

dquarters. We left word

ne's, asking all interested

p. Almost the first to do so

mong them Gene Graffis,

wart Ferguson, both of

ppeared in the Paris

Herald. Other foreign

t up. Stories were printed

, and very soon we had

thirty from Paris proper,

aris, and Americans were

nd and down from Sweden

of our resources, sold

alue, including my automo-

fund by asking all Ameri-

utions, but we had little

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

dents, it appeared, were not

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

t where they would con-

ithin a few weeks we had

bout thirty-eight at Ville

place into a barracks,

ost, American Legion,

wens and Jack Beauvis, un-

ch discipline, and to give us

dge of military formations,

aperwork. "We adopted,

army routine â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a small,

n in an army pattern, owing

nited States of America. We

to call the organization.

uron Ambulance Corps,

my childhood in Bridge-

unced in French sounds like

uron, though, suggested

me, and we finally settled

ulance Corps."

s what was, perhaps, the

ensive insignia ever worn by

ois Indian heads of plated

uniforms, a barracks so

o black out the skylights and

ol, and a fine drill-field

ances. Lack of financing

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

e us. Cookie Eddie Wiggins

rouble getting food. All

into the corps, with that of

aried contributions of the

We needed sponsorship and

ere were only two places

The American Field

he last World War, or the

bulance Corps. The Field

nded and was now reorgan-

ad 150 truck frames, and

on requisition from the

d these had been turned

olunteer Ambulance

mes Sparks, an American

Paris. The AVAC had

ers. We had drivers and no

ped to be able to carry on

rrendered to the inevitable.

g hall of the chateau, dis-

igned to interview Colonel

tructed to talk to officials

ervice.

vice told Powers that

to get ambulances until

old me that the two am-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

frames had been assembled

s, and were now ready for

e would be willing to accept

ps in his organization, and

turned to Chateau de la

reported to the corps, and

n the AVAC.

nces of opinion arose al-

spapermen, skeptical of us

t friends when they con-

rious. They had cabled

ois unit to the United States,

ntment was due to the fact

VAC continued to be pub-

ad ideas that conflicted with

ade up of honest men,

sts, and they were soon in-

situations that arose; it be-

ifficult to maintain harmony.

of the American Legion had

le frames for one-and-a-

om the French Govern-

urned over by the Legion to

herefore clear of the

only two bodies. Out of

148, which the French

at were useless and wasting;

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

have jurisdiction over them.

of us that chiselers and

money out of this exceptional

h Government. Frames and

gely, or could not be found.

on and the Iroquois Corps

perated, because neither now

s equipment and they could

tors that led to investiga-

resent. Members of the

ed to drive ambulances,

ed in political matters. It

d to get out of Paris, and

o drive an ambulance any-

Chateau de la Ronce at

bly, the corps met to con-

o submit to the AVAC. Logs

eplace, and it was chilly

felt that we could use a

ances, mobile kitchen, and

e necessary drivers and

that size. The AVAC ap-

er negotiations with the

eighteen additional am-

meantime, the two already

over to us, and we used

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ating war conditions and

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

made craters and almost

rps at that time was Jean

er member of the Foreign

dals to cover his chest.

me from Atlanta, Georgia

technical adviser. I was

and Mona Ducret, a pretty

ypist and handled all paper-

assistant manager of the

ny of New York in Paris,

s, and among the ambulance

er, a retired importer;

rmer Princeton student;

o, Nick Joseph of Fond

wart Donaldson of Boston,

aronna and Charles Stehlin

of Evanston, Illinois,

George Folds of Lake

is Bartlett of Washington.

sed, the internal situa-

n de la Chesnaye resigned

Campbell left us to join

easonably well drilled.

ratch, knowing nothing

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ansporting the sick and

ican doctors and nurses

The French Army Medical

by early December we

mentals, how to apply band-

nd of case to move, and

had a lot still to learn, but

cipline had had an effect.

ady for action, but there

war" phase was beginning,

behind the Maginot Line.

o Finland, an opportunity

C thought it would be a

e of our ambulances to Fin-

oval of the French Govern-

M. Brusin, consul at the Fin-

me the Finnish Government

t they would be glad to have

es, therefore, one was al-

ront and the other to the

C hoped that this number

ntially increased.

cal â&#x20AC;˘ claims advanced.

nothing more, and Colonel

y that the ambulance was

for publicity purposes to

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

al attention upon the

he idea of going to Fin-

anted to go for the serious

mbulance and giving the

war in which they were

here was a good deal of

ome recrimination. News-

who had been our friends

ned the purpose behind the

tudes; and whereas they

dvising us, they now looked

suspiciously. They were not

on cable tolls to promote a

were embarrassed when

ed to get as far away from

nally consented to go to

. We would pose dutifully

ographs, and give out ap-

wallowed up. No further

it.

ined about that time,

to Fred Payne's bar to have

er. A group of British and

ear by were disputing

he British Army was su-

sh officers saw the insignia

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

er to examine it, discovered

nd told us contemptuously

de behind the Atlantic.

military police cleared away

k to our chateau head-

better.

uld lead to Finland an

including myself, to drive

t H. Newman, a wise-

xeter Academy to become

pt writer, and write funny

er; Lewis Bartlett, twenty-

nceville, Columbia, and

amily was then living in

big and tough and had

wedish as fluently as Eng-

instructor in English at

umbia, Missouri, on sab-

bonne, was the brains de-

B.A., Dartmouth, '34, M.A.,

well guy and great com-

ficial and unofficial fare-

r. Wherever and whenever

it was an excuse for a drink

ewells were prolonged, be-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

hristmas before we were

e final celebrations was at

where M. Brusin, Finnish

charge d'affaires, and

ts to us. Among the Fin-

ple attending were two

Americans, particularly the

ered it part of a gag, but the

sober-faced and felt sure

never come back.

ulances would go on

leave on another. The

public farewell in Rouen

were stowed aboard a Swedish

ench army officers bade us

urned to Paris, left the Gare

ntinued to Antwerp by

Finnish cargo ship Norma,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

of 1500 tons.

at the railing of the

ed slowly through the

ts prow into the undulating

rth Sea. We were under

he only visible evidence of

te of the Virgo far in the

e. She had guns, an anti-

th charges, and around us,

ghting ships that we could

protecting us. The shore line

rs we came into heavier sea.

orkscrewed, shook herself

eaworthy enough, but ap-

far down into the water that

ugh between swells seemed

t we could feel in our toes.

an a dozen official passen-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

s, and all of them were on

il watching, as though fear-

icious on the water, above it,

cape the attention of sailor

s or suggestion, all of us

s not otherwise occupied

he sea or the horizon.

for an hour or more

gs became stiff and we

would be a swell place to

rned to me. "How about

hink we could get a

engers around the rail, but

us blankly, or refused with

d his hands helplessly.

o have a wonderful time on

y all so dead-pan about?"

ain and became auxiliary

as still corkscrewing

t the sun was on our right,

nd in an hour or two it was

artlett expressed a

h of our minds. "Does the

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

w how to navigate it?"

n the deck and inquired.

ugh mine fields," he was

come down with such

r?" he asked.

nwales," the officer ex-

sked.

y reason for secrecy.

er said.

ch, as sober-faced as the

asant prospect. We were,

ficent floating powder keg.

of cartridges, shells, bombs,

ndry raw materials for

be no near-hits or near-

ny violent disturbance, even

low the craft to bits. It

es and the visible evidences

officers and crew, always

rd the sky and the wide

sea. In less than twenty-

like hunted persons on a

ngers and crew were more

w, in spite of falling tem-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

decks loaded with cargo,

le room to pace or even

seas became heavier and

m side to side, creaking

herself, throwing a high

eck that kept us aft. Our

rizon, and although the sea

bright and glinting on the

ed from squinting. In the

ch on the bridge became a

werful marine glasses

e gathered at the rail to

climb out of the horizon,

n minutes grow larger and

ar the faint, distant throb

o was several miles from

hensive. Word came down to

there was a fog bank about

rgo, but did not come

dentify it; then it dis-

e horizon. Radios were

ion would not be revealed,

f communicating with the

er this was a friendly or

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

as an observation plane rec-

ure that more would return,

hen the first wisps of fog

minutes, we were en-

he fog in the evening, five

irgo was no longer in sight,

io could not help. The

erhaps the Virgo had

got colder by the hour.

k and I walked the crowded

nd speculating upon the mis-

us to Finland.

ader of this avant garde.

d swift arrangements be-

en commissioned a First

h Army, a section leader of

e now on loan to the Finnish

y breast pocket designated

edition, and I had been told

ssioned a Captain in the

Miss Mannerheim in Paris

er introducing me to the

night, we looked at

dome of sky; and I thought

t life I had been leading in

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

of Guita and the girls I

nd in Paris to say good-by

have dropped upon an old

eral weeks I had been com-

o a new one. The strict

would have made me a

illingly and voluntarily,

en geared to a regular

to our staterooms and

as because I was riding on

es, or for some other reason,

ugh the Norma pitched and

night. At daybreak we were

d dressed, and ready for an-

nt down to a small galley

eakfast of mush and coffee,

ck.

ghted the coast of Nor-

e much like the coast of

off the rocks. A crack-up

astrous to a ship loaded with

were some aboard who re-

evastation wreaked in Hali-

s and cargoes collided in

ed to zigzag, proceeding

roached Kristiansand in

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ed,to a stop at the entrance

e following several hours

e. Cargo, passengers and

ed by government officials, a

mplicated that we were de-

ng at Malmo.

ere relieved to walk down

er in Malmo, but there was

A schedule had been ar-

ins immediately to roll and

ugh bleak countryside.

ckholm, we found that we

ur ambulances. Rooms had

or us, and it appeared that

d had been as carefully

ur. We discovered, almost as

t we were celebrities. We had

tees had been organized, and

a list of receptions that we

enty-four hours we found

r by rushing from one cock-

Every anti-Axis organization

ty in our honor, as did a

anizations. Swedish liquor,

potent and misleading. If

to be a temperate amount,

ng stiff, and you had to

he risk of offending some-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

in in a drink. We remon-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ot take it, and Swedes looked

e sissies and said: "You have

arm."

he cold. We were dressed

and were so cold so long

anged the designation

ss Monkey Brigade." Liq-

d at times almost im-

tic. After a few days in

to us that the Swedes were

ere were both pro-Axis

s among those whom we

s seemed to be genuinely

biggest of these parties in

ere about a thousand peo-

ach of us had to speak, but

k Swedish. New Year's Eve,

s, was a bad night for it.

we were on our way to Fin-

tle people, and although

tance from the United

y next door to Sweden.

already in there?" he

do something more sub-

our best wishes and an aspirin

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

as not a success.

d in selected spots

I thought I detected a

well as amusement, in the

Countess Sparre, who had

ng night. They were a

couple. The Countess is the

Mannerheim, and both were

astation being wrought in

e we could talk our-

e. The ambulances arrived

reloaded to cross the Baltic,

panied them. We arrived in

daylight. Our ambu-

and we found ourselves on

ut town with the tempera-

ero, with no knowledge of

ountry around us. Our

for the Western front, and

were as conspicuous as coal

Medical Corps arrived to

elaborate reception was

hen it came, it was spectacu-

ected us to an inland shel-

d white paint and white

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ng for ourselves. When we

e sky was graying in the

er and blew to bits the port

as my first taste of bomb-

d and trembled. The whin-

ing were terrific. The flashes

good show, but I'll frankly

to appreciate it. When they

ce became so intense that you

at each other. Bartlett

been bombed frequently

other experience gave me

as anything since ever quite

s we looked upon.

in the shelter painting

Finnish trucks and cars

shelter for fuel and oil.

nd drivers nodded greetings

m seemed to be well past

ng would surprise them, even

with a couple of ambu-

who could speak English

s to guide us to our field

looked at the sky and

et there?" I asked.

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

he said. "Gasoline is

ose ambulances on a freight

to God."

e ambulances to a rail-

flat car, and every few miles

ours we changed trains

roadbed had been blown up.

hanged directions, shifted,

and finally had to abandon

ave it to the ingenuity of

detail to bring them up

anticipated those thirty-six

ns. I had a pint of brandy

to it, because anything

ere a number of Lottas'

line with piping hot soup

me we stopped at one of

erature was around twenty

ngers were so numb that I

ea until I had thawed

found, had no food value,

to climb aboard a troop

at Sortavala, northeast of

got into a large bus for a

t that for a convoy of

to a Field Hospital on the

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

the way we got our first

at it means in wholesale

All of our supplies came

wn of small wooden houses

e railroad junction, ob-

r military purposes. I saw it

h town in a forest, a white-

anny silence. I saw it a few

as a mass of crackling fires

the heart of a silent forest:

ing like skeletons; mangled

nters, or falling timber;

g around dazed, looking for

he town was destroyed, the

en rebuilt, and still looked

found three doctors and

urses) and about the same

combined driver, orderly

ospital had been a school-

tory wooden building of

es, a fairly large cellar used

uana or steam bath, and a

d a passable air-raid shelter.

wards with rows of beds.

ating rooms. The kitchen had

rest of the space was used

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ded who were waiting until

ed back to a base hospital.

way was a stable. Men were

ere was a horse in a stall. I

st comfortable place for me

with the horse; his body

y was a small farmhouse

nurses were billeted. In

ashioned a lean-to for our

of wounded, both Finnish

rough this field hospital

s were overworked. They

t no French, and as our

me through yet, we pitched

When a doctor amputated

me that I had ever seen an

led upon to assist. There

my job was to hold the

e were assigned to Fin-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to ride with them learn-

asses to the front; we picked

necessary for our own

range language to the ears

memorized phrases to let

d the injured we would

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re friends, driving ambu-

were the only foreign am-

front until a Swedish unit

Our unfamiliarity with the

to the constant danger of

ds.

us the various collecting

e Ladoga area. Because

always overhead and air

uring daylight hours, am-

ollecting posts only after

hts were so long that we

twenty miles. We fell into

slept during the day, but

r more than a few hours of

ys needed help in the operat-

e shaken awake to give them

ng when we returned from

f the hospital had to be

d died during the night. We

m in wooden boxes, tagged

k, and often crept into their

own sleep.

turns on lookout at

Some of the nurses were

of them, Helmie Hottie,

rl, usually relieved me at

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

night I left her there, a

ight, dressed in white, look-

I returned to climb behind

nightly rounds.

king a week, I wanted

e had reached the stage

the suana, in spite of the

e an invitation to pneu-

ellar, where bricks and

ater thrown upon them gen-

erspiration. After that the

body with birch twigs, rush

oll around at twenty below,

suana to warm up again.

I never found it highly suc-

ces arrived and we took

at we were in greater danger

es than we were from

d learned to recognize the

lt, but the Finns had not

we thought were Finnish

ed observations aloud in

tters. Somehow it was

that we were Americans.

had with injured men

. We picked up a delirious,

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in the ambulance, and

king English at the wheel,

eaking Russian, burst his

ed to kill himself. We always

nning into a Russian patrol

er. "We picked up another

in the back, rushed him

re the bullet was removed.

off the operating table and

n in money he had taken

ring daylight hours, was

ed to be out when air-

e dropped to the snow and

r white clothing, until

mperature was always our

ense penetrating cold that

Indoors or outdoors that

d us.

here we loaded injured

ere caves and shelters hid-

ch of these was a doctor and

, huddled together for

aited long hours to get

urns were done. Whether by

h explosives were always

Once when I was still one

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e of these posts, a bomb

hit. Bartlett and I ran

or as many as we could

y wounded, were killed.

d twenty-five, among them

een on duty. He was all but

e worked feverishly to

y exposed him, got him on

ambulance, it was clear

as a surgeon were ended.

d his right arm was shat-

ssion had held great prom-

d at the hospital, a promise

ed.

ng an offensive and we

all patients and rushed them

al, in preparation. When the

h troops at Loimila and Salmi

ghteenth Russian Division

Ladoga. Our communica-

er and more difficult, but

mehow to keep them open so

of the wounded while the

ir positions and held the

he Russians fought desper-

unded Russian prisoner,

mmanding officer as I stood

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ays in the trap he had had

and two slices of black

When their ammunition

hey made a final dash for

ut annihilated. For six weeks

died of hunger, froze to

e only survivors were a few

ibilities of ambulance driv-

uring that drive. On one

wedish driver came upon a

a Russian patrol standing

e men upright and frozen

ian officer beside them,

ad their throats cut, as

on ski patrol had whizzed

nded like a balancing pole

on the end of it, and slit

as he passed. The officer's

not a shot had been fired

ods in our ambulance,

oss a group of Finns tapping

ussian Division. A Russian

ch Headquarters and was

eed food and ammunition

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ian: "We can't send you

plenty of ammunition.

tion?"

nformation, and in a few

tion was wiped out. In one

we occasionally ran into

nnish and Russian patrols,

o a tree: notice: it is

O SHOOT AMERICANS IN THIS

offensive the thermome-

colder and colder. The tem-

ty below zero, so cold that

not stay on the ground

thout freezing to death.

ases.

work in unforeseen ways.

bulances at least once an

n the motor and the grease

zing. Frozen wheel grease

a brake. The distilled water

tarter grease froze, and

he engines by hand.

and I spent so much time

gain that both of my feet

o the hospital and got

, my feet were so hard that

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or as if I were walking with

, I did not notice anything

e into the hospital, where

egan to ache and swell, and

o longer walk. I was sent

assaged with snow and

st all of my nails, and they

. For months I could not

f shoes. I never appreciated

erything we could put

nd. When my feet were

ree pairs of heavy woolen

paper; all-felt, hip snow

I wore two pairs of woolen,

woolen shirt, sweater, my

oat, and over it all a white

d yet I was cold.

nsive that stay with me

mbed, where I picked up

ose home had been destroyed

killed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he was wandering

htened; another little Fin-

erican flag; and the laughs

the Russian propaganda

nnerheim was a capitalist.

wholesome, but scarce.

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ard black bread and hot tea;

ock, pea soup with frozen

sually horse meat; tea, and

five: a hot cereal, some-

At any time of the day or

t tea, and frequent drinks

sore throats. Drivers always

because nurses made such

us. Nevertheless, we were

d cold. We received no

hat was going on outside

me often, and when I

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of home.

ost" Yankee corps,

an newspaper corre-

been able to find us, we

We knew where we were,

did not. General Head-

Finland at that time had

than keeping track of four

ivers somewhere on the

of the things incompre-

soldiers on all fronts, I

and means by which Ameri-

th newspaper and radio, got

obbed up in inaccessible

The legendary greeting

resume" is as tame and

eryday "Hello" in Times

me of the greetings that

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this war.

bad cases of frozen feet

for hours in the snow with

n our hands trying to thaw

mbulance crankcases. New-

ecovered. Mock had an in-

st about able to hobble

were in the schoolhouse east

rtney Terrett of Inter-

walked in and said: "Hello,

ere?"

ring our own voices by

sual words, a sudden and

m, were as homelike as

ater. We were all struck

ts. "In case you don't know

en are practically the lost

come on, give out. Where

finally traced you here

t Helsinki."

ad been doing and what

t we were far more inter-

m him what was going on

he world. He gave us the

e quiet Western front and

ar," and told us that Ameri-

changing and that senti-

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as increasing. He was sur-

ere all college men, and for

de us his career. He inter-

and men, and talked with

out what they thought of us,

commonplace to us he found

It never occurred to us,

were kidding Finnish nurses,

ries for the right questions

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as "Will you ac-

ra this evening or would

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that our predicament

ver the United States.

we were in Finland we

American way; but some

a grin a yard wide to Ter-

hat when Terrett found us

ewspapers cabled the in-

correspondents. Within the

congress of newspaper and

n on us, and I never met

ful, helpful set of people.

ay some of them for ex-

ard positions, and in situa-

med to be hopeless. Walter

erald Tribune and Arthur

News turned out to be

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

pinch, and actually got me

ooked as if I might be sen-

for life.

e record of our ambu-

l war-front conditions. He

the pickup stations, took

, and dived into the snow as

when Red planes came over.

sionally to give us a lift

mbulances, and he slept with

Arthur had seen plenty of

man who was dying in the

ept him awake. Until

ased, and silence indicated

corpse, Arthur could not

visit with the newspaper-

vacation. When men live

ong period, nerves are in-

ed and tempers short, par-

dden death is always pres-

ng time, a sniflle, or an

might be resented by an-

vertired, cold and hungry.

eved tension, told us funny

ch better, merely because

eft, we buckled down

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ess of hauling the wounded.

ving through forest lanes

runching snow in that

watching the steam from our

d hands against the steering

r feet to keep circulation

iving for cover when Red

ng up beside caves and shel-

words with doctors and

to the Field Hospital. Again

es in still cold at fifty be-

orches to crankcases to

sing the engines even more

ave in the forest one

on the hard-packed snow,

ed out of the ambulance

place in our hip-high boots,

. We had been silent on the

e seems to breed silence. We

Conversation is not at-

erature is around fifty be-

eedles of cold stiffen your

ets at every exposed inch

and loosens the tongue

ough shelter in the rocks,

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moss and snow. Inside was

a steaming on it; a couple

of whom could speak Rus-

or who could speak English.

doctor. He nodded an

oked toward the tea, an in-

I poured some for Bartlett

around at a half-dozen

ng to be taken back to the

em attracted my attention.

been burned from his

he doctor.

octor answered.

n in flames," the doctor

e men pulled him out and

ad egg."

d?" I asked.

octor went on.

down at him. He was

r him, peeled off my great-

ver him â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and straightened

me, because he tried to

n't he?" I said to the

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Americans; that we're

swered. "I've told him

ands."

" Bartlett said, "and

her. I looked down at the

rude noise with his lips.

ntil I lost patience. It was

like letting an injured man

apping him to the

aged that they pulled the

ht they would strangle him.

ve for the next victim and

oftly: â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

dy will ever know or

cher slips off the ambulance

ield Hospital."

elt, but I delivered him

e recovered. Months later

s bombing Germans as

us.

on my ambulance-driving

expected halt. Late in

es had been particularly

ines, and damage was so

train had not been able to

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re were one hundred

ospital with no place to

hundred more waiting to

he front. Nights were

k with planes and we could

e to us that the hospital

et through to the railhead.

nder trees near the Field

been idle so long that it

ed. Red planes had been

but we felt reasonably safe,

ees would protect us. Bart-

a blowtorch at sunset to

ed on it for a couple of

rking long after night had

ep an airplane watch,

o the sky. Bartlett was be-

on the choke. An airplane

etops. Immediately there

a terrific pain in my

n and my right hand was

angles to the forearm.

to the hospital and the

work on it.

me. I thought at first

but there was none around.

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unk of hard earth thrown

ere was no anesthetic and

t without it, while Bartlett

out alone that night, and I

e hospital. The surgeon

sian supplies that had been

n a plaster cast, and the

st of the wounded on a

There were some com-

Lottas shared her meal with

e in months, I had an egg

the War Office and was

eadquarters at once.

ken, who greeted me

t you and I would be meet-

e you, and what happened?"

ht over Columbia's

up. It will be one o'clock

d eight o'clock in Bridge-

on for an interview?"

hile I work out a script."

view, and I sent a cable

y listen. The next morning

Consul's office in Helsinki

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to get to Paris, and although

ght as well have been an

because I couldn't get any

money, but apparently it

dn't get money in the con-

Walter Kerr of the New

d Arthur Menken, told

ainst, and they went into

ar office, which might be

ift, fell down, these two

ould not ordinarily be ex-

ger's cause their own, suc-

hey staked me to money for

. They got me a seat in an

ockholm, and I left im-

aid there. They had also

at I got another plane seat

nhagen, Amsterdam and

m there by train to Paris.

me, was Paradise, a place

d eat good food. I went into

la Paix, dirty and unshaven,

ver, because my friends

ot stay in Paris long. When

office, I was told that I

ay for America on a special

d to have the opportunity,

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e, although there were cer-

osal that did not appeal to

no mood to look a gift horse

d happened in the ad-

rican Volunteer Ambu-

in Finland. The corps could

capitalizing on the national

es and pictures that had

ulance drivers on the Eastern

ly surprised at the growth

anization had so suddenly

lained, the little, original

t had already been en-

w the same thing, in a dif-

be happening to the AVAC

American Volunteer Am-

ght on in the United States,

on had been undertaken on

ery little of the details. The

e was that AVAC suddenly

ed resources, and a string of

g across the Atlantic. There

es of long letters and cable-

enture seemed to be slipping

w York, and it was now

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s whom I did not know and

and proportion of fund-

en in our behalf in the

esponse to this was that it

of view. It was the good

erous Americans were con-

n the street in New York,

s was anxious to give us a

glad that I was an Ameri-

t kind of country â&#x20AC;&#x201D; until

and talked to other mem-

were arriving at the con-

bes in the Woods. Accord-

ntrol of the corps now

cial, political and business

ers was no longer giving or-

om New York, and trans-

ps. We were on the ground,

ought to be done, and

es away, and yet if Paris

ings, we had to get per-

At least, that's the way it

oo, a mass of confusing

going astray. Corps mem-

g paperwork instead of

mbulances had suddenly

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ll of this appeared to be

jealousies in New York, a

ical pulling and hauling that

nd or understand. Some of

e, by now, quite furious,

ght was a sound notion that

gany desks in New York

and earn French decorations

r the fairy godfathers in

ve wands and produce

f that would have clarified

e drivers would have been

alled upon Blanchette,

e when I first came to

as glad to see me, although

jured. It was the last time

he could not get out of the

war, and I went by train

home. I picked up an Italian

aw my picture in it with a

st U. S. victim of Com-

the Manhattan, which was

rs, among them H. Gordon

London department store

ost casual and matter-of-

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t, and Ned Buddy of Para-

pent considerable time to-

n-day crossing. When we

English coastal batteries

a Danish ship for refusing

later that a German crew

en prisoner. I was glad the

t the same time sorry for

showed a lot of courage I

hought the war was almost

nly a couple of months

ived news of the Rus-

and I was bewildered. I had

the Finnish Army that I

t I would bring all the help

ad a firm conviction that

ntil it would ultimately

moral victory for Finland.

ps were becoming ex-

supplies, munitions and

but at that time I had

the fighting qualities and

soldier as had the Finnish

morale of the Finnish soldier

d his courage was inex-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

en found during this

ust my thinking and

convictions. I knew now I

inland as I had intended.

e Finns and felt loyal to

een my cause; but now I

t France. I was more than

t for her against the com-

ng in New York, I re-

from the President of the

mother and father were

t experience talking by

t sea to a hotel room in New

by it. I reassured my par-

that my broken arm was

d hear the relief in their

m. After all, they had been

my account during the

knew how they must have

prayed that I would come

I thought, we hurt those

mes Wood Johnson of

ce Corps was slightly dis-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ng?" he asked me.

t there. Are you wear-

ep on wearing it."

f other instructions. I

papermen when they

arantine. I was not to speak

il my personal publicity

e Harrison-Phelps agency,

ssist me in handling re-

ecause it had to be. I

m because I had no other

erstand why I needed a

hy I should be so careful

of the best friends I had in

e newspaper correspond-

bt of gratitude, and because

nion of all newspapermen.

o be right or fair to avoid

iser to give me a nod to

wer a question.

spapermen was being

New York; although by

and administration, my

s was already being prepared

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

it was accurate.

was to raise money for

Ambulance Corps.

Manhattan came into

ctions to hide from news-

ep me in a stateroom be-

irst glimpse of the skyline;

when the newspapermen

nted out to them, and when

g, I did a quick sprint for

score of them chasing me,

til Frank Brown arrived,

at the whole business was

casions after this, I was

hings about the whole epi-

to be an intelligent,

who had as much contempt

he was called upon to do as

s expected to do. Some-

advice against his own best

me when even he revolted

e around.

with the gentlemen of

ation aboard the Manhattan.

newsreel picture flares

ew York papers and news

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ted. The experience was new,

ing, but Frank Brown

misled the newspapermen

e things, because I forgot

ample, I had a naive idea

order my own life when I

em that I would be staying

nd his wife in Brooklyn.

that a suite had been

aldorf Astoria.

Wilder of the New York

dly as anybody else at his

ficult to see how the Russians

hn, for he displayed such nimble-

onted by the Press yesterday that

e a hard man to catch in the

rn why Hasey loped away at the

e did have the pack in full cry

while, and the boys' tongues were

finally cornered him up on A

hough, Hasey turned out to be

nered and amiable young man,

some of his illusions and most

ake Ladoga and that just as soon

in shape and new toenails, he

s and France.

s over and we neared the

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ck on deck to look for my

d his wife, who would be

he crowd, and when I saw

yes welled up with tears.

the first time in two years

gether, and it was my first

in-law. I'll never forget

mother's face when she saw

sling. I knew then that she

ardships and pains, in spite

my father knew that I

be my duty.

storia people came to

hem I knew; some I never

figured out why some of

my hand and wish me luck.

hange of telegrams with Ben

eople" program. I went

ht and was interviewed by

story of what had hap-

was injured, and compared

diers. This recital held some

st and second telling, but

terotyped during the fol-

as called upon to repeat it

had been catapulted sud-

of a celebrity, and although

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

advantages, it also had its

were now in newsreels.

m. I looked at them curi-

tached spectator watching

r. Once a taxi driver spotted

ack, applauded me with a

embarrassed.

Washington for a series

views. I seemed to be in an

ow, and I found that the

able behavior was to shake

on and answer it. I had

d I. Walsh at the Capitol

rom my home state, I

red at that time on various

ough we are now in com-

youngster with some ambu-

e, and definite opinions

ion at close range, I did not

apable of discussing these

spent long years in public

t home, but we avoided the

s of war.

Finnish minister, M.

iew with M. Saint-Quentin,

, reported at the State De-

on WOL for a radio in-

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is, Jr., and got the mid-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

on. There, I called upon

onstall of Massachusetts

obin of Boston, and de-

he day at the noonday

Advertising Club.

onservative New England

to Bridgewater I knew

would be glad to see me. But

ailed like a conquering hero,

chlight parade, church bells

fire apparatus and the

Bridgewater since I was

ot many of the faces that I

ands who lined the streets or

torium at Teachers Col-

heir enthusiasm, and tried

the need for help to France.

ors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or my parents' neigh-

m had a homely, rural touch:

a Legionnaire, as toastmas-

F. W. Junior Band, playing

nto the hall; Mrs. Bertha

's characteristic Yankee

d Dr. E. V. K. Ronka of

e consulate of Boston; and

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

wers given to Miss Signe

er who had received her

l six years earlier.

ownspeople more freely

ever faced; but I was dis-

an audiences thought that

merica, and that their

say was no greater, in

would have been in an appeal

ssions, except that this

er dramatized.

ly touches to that visit in

and New England practice

ten in the years that I had

ard of welcome from the

Walker Coe, and a dozen

y school days. They bridged

de me feel at home again.

h on a circuit now as

eatrical performer in France.

and had an itinerary of

t two months I traveled

es raising funds for am-

e gospel of intervention to

e a convincing evangelist

erence. I was entertained

usiness, politics and orches-

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Street Club, lunched at the

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ccasional highball at 21 and

e I had trained for track

Columbia. If I was seen

York, Washington or

columnists promptly tagged

e talks and lectures, and

s "addresses."

nor Roosevelt at the

her what was, to me, the

I had lunch in Chicago

avy Frank Knox, who

substantial encouraging

that the United States

for extending unlimited

guest at one of Governor

y evening stag dinners,

o say frankly what I was

er of members of Congress

ere friendly and attentive,

kid, loosed upon the faculty.

patted me on the back and

good work; the only other

ame from the Governor's

o sought me out to say:

ave done for my country."

ught me to the colleges,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

Cornell and my own Alma

ach campus had an organiza-

Union." After successive

ieties of know-it-all chil-

spair that democracy ever

re the reservoir of man

must draw from, we were

before the war started.

o be Communists, embryo

hysical cowards, albeit al-

ey talked about "the horrors

really knew something

ck from Finland to find

w-livered students who had

or guns, planes, tanks and

hat the world could be

rt of revolution, designed to

with words and without

interested in my specula-

ggernaut that might finally

only interested to discover

had affected my "philosophy

epers I met in my tour of

e, I think, were the greatest

nted in French news-

youth movements. "When

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

group, I thought they were

collection of wise alecks, but

e after another in successive

y believe the evidence of

wanted all of the benefits

ing for it. They wanted

without defending it, even

essor had determined to

talked in airy abstrac-

o talk what I thought was

superior amusement. They

o solve everything, but their

purely intellectual and

to hammer home to them

e, they would be part of it.

ns fighting, and fighting

ms, cold steel, or bare fists;

ed in the use of any of

per perspective on them

an desert, mowing down

n if they thought that I,

e, were fighting a war for

opportunity to upset an

he desert, were fighting to

ife was held so cheaply, I

structionists got within

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I would mow them down

wondered how they would

ning, and presumed that

e it as "fascist," and

swer to that was, "Nuts!

under the circumstances, it

cal."

outh group stands, I

m. I couldn't find an am-

sand of them. They did not

after Germany and Russia

t time I wasn't around to

mateur and professional,

n had its points. The routing

and-soda with stage stars

rooms in the principal cities,

either in Monte Carlo,

es, I had met almost every

nality in the country, a use-

work if the world ever

I got back to the business

use I had seen war at close

n authority on it, although I

ificate as an expert.

theatrical performances

nn Fontanne and Alfred

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No Night" in Washing-

ward Lindsay's "Life With

hat, by the way, is the

dge a play given in a per-

ed both, and it was all very

ersons I talked to, actors

ar the most generous, and

up did they offer the bro-

everything comes out

tort then, as I may

ave it come out all right

ng, to make it come out

healed now, and I was

ff; and then I discovered

r been set properly. There

atments, but it never did re-

y. In time I learned to

d hand, to overcome this

to Boston again in the late

ch by short wave over

the Maginot Line; I as-

a was ultimately coming to

o to my friends in Paris.

in much the same

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

n France. My only contact

ew York was by telegraph,

ept for visits there when I

ake a speech or a personal

ge "take" or "gate" on my

d $3000 for each in con-

bulances underwritten by

pendent agencies.

e to American audiences

pposed that by now enough

at country to take care of

. Perhaps I was bored and

around the country may

ective, but at any rate, it

s becoming only a feature

ess. There had been several

nd a few disputes. I thought

ng unnecessarily imposed

publicity agent, had be-

otector instead of a watch-

e home office, and in tak-

ment, finally ended by

missed him.

nvaded and the officials

expand relief work even

ppening fast in Europe. I

e in St. Louis and rushed

d out what it was all

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gium were invaded quickly

on their way to Paris.

o back to France right

as thick and there were a

jections immediately. They

e in the United States for

You can't go back," I was

he word "can't."

fund-raising project

You'll have to get yourself

of conversation, but it got

, and that was the end of

eement the outfit was to

their expense. It was sug-

ird class on a freighter

omeday, but I said "No,

e Clipper." That was cause

d I was told that there was

he Clipper. However, I had

k, friends with influence

where. Before the day was

self on the Clipper; and

way across New York to

ays terminal at LaGuardia

ecipitous parting. My father,

w were there to see me off,

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nce to say good-by in per-

oard the Yankee

Beach, an interesting

plomats, Field Service men

und for Lisbon. In the smok-

the war was the sole subject

ny was now rolling through

he steward came through

bulletins of their progress.

er and came down that

s very warm. I got through

robably because I had army

nt the night in the Bel-

a trip around the city of

ing, looking the place

ship was in the harbor.

o o'clock that afternoon

. The Clippers had not yet

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ater freight and mail space

d accommodations. On

ived at Horta in the Azores.

and it was there that I

ot Line had surrendered and

was in flight. When

seven that night, France

ugh Paris was said to be

ar down the bay to its

gers went on to Lisbon by

come to know two Stuy-

I was to meet later in

riving Field Service am-

ench. In spite of the fact

beginning to crowd up to

American Airways had

ommodations for us at the

ere successful in holding

mall-town American hotel:

s; no bar; but drinks could

s in the lobby.

e border looked blacker

e hell or high water, a

he and I were determined

red about the next train

would be one for Hendaye

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While we were standing in

gomery came in. He had

ral days trying to get a

ork bound. He joined the

egan talking to him at once

d and whatever informa-

ked him. "I want to get

n."

ter keep away from

were pretty tough there

were in a bad mood about

ike us. They think we

m some help. They were

I left, where they may soon

in the streets."

e that. I thought I knew

told the clerk to get me up

train. I was dressed in

blue suit, and had my uni-

e only piece of baggage I

ulations both in Portugal

gners wearing military uni-

to look over the city of

ience with an overcrowded,

and one that was to be re-

next few weeks. The hotel

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ere were beds and cots in

hallway. Streets were

though Christmas and

had been combined in a

ound to the wrong hours;

ping and they were not

gedy had already stamped its

. There was enough to eat,

ho had the price to pay for

dining rooms were open

upply of wines and liquors

tible, but everything was

e next morning to board

n the border between Spain

le trouble. I had French

y passport. I was on that

urs. I had my last meal

ssed into Spain. At the

dining car was taken

rty hours I had nothing to

ottle of cheap wine. The

ldiers, and of men, women

road and at way-stations in

ch stop was crowded with

s, tatterdemalions in uni-

d faded, many of them not

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

pleading for money for the

ded â&#x20AC;&#x201D; scenes that were

ng.

would pass like a movie

nto the pleasant, rustic

n we rolled over the next

tead I found a once gay

lking around in a trance.

ed a national family, and

dazed and lost, like a whole

ed by mass amnesia.

ndaye, found a dining

ubstantial meal, stepped into

er to take me to Biarritz,

"What has happened to

ere is the spirit of 'Madelon'?

has happened to national

ct setting for a modern

a Jeanne d'Arc. ... I had

lle.

wenty miles from Biar-

outside Cartier's, and met

there: vendeurs with

or business, clerks, stenog-

l that were left of the once

were grim, depressed and

ot know what was going on.

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h of them were the Ger-

on them inexorably. They

German Army was, or

efugees were pouring in.

ng up, as though the Ger-

onstrous brush and swept

e South of France, raising

in the very air.

my old friend, M.

e company. He had been

not space in a room, a closet

e city, where I could sleep.

ree in a bed in small rooms,

n floors, and this remnant of

de a home of the store.

e it with them. Food was

me stored in back of the

ked in the cellar. There, too,

e, not too loud, where we

ws bulletins.

, and every day one of

the waterfront, and bought

, before it could be shipped

arce and already being ra-

e hard to get, but the staff

ere not yet under German

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e had not yet been signed.

uple of days, but it was

s to see my friends so help-

heir food.

eaux to look the situation

French officers of high

ng South in automobiles with

way from the German

now what was the matter

ght, too, that it would be

unch the nearest one of them

a strange police force,

n moved from place to place

re, doing guard duty and

ny miles from their homes

had been overrun by the

ce were bitter and dis-

er orders than to stick to

aracteristic of the mixed-up

vil services seemed to have

ed. I went to the military

ound that what Robert

dy told me was correct:

ssible to find out there

on or unit of the French

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either did not exist or were

that they were useless.

my uniform on for this

would give me entree to

would be barred, and I had

nted to get permission of

ntal authority to move

and into England. I pur-

ng into detail here because,

ar is still on and I am quite

controlled Vichy Govern-

me to death, would like to

those valuables. I reveal

ll now do them no good to

employee of Carder's for

ned to be my personal ven-

s about it but me. If I am

ver, I will make my own

to move valuables out

on to the north was now

t was practically disrupted,

a Vichy tinge among those

aux was even more crowded

e possible. Refugees were

and more every hour. My

everywhere. People asked

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in such a mood for taking

hat I finally found it was

topping any car that hap-

d ordering the driver, pref-

ho seemed to be running

e I wanted to go. Even that

e of antagonism among

eekly.

American consular of-

s going on there, and

a ship sailing for England

t the Germans were now

ent out on the street and

the world's greatest drama.

s becoming more acute by

a few hours it would be

still thousands of English-

t down to the pier and

en, women, children and

were calm, silent stoics,

n Dunkirk, looking at their

ting rescue or capture. Until

t much of that English

y on!" I'll never again

s came in. A British Com-

along the line and barked:

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on. No space for them" â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

rly lady with a baby in her

first, Madam." She did;

etly and as orderly as though

church aisle on Sunday.

ver the edge into boats until

r and I were left alone at

e you going?" he asked me.

me, I'm an American."

y, and looked at the bags.

leave all those bags," â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

sly, â&#x20AC;&#x201D; "but what can I do?"

of French spectators,

ngshoremen, street urchins,

They'll probably know what

gested.

s watch and observed.

far away now, are they?

went overside into the last

His Majesty's Ship and

st immediately the boat was

nel. I felt a deep and pro-

Britishers. "If I ever find

s," I thought, "I hope my

hrough as effectively."

tion of Bordeaux had

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cided I had had enough of

with refugees, stray and

chments, it was soon clear

e at least two days. People

roads, cycling or inching

ain roads, side roads and

oldiers. I passed Polish regi-

ntly been evacuated from

d Belgians, determined to

orth Africa. It was impos-

in this plodding, intermi-

nfusion. The baby in my

ecause I had a gun, and I

w in the manner of the

saw other hungry babies

ong the road and they made

o nothing for them. My

chise and her grandmother

ate the second afternoon,

e, and a small staff of do-

ut quickly to prepare food

ned on the radio and we

had been signed with the

r in the forest. Mme. Fa-

d. Her eyes filled with tears

her cheeks. She sobbed and

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om â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hungry, and tasting

. When sympathetic serv-

e table, we had omelettes

reens from the garden, and

ed Franchise on the fore-

to Mme. Farines. I left the

ecause I was sure M. Farines

there, and joined the

e road â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and was lucky

with an American family

. Refugees were down-

d, but they were a friendly

ving around, not knowing

or caring much.

ican widow and her two

d in France for many years.

d no idea of where she

at she wanted to end the

he decided to get to Spain

d not fathom, and as she

nations, I did not inquire.

ess. Her problem was fur-

omplete absence of passes,

ench Army ambulance

I was sure that these were

her to Biarritz on the coast.

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

be on her own. I took over

assage and spent another

e of those anonymous little

e Pyrenees.

efugee racketeer had

tel men had never seen so

people in their lives before,

ple were manna. They

ces to permit people to sleep

r on the floor, and they

almost prohibitive. Once

make sure that it would not

day we skirted the Pyrenees

to Biarritz. I reported back

ernight at the store; and

ans rolled in. We stood at the

a staff car glide up to the

s-throw from us, and

er, and felt a sinking feel-

se faces inside the store,

rs, hps quivering and drawn

ey sighed and turned away,

cer came into the store,

h a frozen face and cold

ench.

e had any firearms, and

way. He wanted to see what

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s set and unset, valuable

He looked into the safes

y there was very little on

in fact, for a second-rate

The officer was very nosy

way, and he was meticu-

tingly so. I had put away

k in my suitcase again, and

at a moment's notice. An

ssued banning all except

cupied France. Even

spitals had to get into civilian

eek or so, curious to see

w that the Germans were

e center of Biarritz was la-

." It was a good restaurant.

of going there, and saw no

more so because the Nazis

d officially ordered that all

erved. The result was that

d, making a big pyramid

bles on a plate, and of course

s to Frenchmen, and friends

azis. The Nazis were cute,

t they were doing with

ut as there was no other

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

hat we might as well eat

f the lean years to come.

over to the German

a German orchestra played

y. It was made quite clear

be welcome, to dance with

t all girls spurned them and

other way. Respectable girls

them with loathing, but

e prostitutes succumbed to

he appearance of Biarritz

ght. Soldiers there had con-

ier. There were about sixty

perhaps 6000 men, all

appy gray-green uniforms.

om every flagstaff and a

ordered on Berlin time,

z time.

eek, I had enough. I had

der, compelled to "say

acle was depressing and dis-

eader that the Frenchmen I

up to any longer, or re-

irons of all France. We

n the air and did not even

Instead, for the first time,

eneral de Gaulle. Until then,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ame in the news to me, a

in 1934, a book on mecha-

e Army of his own country

ously, while the High Com-

e it their blueprint and

about him came gradu-

was a great French general,

d snubbed. He had favored

ment to Africa. He would

n prohibited, but it was

uld be. Already they were

hmen were listening sur-

ts from England and the

de Gaulle was the name on

hough it was whispered cau-

peculating on how to get

. Already there was a light

t had been dark and de-

e Gaulle in restaurants and

s and basements. There were

ssions about him. Some even

was really de Gaulle. The

, the more I inclined to

s my man. He had an idea,

ful and experienced. I de-

to him, or to some of his

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

nd find out about him.

border at Hendaye, and

ver, but was turned back

explained that I was an

very rabbit that I had out of

be done. I spent a couple

ind a way over that border,

hile I was there, a whole

into Spain to parade for the

n, and the discovery that

was not a muscle show or

The people of San Sebastian

d them, cheered them and

hese Spaniards were not

appealed to American

acArthur, nephew of the

ican passport with me, but

posal to go to England. He

at the Manhattan was sailing

d out to be the only way I

hat Spanish border, I agreed.

a party of fifty American

had come to hate the very

herded across the Spanish

but no guard was placed

m was solved. We had the

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ent out to look it over, and

and free on the Spanish

ayed with the party a little

nt on to Bilbao the next

ed a larger party of 700 or

them had beaten the Nazis

st two or three weeks.

e mother, wife and son

covered that Steel was now

camp. About ninety per

olunteer Ambulance driv-

lbao. They were all through,

was licked and that the

o convert some of them to

and invited them to come

nd to look into it, but I

that point, I decided to

can refugees and go the

took the night train for

ght to Lisbon, and ran into

panish-Portuguese frontier.

ctors opened my suitcase,

Army uniform, and I was

d thrown into the border

alf-dozen officials, and

d English that I was an

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

his VA on the shoulder

ked, and surprised at his

hat it meant Virginia Mili-

," I elaborated, "is a very

United States." I told him

e driver leaving France, and

ne of them to call the

drid, at my expense, to in-

a number of American am-

France. I knew that the

as "Yes," because there were

em coming behind me the

the answer I expected, and

ailhouse. I complimented

macy in so averting certain

tes, and took the next train

he British Embassy and

sh military attache, and

o go to England. He is a

shman in his mid-forties,

s a ramrod. He wanted a

ng on in France in the

aces where I had been up

gave it to him.

o to England?" he asked.

evareid of the Columbia

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

I said. "A director of the

System gave it to me in

see this General de Gaulle.

e's cracked up to be, I'll

ning his army. If he's not,

ce I might get a job with

and," he said.

a, can't you?" I asked.

rt and said, "That'll be

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ug down into my pocket

and into England

ances is not a subject

during the war. There is

rground, and if there is a

l fight for the Free French,

k far in any country

it can be done. I was

reddish-blonde beard cov-

in, when I turned up at the

me lobby that I had left

was a refugee with about a

ocket, a uniform in my bag

ngings, like toothbrush,

h. When Cartier's fled Paris,

he rest of my personal

oubt the Nazis have them

dollars was gone, I had

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

et more. It was no longer

o get money transferred.

ded hell with ragged

ts, and I wondered, as I

was a preview of what

ome, but there were French-

ound the hotel, and I soon

England. It would take a

y problem was to survive

d be made.

at a hotel, or in any house

even get room to sit down,

church, station, park bench

ere so many people in

eemed as though there was

oom for one more person.

eks for a boat; there was

into the office of one of the

t Mr. E. A. H. Dawson and

o ship out right away for

head and looked at me as

the moon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and broke to

ews that I had anticipated:

or more before I could get

mmanding Officer at the

ked at me with a sincere

d anything to eat since I

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

tier jail. I had had but

My beard was even longer

h soot and grime, and for the

wartime international hobo.

ean, neat and well fed.

t anything to eat or a

he said.

ment. "Come out to my

d I'll put you up."

se actuated him. There

hould be so generous to a

can. He had been besieged

ho had greater claim upon

. He took me to his beauti-

Rilvas, presented me to his

prettiest girls I have ever

ryl, a year or two younger

ful, sympathetic and

n about my age, height and

n her son's clean underwear

nd came down to dinner, a

like the Biblical beggar

of highways and byways to

hat half-hour, my personal

osed. I was dead tired, and

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

e off to bed, a luxury of

t slept in a real bed for

opped off to sleep im-

d about fifteen hours later,

ng day. I sat up. Warm sun

the window. I looked

n a bedside table found

y, and a note telling me

wson's compliments,

e embarrassed about

s, I found Beryl waiting

n, got in her car and drove

Riviera of Portugal; later

her father at the British

ls and tea. Every day for

t swimming, to the Portu-

ncing at the club. In Lisbon

can warships. We met

at the club, and I dis-

, Lieutenant Wyman H.

tates Navy, was in town.

up, and the meeting was a

ach of us. He gave me

d enough money to pay back

my pocket watch, a gift to

my twenty-first birthday,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

o it that it was returned to

hat I would lose it in the

uke and Duchess of

and called upon them. They

had happened to me since

e Carlo, and I brought

to the Duchess from her

hom I had seen in Wash-

uchess had escaped from

d come on to Lisbon. Their

te and as indefinite as my

n, Wyman, aboard ship

him to dinner at the Daw-

a few sets of tennis every

pink of condition, well

erful time, when I received

n who told me that if I

t a specified port, at a speci-

identity known, I would

by boat to England.

my cousin, Wyman,

ome on the Manhattan, due

but I had become com-

rance. It was now a matter

Perpignan, where I de-

and infant child to their

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

e I had seen German soldiers

humiliate my French

ordeaux, where I had seen

their baggage away un-

board a boat; and even

Dawsons had been so kind

on, I had been arriving at

I felt that I would be run-

ing by going back to the

fort and the security of

ttractive; but the notion

d not be honest or fair to

n French officers of high

nd families in staff cars,

ething and searching for a

omething was the cruelty,

y and the menace of the

wn countrymen, I

away from something, too.

g security by hiding their

merica, to my mind, at

runaway. I felt that I had

and watched the Man-

gunwales; said good-by to

nds and casual acquaint-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

d so that I was watching my

anhattan, I was sure, would

United States for a long

d I watched it depart, had

at the club. I shook hands

ext day, promised to come

n it was over — a promise

ssible — and left three of

e ever met.

nd place as directed and

150-ton cargo boat bound

hs were always a night-

erate, oppressive crowds;

elusive safety that was al-

or in some other direction;

a destination and immedi-

e; crowds running from

of miles behind them;

mes that had been blown

ers or direction. They came

hey came from nowhere —

her they would have been

een, were safer where they

would be safer at some other

ing, searching, searching

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

place that did not exist,

ued by a terror known or

felt like slapping their

ound and kicking their bot-

and face it. You'll never

t it. Fight it with your bare

s better to die fighting than

of the earth, exhausted,

f my time ever comes, I'll

m it. That's what every

very field of sport: rush

ze ring; dive in and

all field. Get in there and

. You're not licked until

herefore, if you never run

ked."

with these crowds. You

ht talk or a pep talk. You

me of them; suspicious that

es and fifth columnists, and

d contemptuous of most of

er crowded cargo ship

ions for the ordinary natu-

its decks and hull full of

oles among them, who

ent officials. I wouldn't

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

gation of Englishmen and

Geneva Labor Office, a

a scattering few Ameri-

. Within twelve or fifteen

tar, and for six long days

that ship while we waited

h Africa. Hundreds of

out of the bay while we

ld watch them from the

ndred steps around the

gain. Italian bombers flew

few crates of explosive

at on the upper deck, in a

ugh watching a game. Ob-

supply, the big, broad and

n on the side of the rock,

rock, but the bombs fell

or on the beach. As I

hat is probably the rotten-

t marksmanship I ever saw,"

talians couldn't hit a barn

e of the bombs dropped close

oretto nuns from Dublin,

uns were evacuated and came

at night we listened to the

g a news report in English,

o discover that the Ark

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

that raid. We could see

anchor, untouched and

nearest porthole.

of Gibraltar, because it

ss. The lights from Spanish

hore threw the whole place

as a paradox that Spanish

xis, were considering black-

to protect Gibraltar, but to

m atrocious Italian marks-

e evacuees piled into the

he convoy, until it seemed

bulge to accommodate

the Loretto nuns were the

e they were cheerful Irish-

o in spite of the somber

er. Their peaceful de-

smiles and words of com-

d children huddled in the

orale. If the nuns were

w it. They were examples

nd them.

eta had been a banana-

olds had never been cleaned.

rmeated them, and it was

h air to the evacuees who

them were painfully sick,

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

accommodations made

bunk. The Mother Superior

angelic, kindly person, was

would feel better if she

he did, and in appreciation

ember me in her prayers

ome. Letters from that

owed me around the earth.

ad a number of miraculous

me of them I can never

my own lucky star that

hining up there somewhere.

rayers of the Mother Su-

was blessed by Pope Pius

the prayers of a Jewish

remember me forever, too.

cy was fulfilled.

lk on the North Atlan-

n. The mother was given

men aboard, who were ex-

ers, turned to and gave a

joined the submarine

antic and the horizon for

pear to be suspicious. What

ught, for a child coming into

of the journey, I slept on

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

the ship, but it was of

cooked. Ten or twelve

ook over the commissary de-

knew something about

us were at least nimble

he decks, and up and down

it. It had never been very

at it was palatable. Sub-

ring the day was hard on

o sun-glasses to take the

eflection in the water, but

ehensive. The Avoceta

patch of oil that grew

ard the center, where float-

and we presumed that this

an English merchantman

The sub, we knew, could

estroyers in our convoy

gging, trying to pick up a

some comfort in the pres-

he Royal Navy.

twilight, I saw a tall

tance, like a whale blow-

of the destroyers. It must

, but it was impossible to

Several seconds later, the

erk and a long roll. This

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ls â&#x20AC;&#x201D; twice, three times, four

he water seemed to be

at depth charges had done

marine would never again

e port in southwestern Eng-

time for an air raid. Men

r unloading supplies from

ere dropping. I went ashore

n the night of August 5.

rom the southwestern

York, Pennsylvania,

ned to war relief work.

gers when we left, but by

Victoria Station the train

and women in uniform,

stops along the line. The

ed with soldiers.

ing. Burton and I went

cked in, and had no trouble

our first real meal in

bles and coffee. I telephoned

man of the board of Car-

ger was the victim in the

e" in London a few years

ylaid by thugs, an American

clubbed upon the head,

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er of jewels he was carry-

ad in the Mayfair Hotel.

e newspaper attention be-

ad been given twenty years

ne for each year of the

at night. M. Bellenger

at first, could not believe

acques," he protested, "you

n Finland." That was the

me. I assured him that I was

e invited me to come around

he store at 175 New Bond

ight club, the Cafe Anglais,

sic and dancing were de-

s of people off the war, and

d been a long time since I

a variety of food, or had

orus line. I turned in that

hild, and weeks later felt

nt and promising friend

afe Anglais had

show was going on. It

scores of guests had been

lled on M. Bellenger

ut of the hotel and come to

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outside London, to live.

were vague; that sooner or

et General de Gaulle, and

asy and play for a while.

ne of the very first recruits

ement, an enthusiastic sup-

nal friend, of de Gaulle. I

ed in London, called upon

knew there, among them

ad been evacuated from

e British Army, and on

and we did the town.

of all Europe then, and

n streets and corners, in

l lounges. Maude Williams

My Girl," featuring the

own her when she was in

oked her up, and each night

e a twosome doing the night

l such places had to close

aude knew a number of

found that everybody was

Intelligence Corps,

ance, came to M. Bellen-

ave me go into that service

ed to me and suggested that

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return to France. In spite

a Haris have glamorized

s a distasteful and deceitful

ebody has to do it. I did not

to M. Bellenger for ad-

about it?" he asked me. I

ay about it, I wouldn't

it down.

I wanted to meet Gen-

he night of August 9 he

but to stay home and have

reason, but when I came

General and Mme. de

er were guests.

, I looked upon a very

tall for a Frenchman. He

of a French Army General,

houlders and oak leaves on

s tunic sleeves indicating his

bare of the medals and

en awarded him. His hair

, with no trace of gray,

sely trimmed mustache.

ypical Frenchwoman, with

nner. Like most French

k as though she had been

She was short, and the

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and shoulders above her. His

esembled her father in ap-

nding close to the General,

n his tunic where he had

I supposed as a symbol, and

d not wear them again until

was a delicate point that I

quire about. M. Bellenger

ed them for cocktails. I was

mbulance Corps, and stood

eneral put me at ease. He

form before; he inquired

d it. He wanted to know

the Corps after the fall of

a brief account of it, told

e, and that I was at present

ious to know whether such

inue its work in England,

k so. "At least," I explained,

indication of it. I've already

ennedy's office and talked

s, and was told that there

and no prospect of one

assador's office showed lit-

M. Bellenger at one end

nger at the other; the

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his wife and daughter

stantial meal, cooked in

h wine that was a treat to

and to me. He was easy

casually throughout the

ch movement, but there was

nation underlying his con-

othing oratorical or boast-

that because of the Free

renchmen everywhere

again.

will be true," he

have done nothing yet. We

elves. "Where will we be a

e will know for certain

our heads." He was .quiet

oke bread, and he spoke

n. I did not have much to

about France, exactly how

fficulties I experienced at

of morale in Biarritz and

erved it.

tails of the organization

es in England, but although

o France, I was still an

e cautious. There were no

idea of how many French-

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led in the Free French

n of immediate plans to

tain had pledged its sup-

al committee, headed by

he had been broadcasting to

, to continue resisting the

Undersecretary of War in

he Petain government had

nd marked him up for "the

martial."

his own position before

t saying that his committee

the government of France.

o form a Foreign Legion,

h Government, and to

lonies to fight on against

forces. Britain had not

Government, and had rec-

as leader of the French out-

men in German-occupied

t is your duty, if com-

nemy, to offer passive re-

ns in your power. It must

chmen, either directly or

o forge weapons which may

. I invite you to join us. It

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o not place the orders of a

fore your sacred obligation

n of France."

ved in England, on

es de Gaulle had been con-

echnically he was scheduled

he day before I met him,

ered Vichy over a British

station by saying, "The sen-

argely under the influence,

r the direct orders, of the

nemy will one day be driven

On that day I will submit

udgment of the people."

that night at the dinner

e of death, or the spurious

instead, in a proposed

oorea and Tuamotu in the

ide whether they would

Vichy or to the Free French.

the votes were counted,

e Gaulle and 18 for Marshal

was already growing in

g I was greatly impressed

honest and straightforward,

ench soldier still unshaken.

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as crusaders in the armies

tain that one day they

ve land. He did not try to

the Free French move-

r aid or assistance of any

dinner companion, who

r a moment the heavy bur-

weighed down upon him.

ock with his wife and

th him only three hours

y of the war, the French

ance and the Free French

bably spent far more time

nch Boy Scout movement in

d facilities for training

een the ages of twelve and

g forward to visiting a

outhern England.

e had gone, I turned to

, "How do I get into the

over very carefully,"

decision to be made im-

ur of the moment. There

policy of the United States

citizens as combatants. You

ver in France â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a noncom-

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a noncombatant and drive

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France if you are determined

to the American Em-

would stand if I enlisted,

ould lose my American

e Free French forces. There

n Volunteer Ambulance

nch. The only noncom-

e French medical transport

artier's, talked it over with

ome of my English friends,

eadquarters at 4 Carlton

m M. Bellenger to get me

to Major Fouchaud. It was

ff of clerks working on the

mation desk handy. I pre-

nd was shown to the Major.

desk in an office â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a man

ck mustache, glasses and

was in uniform and was

was prepared for me, and

he telephone with M. Bel-

ed the card as I told him I

he instructed me to write

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aulle. I did so. He accepted

is own personal recom-

epted as a second lieutenant

. My letter of application

ence in France and in Fin-

rough, with his endorse-

ulle, and was immediately

to Army regulations. On

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, I was notified that I had

at Olympia, a suburb of

and equipment, and

ss uniform â&#x20AC;&#x201D; similar, for

atigue uniform of the

ench officers, like those

own dress uniforms. I had

nteer Ambulance Corps

ovated to conform to the

as stationed temporarily

e with the Bellengers in

recruiting work, trying

ns and Frenchmen to drive

t of my prospects were

of Dunkirk, and I found a

ve ever again under any

ap that it was almost im-

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hey had lost confidence in

o respect for them. They

e City, in a stadium and

ars was in command, and a

him, was liaison officer be-

and the British Armies. I

y my luck recruiting

ams lost patience with them

contemptuously to go

ruiting officer ended

gned to Aldershot for train-

mp there, but as there was

be done, I was invited by

gion officers to train with

pose of keeping in con-

nit and ambulances ma-

ely unofficial, voluntary on

y on theirs. The infantry of

Legion had come down

after campaigns in Nar-

ir commander was Col-

ous name. Nobody knew

d fought a rear-guard action

England by way of Liver-

ey came to the Free

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dramatic. Colonel Montclar

de Gaulle's appeal to all

Colonel Montclar lined

ground and said: "We're

French forces. Has any-

y about it?"

o say about it, and they

nit with the Free French,

rained troops, the first to

roops joining the Free

here were the usual ru-

on to every army camp. We

n we would be sailing for a

us. I heard more about

e about him, and had a keen

cause we were fairly certain

expedition though we were

d dreamed of, when he was

r in his own country, and

Metier, the handbook for

al warfare which his own

while the German High

it avidly, adopted it, and

22, 1890, he had been

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e his father was professor of

e at the Catholic Institute.

t Saint-Cyr, the French

s graduation in 1911, was

tenant of infantry in a regi-

olonel Petain, later to be-

was at the front from the

rst World War, at the

threatened by Germans,

cab army." He was wounded

for bravery; and in 1916,

t, was captured by the Ger-

ttempts to escape, one by

small nail file. He was

German uniform, and spent

litary confinement.

er, tall, long-legged, silent.

een his life. After the war,

ad been a member of a

to Poland during the anti-

e was Chief of Staff of the

tion of the Rhine at Trier,

staff of the Army of the

te of Commander in

ver a favorite of Weygand,

During the early 1930's, he

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uperior Council of National

gues got the impression that

in.

ad outlined, and all but

r division and its possible

y praise for it came from

uderland, chief of the

ed de Gaulle for it in a

ine, adopted it, put it into

ng men in the de Gaulle pat-

o invade France. General

waken his own War Office

rushed aside. As late as

rotested to the War Office

erman development of his

ers were still employing the

ystem invented by Carnot

e when muskets fired two

rned that the Maginot Line

s warning fell on deaf ears.

-through he was given the

quick, brief ceremony,

y to Abbeville to defend it

00 tanks.

le and an awakening of

and had come too late.

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French success of the war.

able to meet and shunt

was cited, belatedly, by

ble, audacious, and energetic

er, the French Third Re-

eneral de Gaulle was the

tic leader to continue the

ad to go to England to do

heir heads, and knuckled-

ime when de Gaulle felt

frica and never give up.

unconquered, was character-

and," and Vichy ruled that

should be shot.

d never been liked by the

omplacent officers of the

as a disturber, with new

irritated them. He was too

mprove the ancient pro-

nted to upset the old, tried

ns. He wanted to stream-

e suggestions that brass hats

ous; and when they refused

hem grimly and preached

think he was a strange, rest-

n for overestimating Ger-

es, and mechanized equip-

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n tragedy that he had been

ist, preaching in a French

ce.

never underrated in Eng-

ith open arms by the British

cause they saw in him a

who could rally the Free

neutral countries, but be-

him as a strategist who had

me, and they could use his

ary councils. But de Gaulle

until the last minute. On

ynaud chose him as special

nistry. On June 16, when

pt de Gaulle there, but when

sued for peace terms, the

ghteous anger. He would

France humbled.

m we, of the Free French

our trust to lead us back to

felt that we were in good,

ad complete confidence in

memorandum had been

y Prime Minister Winston

e Gaulle, and these con-

hat the Free French Forces

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ms against France.

ldershot, these diplo-

only cursory, passing at-

em in the London news-

new friends in the Foreign

vitally interested in when

ve, and where we would be

onally interested in the daily

gion, trying to absorb

d courtesies of an army

me â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a technique that I

earn by observation, be-

ining schools designed

missioned and in service.

e aware of my deficien-

r them. They straightened

hat were confusing to

elped me over the early

essed me was the com-

ers and men of the Legion,

their personal backgrounds.

d seen it dramatized in

natural and American idea

gerated, and was at first

t it was stark truth. Within

pressed upon me that I

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timate friend in the Foreign

erested in what I had been,

the Legion. Conversational

ven to my recent past

nteered personal informa-

aging response. Invitations

were tactfully rejected. In

find that I would never

soldier nearly as well as I

hip acquaintances, or men

anscontinental train trip

lad. All that was known

bare statistics on a service

education, degrees, next of

d soldiers in the ranks might

, adventurers, or solid re-

ember did not inquire about

or complain about his own.

mon past, dating from the

h the Legion, and the cur-

d conversational material.

gust 29, Assembly

ed up on the parade ground

Colonel Amilakvari faced

red us to pack, saying that

ight on orders of General

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on was given. All that we

d leave by train â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an ob-

se cars were already being

ess fell that night, the

motors sounded high above

suddenly the city of London

The ground shook under our

g and banging reverberated

a few minutes ear-splitting

rilliant flares of explosions,

sky around London was

ooked around, flames broke

Aldershot. "The blitz"

s receiving its first baptism

a military objective,

platform, boarding trains,

e. There were no cigarettes,

e after each shattering blast

s broken by the clap of

on. Smoke from burning

an acrid smell that we could

cars and looked out win-

ng the skies all around us.

ermans. The train jerked.

ed up speed and sped away

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or miles, we could see

angry and frustrated.

uffed slowly to a stop. We

we were in Liverpool.

ng for the dawn, and

ning twilight revealed fif-

d in the harbor. All had

nd were converted into troop

m had been of Dutch regis-

, we boarded them, and

last night still fresh in our

looking aloft. Whether the

hat we were leaving Alder-

know; but I was interested

ort that we had evacu-

m Aldershot because of the

bor throughout the day,

n the transport flagship

The General's headquarters

ecutive suite aboard the

tered in staterooms, four

panions were infantry lieu-

t been informed of our

med that we were probably

re quartered below, in

ss and steerage. Organiza-

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d before we arrived. Mess

and feeding arrangements

e Channel, waiting for

e harbor convoy ships were

The moon was bright and

n we moved silently out

ed a course northward un-

ming up the North Sea

convoy was made up of

h Navy, augmented by two

r from the French Navy. I

mstances under which the

he British Navy. It is pos-

n in English ports when

ps in the convoy that I

ading ship nor the last. We

ckout and under strict

be no lights or cigarette-

rounded the British Isles

due east and then south to-

he ships were battle gray,

s had been obliterated. It

age in tightly cramped

s and men. Flanked by

e and secure, not even

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look skyward for planes.

n alert lookout was now

hips, and felt that our first

uld come when a convoy

airplane carrier. Scouting

eads frequently throughout

ar more apprehensive

e North Sea than I did

ared on the bridge, or

titutional on deck. Cameras

cers clicked frequently

apping him, the convoy, or

rd ship; and there were fre-

gh-ranking officers, both in

he British Naval command,

Lower-ranking officers, non-

w that something important

ulated on it, but most of us

a week, and a week into

e still plowing south. As we

into the South Atlantic, we

. Distance made airplane

sible. Our naval convoy was

units of the German Navy.

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nly menace and the Navy

aily submarine drills, and

in case of emergency, and

ns, continued aboard ship,

heroics, no speeches and

ember 23, we arrived

several miles off the coast,

atteries, riding easily on

ight and sunny, with

e could see the jetties of

ine of the warehouse and

e of the city. We were not

but the ship was alive with

We anticipated action.

w. Officers were on deck,

onference in General de

ly morning. It continued for

ly an aide came out and

to sailors standing by davits.

pped, and Captain de

Roman Catholic priest, later

ench in the Pacific, Captain

, and Captain Descort

rst World War Marshal,

hey were grim and serious

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e deck to the gangway.

ad been given their orders

ute them,

d a French flag had been

nch, and the quartet walked

pped into it. The launch

transport toward the two

harbor. We stood on deck

y. It moved away, closer to

had covered about half the

hite puffs on the shore;

d the launch, and seconds

ation of shelling came across

ere were disappointment

ng the officers on deck. The

and it was clear that a plan

Spurts in the water came

gunners found range. One

nd we saw two of the officers

e launch zigzagged for a

nd apparently an order was

ew the rudder over; the

rcle and headed back for our

nd the launch slowly ap-

en it came alongside, the

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ieu and Captain Perrin

he bottom as sailors tried to

e lifted out. Doctors and

k with stretchers. The

carried up the gangway, and

We were told that they were

close-jawed and burning

not like the French to fire

a flag of truce. No expla-

to the radio room and

people in Dakar and the

ear, sincere and straight-

nalyzed the whole situation

they had an opportunity

and asked for their support.

for patriotic Frenchmen

ic Frenchmen, and that

er, and talk it over, if they

m or with a delegation of

was certain they would

eement. "We have come to

or conquer you," he said.

d and supplies. We brought

ause you are Frenchmen, and

m. This food is not a bribe

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ontribution to our own suf-

not helping France by re-

firing upon your own

into the hands of an

native land in bondage. Let

k this problem over, even if,

ust talk it over by radio."

m as the operator tuned

a response. An hour passed

e General tried again, and

answering voice on the

into the radio, crisply,

f determination that meant

ing myself now," he said,

n person," and this time he

attempts to talk with the

erms of truce. He said that

had come to Dakar in a

corted by powerful English

serves your loyalty and co-

a French soldier, I should

elming naval force to compel

e loyalty and co-operation

rily. If you do not answer,

ive."

hen there was no response,

um, specifying a time limit,

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t heard from the Governor

red, the British Navy would

limit expired, three

e aircraft carrier, circled

rd Dakar in V-formation as

observers stood on the deck

s as to the effect upon na-

arships in the harbor; and

ntiaircraft batteries on the

u, and shore batteries, went

rp clapping of ack-acks

r, and we knew that naval

t now begin. The planes

titude, and were perhaps

feet in the air. One of them

om it and it dived to the

ed crazily a moment. Pilot

their white, silk parachutes

d fluttered down. The other

cled and headed back to

naval engagement

ts maneuvered for position.

ning and British shells began

of Dakar. We could see the

Richelieu, severely damaged

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

bmarines came out between

ove, inviting destruction.

. Standing on deck we

ttle, sterns rising in air as

water. The Commander of

ught better of it and put

was spectacular, but we

d to see much of it. The

en planned. The motors

rt, and troopships moved

rt of the fleet was detached

while the remainder con-

f the ships in the harbor and

The booming reverbera-

ed us for miles down the

the little town of Rufis-

miles away, and rode there,

en were now on the alert.

ady and we were standing

nute's notice. The day

ppened. Mess was served

ilent, anticipating that at

be in action. Night fell.

silvery, and we were still

g for orders. A British

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us and slowed to a stop,

blue horizon. An Admiral

g officers left it and chugged

port. They were piped

ediately to General de

g around the deck that night,

f many of us was being

at about nine o'clock and

orning, Assembly

s given. We slung our packs

d into the strap harness, filed

ats were dropped in their

positions in them, riding

hip awaiting the word to

were so close that it would

r of minutes before we were

h and into the town, but the

sunrise we were still wait-

wo hours later, we were

hen the sun was hot and

waiting. Men were becom-

ed at their pack straps, itch-

fficer had his orders and

ine was to proceed di-

Dakar, where there was

t thirty.

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men aboard the trans-

hey talked about Dakar,

g it, anticipated it, and

could do it. They were

r at the treatment given

d tried to go ashore. The

ld land, make a forced

garrison at Dakar. There

n officers or Vichy French

oldiers would not seriously

id we would fight.

athered and deepened

we were certain the com-

would make a forced march

akar at dawn. And then,

rs were changed. We were

the transport and return

e bewildered and could

ers climbed to the decks,

ng, silenced here and there

nds of officers; but when

cks, their consternation

elt disappointed and

bout eleven o'clock that

of the transport were

moving south. Again the

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Fact and rumor spread

e told that three French

d from Southern France

had reached Dakar about

arrived. The fault, it ap-

British for permitting them

akar had an immediate

e morale of the men. Many

e French Foreign Legion for

them had been in the

years. They were inordi-

vice and jealous of its repu-

never in history retreated.

k; to take Dakar at any

od name of the Legion; but

than grouse and grumble,

ood armies. The transports

outh toward Freetown. The

ersisted, and there were

among them below decks:

fighting men were running

n had prevailed upon de

o days later, when we

e leave was granted to men

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first time we had been

first news of what was

s of the world. I learned

ce Act had been signed by

d it posed a complex prob-

was an officer in the Free

I was still an American

ful to protect my citizen-

ement that was part of my

ssion. This provided that in

States policy of neutrality

ombat service, and would

unit of the medical corps;

s entered the war, I would

o transfer from the Free

ited States Army, or to

United States citizens; or

at unit of the Free French

y own request; and that

t service in the Free French

my right to transfer to

if America entered the

d or relinquished my

ts were fully protected.

en announced, and I

e acting American consul

tus was. He didn't know. I

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

father take up the question

proper authorities. I could

o Bridgewater to attend

and I did not want to be

etown and, at the end

hot as Texas in midsummer

ained during the night. Be-

own was fast becoming the

African coast. The Eng-

Dakar, and Freetown had

There was a white colony

so many blacks that it was

their number. The popula-

56,000. A big army

n the hills. I met the

West African Line in the

me American cigarettes

est of every American

an American citizen any-

n land again and, in spite

e town was picturesque,

in in the background,

and public buildings, an

beautiful botanical gardens.

en door to West Africa,

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arbor, capable of accommo-

the terminus of the Sierra

h the white colony is small,

ation of Syrians and Creoles

as easy to get along there.

ays; on the night that I

officers were summoned

abin. Here, for the first

us a rough outline of the

ed upon. He gave no reasons

he encourage questions

commander issuing orders.

aid, "is to visit some of

e rallied to our cause. The

eroons. We will go there.

rters and make prepara-

get at the Italians on the

Abyssinia and Eritrea. "We

ith the Italians for plunging

of France."

rely informative, to

osity and the curiosity of

ven this brief outline, we

urned to our commands.

t night, continued under

later, on October 3, arrived

the Dutch transports for

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river to Douala in the

w process. There were not

d each made several trips

new and temporary head-

p the river, we saw the

rman ships that had been

rst World War. This had

lony. For the first time since

the Legionnaires saw a

French territory, a spectacle

and brought tears to the

about ten miles up the

in a town with a white

e or less. The town had

n the export of peanuts, cocoa

d there was a large warehouse

hese were normally stored.

aned out to make a barracks

rs looked about for suitable

. Infantry and combat units

to the town of Yaunde,

y on a slow-moving type of

celebration in our honor.

rs had been quartered in the

ere in friendly French ter-

e of open-air cafes, where

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o mix a highball or cocktail,

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liquor on hand. There were

nd music, and everybody was

vernor General LeClerc

here were speeches and greet-

ents. The next day, General

here was another celebration

d greetings and acknowledg-

ouala were strong on cere-

D'Argenlieu, who had been

ved on a stretcher, there

for him. He was taken to

nd we went about the busi-

lace as a camp for soldiers.

er clothing and replaced

th shorts, packed away

imate underwear. We were

nd mosquitoes, and there was

would remain there for

ks for soldiers were built of

gs were protected by mos-

throughout the day was

t suffocating, and part of

ndation and set up an

sfactory hospital. We took

cers. I shared one of these

and Captain Dumond:

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e with three rooms and

om, kitchen, bedroom and

e shower was operated by

g a batman pour buckets

ofless top. We had a cook

d fairly comfortably there.

ive garrison. In addition to

d just arrived, troops of the

ch equivalent of the Amer-

here, were now absorbed

recruits were trekking

tions.

established his headquarters

half-hour away by plane

boat, although he traveled

lane. This was to be our

e months, and when our

lies and equipment were in

uch for us to do â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a bad

because men, for their own

y. For our training we

jungles, but had little luck

e the right type of elephant

fficers and men occupied.

it became a problem to

e were Europeans in the

mericans. All of them were

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, and there were successive

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ks. It was an unhealthy

nd yellow fever were com-

ar of quinine pills on every

d dose themselves during

ve.

hant hunting, we bor-

d paddled up the marshy

es; but that, we found, can

long. After that, we went

rubber plantations of the

nally, I got permission to

n spite of the fact that I was

ical corps, to take training

driven to it by a complete

e to do. After that, I was

hen I returned to medical

eding attention were vic-

he end I picked up that, too,

nd went to bed with a

te in November, a detach-

as sent to clean up the

mall place between our garri-

ulle's headquarters, held by

Equatorial Africa. After

hting, the detachment re-

prisoners. Within a few

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ners arrived at the conclu-

fighting on the wrong side,

nch Forces. Curiously

convince them. They

emselves and joined up

any Monday in August

among the Legionnaires the

r celebrated. It brought,

mas present we could have

ove.

we were going and did

hted to get out of Douala,

the stream again in small

he river. At last, we were

the mouth of the river,

er boats, and sailed up the

where our transports were

ous Christmas night for me.

oking into a moonlit sky

as warm and we were still

I felt homesick and

d, of plowed roads and

cles on the eaves, a blazing

insel, baubles and gifts,

teaming automobile radia-

church bells. To me it was

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anions in the Foreign Le-

day, a happy day because

to fight the Italians.

ce, and wondered how it

m. For days I had been turn-

thought of transferring

port corps to the infantry,

vided in my agreement.

he thick of action, while, in

along after it was over. I

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ansfer.

llowing day, bound

a request for a trans-

there was an impressive

re about joining it. The re-

ed, and as I was already an

nsferred as an officer, I was

Amilakvari, in command,

he ship, and questioned at

reasons for asking to be

ed to be satisfied, although

elf, and I returned to my

the officers of his com-

n his quarters, and in accord-

f the Foreign Legion, my

ented to them, and they

nity to accept or reject me

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te must be unanimous. A

s enough to defeat an ap-

ballots. There was no dis-

moned to the officers' quar-

hem as an officer in the Free

nfantry, and was assigned

of the first battalion. I was

of the confidence the Colonel

in me, and because it placed

n, where I, like the men

d to admire, would see

had been a French

ars old, who had selected

accepted an assignment as

ed him from grueling train-

atman was assigned to me,

and. He was a tough soldier,

en inches tall, and he had

ion for about seven years.

cond company recom-

ade formal request for

ed.

mediately. Infantry officers

ning aboard ship. Our trans-

ner, and had formerly been

h-India Line. Each day the

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main lounge for lectures and

blems and explanations.

medical officers spoke to us,

we gave the men setting-

ey drills on deck, and aug-

ng and wrestling matches,

to keep the men occupied.

officer had a few hours

ction of quarters, includ-

r cleanliness; inspection of

ight for the men.

was maintained: As-

ck at five every morning,

nd punishment details. Each

that men reported on sick

doctor, and read reports of

ssembly.

ually did a little gambling,

was a strange form of

n an officer was out of

om the handiest person to

ritten law that an officer

an must make it; and an-

er would be paid back. Under

oney was always evenly dis-

er seemed to have enough.

rst when one of the en-

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ria as we were sailing around

d Capetown. All ships of

and flags were placed at half

, sailors and soldiers, as-

the afternoon sun was set-

on a bier, was placed before

nce were draped over it, and

for the occasional shriek-

n read the committal

oncluded, Colonel Amilak-

aced them, and delivered a

ier, and as his ringing voice

full minute of complete

azily from the stacks of the

e decks of companion ships,

e standing at attention, fac-

mmands broke the stillness.

clapped loudly on rifles

on. A bugle and drum corps

Legion, and as the strains

a, the colors were removed

shed to the railing, tilted;

e could hear the splash.

ks dropped heavily to

nd men returned to their

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mony when the troopships

d many of the Legionnaires

e. It was impossible to throw

n keeping with the age-old

nt we crossed, a holiday was

were lifted for several hours.

usical instruments, sang

lonel ordered an extra ra-

dy.

South Africa, on Jan-

p after a long voyage. Of-

anted shore leave. It was

ged to winter uniforms.

dern town, with a white

000 out of a total popula-

gest city in Natal. A holiday

d country clubs, racial and

fficers of the Legion were

rs for a few days in all of

of soldiers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Aussies, New

but the Aussies, with their

y-care attitude, had prac-

ty. My introduction to the

y Aussie between the shafts

eathered headdress wav-

lack native with an Aussie's

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g in the rickshaw, as the

West Street, the city's main

town. There were dances

mited supply of pretty

ound.

he Aussies went together

h fighting organization ap-

putation for recklessness of

operated and co-ordinated as

y had served side by side

egion was not in town an

es were wearing brown hats

nd the Aussies were wearing

ing from bar to bar with

and white populations ob-

es with the Aussies, when

one, but when the Legion

s multiplied by the hour.

d be heard all over the

ographs and music ma-

hotel lobbies and dining

e stunt was to walk into a

ssware in sight in one sweep-

smile at the bartender, and

much do I owe you for

nder set his price. The

om a roll and went out

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matter, was the bartender.

h money, so quickly, in

urban was a magnificent,

il Foreign Legionnaires, in

epair, reported back to their

ort, once again we were

m. In spite of boxing, drills,

athletics, lectures on tactics

ays were monotonous.

ationed. The sun was blister-

relief from suffocating

ersational depths among

ully plumbed, and there was

he war. We followed the

y, discussed them, until we

hred of information in them,

upon our coming cam-

erminably speculating on

were weary of the sight of

officers' cabins, where four

, I lay in a lower berth

raq every night before fall-

ery morning when I got up.

contour of his face and

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behind his left ear; his per-

ely how and when he would

a British submarine joined

rnoon, we sat on deck

he carrier in our escort

, practising on improvised

hotter than the day before,

ng into dangerous waters,

dian Ocean. An airplane

Fourteen machine guns, al-

ation for an airplane attack,

eck, and officers were sta-

y to give the command to

provided relief from bore-

Straits of Aden and into

day passed, and although

alert, nothing happened; and

ved at Port Sudan.

ve. We were now setting

that brought us here, and-

trains for a three-hour ride

desert, to the ghost town

as a way-station to Mecca,

back to the Romans, Saukin

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interred since 1912, when

or fled, when Port Sudan

tents and made camp and

nd.

was our first and natural

r be able to conquer it, nor

o escape it. Our first taste

on, an inconvenience that

ut and always felt that we

thought that we would

ustomed to it. I had antici-

me way as I had once

cold and snow in Finland,

f a true misanthrope, hating

always the reassuring con-

t others had put up with it

ould, too; but we felt dif-

we were covered with it.

ains disgorged 5000

air was clouded with sand.

bliterated by it. Our eyes

as we pulled lids down to

grains of it, and we were

Near by was the Red Sea,

we dived into it, anticipating

iscovered to our chagrin

rvating and never invigor-

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had been a problem for

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ut and rationed in small

and we had looked forward

d drink our fill of clear,

y our faces in it, fill tubs

Now fresh water was

it was rationed, almost in

sourceful, or so we thought.

d together and sent a soldier

He came back some time

e smacked our lips in antici-

laking draught. We tried

uthful on the sand. It was

alatable.

After my tent was up,

ngs in order in it, I re-

me, and a letter from M. Bel-

able had been dispatched a

etter had been on the way

y to train for desert war-

hard way. We were soft and

oard ship, and training began

now was to toughen up

d sun. Patrols were assigned,

n dug the hole in which he

went out on desert ma-

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replaced the berets we wore

perate climes. Officers and

xty-pound packs and set out

mulate the conditions we knew

a and Egypt. Our diet

ed food every day now, and

oats from the natives, cook-

amels were plentiful, and

and to condition the men,

ches of fifteen to twenty

ng sun.

and plagued us. The air

e sun was merciless. It burned

d the exposed skin between

nd the tops of socks. It

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; on the rocky shale, bare

. It baked rocks to such a

ssible to sit upon them.

rest periods, we pushed

erected sun shelters and

hadow they afforded. Cheap,

were highly prized pieces of

were impossible to get, and

n a pipe.

hile we waited for ouf

Trucks and automobiles

onths earlier, while we were

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f they were on schedule,

-table without serious

e overland across the desert

about the same time that

mobiles were hauled out of

and placed upon the docks.

monotony of sea and

e, in hair, in shoes, gritting

clothing, in food, in rationed

and under collars, in rifles,

ugh, stinging sand, whip-

n fine particles that stung

, unaccustomed to it, al-

nding sun and in heat al-

rance as an officer before

and my first serious ex-

g and directing men. Their

ys upon me, taking my

ther I was competent, ca-

and yet the gap that existed

isted men could not be closed

might want their com-

agement. "Weisskopf, my

ilt like an ox, and almost

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ther. Big, broad-shouldered

so nerveless. He had been

aigns in the Legion in

ved about fourteen years,

which I bellowed commands

n which I held him and the

nd as he accepted them and

see that he was studying

e from nineteen to forty.

tand each other, and got

d they broke into cliques

on the sand at various halts,

tly unmindful of the sun

mrades, who talked fa-

and I had to remain aloof

was a curious standout,

ed to know better. His name

atches of conversation I had

ddles during rest periods, I

udied for the priesthood in

r Franco, but after the

and the shelling of helpless

d. He said he could not stand

the Republicans and fight

on, I thought, that he never

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aped and joined the Foreign

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s training easily and

after day, we marched

oyed, dug in, simulated firing

maginary enemy. This man-

or eleven days until our

hen we were called in from

ady now for action.

in small Indian boats

the coast, and our first

ry. We left the boats at

sert port already in our

alians I met were prisoners.

French advanced posi-

ot for prisoners and

Indian troops, stationed

eak of the war, had been

wn, and our contingent of

rdinate and co-operate with

according to a plan known

who had heard that we had

g in Port Sudan, and had

r advance patrols impa-

coming up so that we can

an prisoners straggling

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nd at the first opportunity

of them. I was surprised at

ward us, the Scots, or the

vicious hatred of Mussolini

y charged with responsibility

of sand incessantly

ey had been through it for

eginning.

talian over forty years

n't take him prisoner,"

d me in a voice that dripped

nsible for all this," he said.

They put Mussolini in

dn't want this war. We

; but we were stuck with

of it. We were forced into

work and let them re-

ng it out of Mussolini in

were Blacks, and wore the

of the Vichy forces, which

as the Free French; this led

first night in Masa Taclai,

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Vichy French Black

ssing, picked up a Free

him into the prison camp

. He stayed there until I

hat one of my men was

m out of the prison camp

e next day we climbed

moved in a motor caval-

heast of Masa Taclai into

d of Italians, only the week

s. Since neither officers nor

were familiar with the gen-

r moves, I inquired of Eng-

met them on the road, for

ld by several of them that

of the Free French Foreign

ren. A wounded English

an stronghold before

ting for the Foreign Legion

d the rest of the way."

alt in the little town of

off, ready to go into action.

ucks could take us. It was

nd we were told that we

. Free French artillery,

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nd from Saukin, had been

hills of the mountainous ter-

alleys through which we

of campaign, obvious ob-

en, and the supply line was

eft the trucks, a camel

carry equipment to a point

designated on our maps,

arks, as "Point A"; and

ainous, treeless pass of loose,

ow, scrub growth, we estab-

ies. Henceforth, time and

me confusing. Before we were

d tell what day of the week

hausted to remember.

sting until nightfall;

of view the rest was purely

platoon of forty men in

t seemed to me to be an

nown corner of the world,

by God. I had a compass,

ng that covered me, an

nd two small bottles of

dgewater was now a

in the Foreign Legion un-

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pairs of eyes of seasoned

ears, tough, indifferent to

y stamina and how I would

inced or hesitated before

t, but disgraced. They

r fear or indecision.

at I came here for."

rst Company; behind

in the rear a machine-gun

round me, artillery. Far

as a place known vaguely to

stopping place beyond

l of energy and sweat would

arrived there. Around me,

Army emerged from no-

a, by train and by highway

that I had not seen since

nted elephants.

d out the mountains,

mmand to march. Trails and

oncern. I led my men, and

ader, and the leader was

ull packs over our backs,

moved off through moun-

ffling, tripping, and feeling

t, until our eyes became

s and the appearance of the

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were deployed for safety,

e mountainous scrub, per-

noses and chins, clothing

he first gray streak of dawn,

halt was given, and we

the scrub.

a tin, and in spite of

water sparingly. Then we

arly morning hours until

an to grow stronger and

had been resting in a cool

tch was applied to fuel in

ated gradually, until it be-

le enough to awaken us,

us. And we could not escape

there, and look up at the

g impatiently for noon and

t move about and expose

y crawl.

ed, and, after a day in hell,

om heaven. Again we ate

a little water, thankful to

to stretch our legs and arms,

would come the command

under full packs, a repeti-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; plodding, plodding,

the other, interminably,

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thered sticky dust, which

nother dawn and we

rub, for another day in hell.

one now, and I looked

d when the blazing sun de-

, and saw hollow, red eyes

swollen and blue from

must look the same to them.

nor thought my throat

dry; but the campaign plan

en thirst had been foreseen.

at night. The supply line

re issued two liters per

refreshed by water and

slung our packs over our

orward.

t B, and here the Second

alted.

on Enghiahat, a forti-

s, the first outpost in the

approach that in peacetime

ough these mountains, but

oad, forty or fifty miles to

d, about 500 men. There

ied Enghiahat, and they

e Chasseurs.

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ed forward in an ex-

e Second and Third Com-

erve. The First Company

and fought all night. My

o a hill on the right, and the

on the left, to close in on

First Company and relieve

nded in the first half-hour.

s wounded within the hour,

ing to guide me but my

on tactics on shipboard.

to retreat to our original

re-form. I did so. We re-

roops had foreseen this,

ounterattacks to hold this

enades in both encounters

re so close.

ame up, and as the morn-

at intensified. Around noon,

ng of positions, we held

he Italians held the hill on

our position at five o'clock

o this point was a stale-

talian wounded, were

ntainside. There had been

d to them. Captain Morel

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p, and his batman gave him

ous and I reported to him

able to direct the show.

d our position in such a way

m taking us," he said.

I told him, "and none

ome," he said.

never saw it again.

Captain Morel ordered me

y men and hold the hill,

mpany moved the wounded

her down into the valley,

eing held for other missions in

Ours was an advance

gth of the enemy at En-

could overcome it, that

d. If not, it would be over-

Relief of our company, in the

contemplated or considered.

e wounded were moved

s through the valley, to

dawn we followed, but re-

r, far behind us. We remained

g heat, our second full day

he afternoon, a lookout ob-

acks about three hours'

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ossible to tell whether they

troops. All of us were suf-

nd thirst.

ou," the Captain or-

hey are."

our march, and long be-

make them out, one of the

Arab huts not far away.

ab huts," he said, "there's

had to pass the Arabs. We

Arabs and at the same time

rab huts, our eyes were

swollen with thirst. They

ater to drink and nothing

e pointed to the Blacks, but

ak French, and we could

em understand us, nor could

We continued on and found

other three hours' march

e. When we finally caught

that they were a company

a platoon of his troops,

ck three hours to the water

d up every available con-

I marched them three

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e hill where the company was

urs of forced marching for

tain of the Blacks had taken

directly to the hill, and

ack troops were making

k the wounded. The men on

n hours without water.

and replenish our sup-

e had lost some of our auto-

ur camp at the Arab water

trol out to scout behind the

e a few prisoners, so that we

mation as possible about the

t night more than half of our

neral Headquarters at Point

nt all of the wounded back

had been shot in the stom-

ut to treat him, but he died.

with a number of Italian

they were questioned, they

nts and reformed. A run-

for a second attempt upon

company went a little to

of the fort; the Third Com-

come in upon its rear, and

to a hill on the left of it,

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ur surprise that 7000 prison-

terally from the Fort into

egy of our own moves be-

perial Scottish force had

the opposite direction.

ion and one arm of a

between 500 and 600

m back. We continued driv-

ay traffic and railroad be-

tal of Eritrea, and Cheren.

march, and we were again

f Italians, observed an

era strapped to his belt,

e camera and observed,

y more." I had the pictures

nd I photographed much of

n with the camera. The

rty-five and forty years old,

s Alpine hat, had on a light

red trousers, and high

fluently, but I was in too

stion him. That would be

lines. From Point B to the

highway, we had marched

twenty-four hours over

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of the main body of our

anticipated that a supply

possible. We had been given

nd, but the picking and

e bought food from Arabs,

ell it, we took it by force.

re was mule meat. There

is territory worth eating.

problem. We had plenty

had cut the road, be-

oops had gone ahead on our

a, while our ultimate ob-

ur right flank. We were

nd hungry, and the sun

an unmerciful enemy. We

d ten miles into Cheren,

with fixed bayonets, and

was but a mopping-up

Scottish forces in the sweep

er toward us had already

e city toward us. My

prisoners at the approaches

ur trucks rolled up from

our first hot and substan-

eft Point A, and a good

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t Asmara had been declared

rders now were to clamber

move through the valleys

rs break out like rashes in

e that had us actually ex-

sawa was that "an armistice

olled up to within eight

night, and at five o'clock on

began closing in upon the

n coast of the Red Sea,

lian Eritrea, the heart and

its capture now would

l of Eritrea was in our

rth end of a bay, built

tly on the islets of Tautlub

ic buildings and the houses

nd European merchants

al, and the city was the

already cut, to Asmara.

, was of extreme importance.

e Foreign Legion was to

while Black troops and

he right flank, and the

the north, would cover

and Colonials, deploy to-

lose in from the rear, di-

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

ign Legion. An advance

ore sunrise on Thursday

turned with eighteen pris-

d for information.

a siege than a blitzkrieg,

ward slowly and on sched-

upon communication and

with Blacks, Colonials and

g of steel upon a fortified

f nerves on the city and

they were surrounded.

ng picked off and captured,

not returning to their head-

4, I took a patrol out

of forty men, observed an

company of Italians, ob-

ect the approaches to Fort

rst fortification outside the

saw such blatant stupidity.

the whole area approaching

hey had cut paths for them-

ht carry mines and explo-

They had not mined the

have held a ridiculous theory

would come through the

ugh the paths they had

Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-google

uard was apparently sitting

aiting for us to come

n we came through their

em completely, and from

ow of their fort, I led out

nant, four Sergeants and

marched them over their

ck to our lines.

talians like daisies all

Saturday morning, April

denly came awake, and a

over us. The bombardiers

were surprisingly good

r cover, and apparently

had been wiped out. At any

ear and we continued clos-

Emmanuel. In the mean-

eign Legion, Colonials, and

position, and on Palm Sun-

of officers of the Foreign

s, the British proposed an

agreement for unconditional

The Italians refused, and

y bombardment on both

attle for Fort Victor Emman-

awa was on.

ear-splitting, and worse,

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han any airplane bomb-

enced. It continued through-

hroughout all of Monday

on Tuesday morning at

ny received the command

ctor Emmanuel.

ments were on all hills ap-

our first mission was to

one. My platoon advanced

ctor with bayonets fixed. As

ments identified themselves

unded and isolated. Legion-

upon them. My command

e, but somehow I seemed

d closer and closer to the

re was left of it, was

p of that fort hill, the first

op inside, and perhaps the

ut of those Italians. Until

well, but now they no longer

e Italians in the fort. My

n more than 300 prisoners.

ntrol of the fort. We as-

men to take care of prison-

the fort around, and trained

sawa. One platoon re-

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an the guns, but by this

the cheering. Colonials and

he city, and when surren-

11,000 prisoners in Massawa.

done to the city proper.

layed in their part of the

fortifications in the north.

ould have reached the city

er the Legion and Colonials

oll in â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with tanks, the

campaign.

among the prisoners, in-

three Generals, and it was

em. An Italian Red Cross

e only one upright and float-

e boats in the harbor, and

of them, had been sunk or

ommodate 150, more or less,

other available place for

t them aboard for a couple

them to India.

he most impressive mili-

er seen, and perfectly timed.

ed like clockwork. Wher-

r a company was stopped,

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y to knock the enemy out.

ter, we were in the

ng its streets, looking

lace as peaceful as any New

day afternoon. Quiet had

er three days of noise and

ot seem to concern them.

inge, like a conquered

different to new soldiers and

ould have been toward

ldiers looked upon each

sity. They did not offend

ated them with normal

, the let-down was now

violent action for days,

lways in danger of being

n seemed to have dropped

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Anxiety, strain, action and

oved. We were like race

around a track, led sud-

astures where we could rest

ing out battle scenes in

the action and point up the

d that battles are lived only

es come before the mind in

rderly sequence.

of, when he pulls the ring

throws it at a machine-gun

of getting it out of his

curately as he can toward

and dropping for cover. He

thoughts about the cause he

ilization that makes him

round the machine gun. He

ize; too deadened by fatigue

and he is more likely to be

oot, or stinging brambles

s palms as he falls, than to be

s. When he hears his gre-

ground tremble, and waits

sh to stop ringing in his

d up cautiously, looks at the

s not figuratively rub his

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ot four that time." Instead,

ht and in the rear, another

ady to throw it.

uched, surveying the

pturned toes on one side of

ing listless arms on the

with head tilted back, in

still crouched, until he can

chine gun, ready to swing it.

nderbrush near by, he yells

f "Come on out, sucker, the

ut with hands in the air.

ay in panic. Sometimes they

mindless, like victims of

ne in that experience. More

naire on your right or left,

eathing is as heavy as yours.

u are looking into a mirror.

vered with dust. His face

aked beneath the eyes

ed, and clear about the lips

m with the sleeve of his

ade, and you hear him

tly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; deep, soulful and

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uietly in Massawa and

cers in the Legion at mess,

es as I recalled them, and

ecited them, I could look

head. So much that I had

en depended upon that en-

y platoon was an assort-

s, some of them anonymous,

e quarters of them were shot

e wounded. Those who re-

definite individuals. I was an

ted men. We were separated

s between officers and men

hat, they were Jacques and

oberto and Manuel. My

ad changed since the day

r attitude toward me was

m an "American" officer, a

ntested. They had heard

and in the Ambulance

broken by a shell, but they

rs. They had no personal ex-

had not voted on me as

Other officers had accepted

he soldiers' point of view,

as their leader.

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pon me. They were in-

d had held themselves as

iting to see how I would

my batman, might have

here along the line, in those

fter Point B, and before

n their attitudes began.

e were thirsty and hungry,

cks under that broiling

ues were swollen, and red

m their sockets, and we plod-

to our knees in concrete.

onfidence. I could feel it.

me to hell.

d the platoon, brought up

nd faced them outside the

knew that Jacques and Jean,

e rest of those familiar

the invisible spurs that make

k him if they are withheld;

ers recognize as completely

he command. When I ap-

paces now, their shoulders

heir rifles came closer to

the command "Attention!"

d that kind of confidence

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he Foreign Legion and my

would be first and foremost

Massawa, I was surprised,

eing speechless, to receive a

ation on the feat and good

ion, from my parents in

been sitting beside the

e, and heard a broadcast

ondon on a national net-

lines from Cairo to Mas-

nd their cable was delivered.

n a good deal out of all

exhaustion and it would be

ered. In that weakened con-

awa knocked me out, and I

a, in the mountains, where

et up a base. All of the

zed there, and I was among

easant in the hospital tents.

table, and there were green

farms. It was like a vacation

n went there on leave.

surprisingly modern city

ry, it had three movie

an films, and there were

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n streets. When I had re-

enings there and met a

eople who had been sent

e place. Most of them

ick for their native Italy,

hey might go back there.

come, and hated Mussolini

s, transplanting them and

hey did not behave like a

er. Italian residents were glad

d to make us comfortable,

ssawa, our troops were

atts, in command of the

paigns in Eritrea. Our own

in the Italian military gar-

in Reynard, of the Signal

ficers' mess, a paper in his

eye indicating that he had

say, although it was im-

press a slight smile at the

as in charge of communica-

watch of all radio broad-

he interrupted our meal,

ooked down at the paper

ction of heavy drama. "I

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m you, gentlemen," he said,

s in both Rome and Vichy,

been condemned to death."

among the names of those

hind a number of cases

t served with our meals.

e list, one of the condemned

he condemned," he offered.

and we drank to the sen-

f sunken ships that clear-

extensive naval project.

aring the harbor of mines,

elicts, retrieving and repair-

rs and wharves needed at-

h Navy and the British

the operations, and a

More than sixty ships of

r and cargo, had been scut-

ed forces had a big party

Foreign Legion Day, tra-

thout interruption for more

niversary of the first great

the Legion, it came hard

y in Africa. There was

nks. More than 200 officers

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rmies and navies sat down

egram of good wishes was

h troops in Morocco, home

lthough different in their

nch Foreign Legion could

esy on that day. The party

on put on their own show

d enjoyment and in a big

eater, and permitted offi-

day they could mimic their

make sport of them; and

ces were quite red. They

ue songs, ribbed command-

on acts that repeated painful

mmands, and made jokes of

rily contemplated with

s outside Massawa be-

e skits. A Legionnaire, no-

, dead-pan indifference, was

d troops under terrific

nd bombing from the air.

money to have such a

spectacle," a soldier observed.

ne maison," the indif-

shoulder and replied.

wa until May 2, and most

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e the place. Except for the

rtable, and we had had

ore and more French boats

em was the President Dou-

rted the Foreign Legion

now in service in the Med-

up our kits, left the cheer-

filed aboard the ship.

as terrific on the day we

as in the hundreds, worse

r felt. I had been in Texas

5째, but it could not compare

the Red Sea and into the

various small settlements,

t one of them, but were not

by Free French troops,

ed a Foreign Legion garrison,

rd of honor to salute us.

rolled, and bands played

f the Foreign Legion, and

as we passed.

Canal we disembarked,

and sped through the des-

o the following morning,

camp not far from there.

of trucks had been coming

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French Equatorial Africa to

, where we found soldiers

rom France itself, who had

d joined the Free French

ng into Palestine by thou-

orange season, a pleasant

r eyes, and we pitched our

uvers to get back into con-

od meat, some vegetables

had carried a large number

from Massawa to send

s, and these were delivered.

o visit Tel-Aviv and Jeru-

close by. In Tel-Aviv, a

could have anything we

good beer, or for other

can ice cream. There were

ood and good shows, always

e city was crowded with

uropean countries. Al-

s among them hated the

d forward to going back to

he war was over. That was

spite of everything, they

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erusalem, where I had

dy, slopping Jordan, where,

ered sweet nothings in a

e Dead Sea, where in those

ing merely to prove that I

as I looked upon it again,

t gets in your eye you

and draw it across your

tick to your dry thumb.

tion of either swimming or

ent on a pilgrimage to the

ancient religious places

t, and wondered if nice peo-

again be able to move freely

th.

begun to blow their an-

gh from a monstrous open

t counterpart of dog days,

of two-and-a-half hours

or all officers and men.

question â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and fighting,

w, utterly impossible during

d workouts in the morning

the afternoon "What's

gag. Everybody was.

ed from conquered coun-

o us. One of these showed

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rm of a Lieutenant of the

He was shown to our offi-

Captain approached to greet

eutenant stepped back stiffly

fficer in the Foreign Legion,

aped from Syria in this

he Captain asked.

e soldier answered. No

given, and none was asked.

never asked of officers or

egion. He was welcomed,

of his stolen suit, and was

rm.

ere about American arms

ever showed up.

as gay and cheerful.

going on, and we were ex-

he Spahis were also in gar-

unted unit, famous in the

riding, military circuses,

nts. They use horses and

ent hours training them. They

or, scoured the countryside

their guests at a native feast.

e and all of the officers of the

ng around in a field, as goats

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ver hot coals.

ff on a desert parade

iding, on horses and camels,

could not have put on a

as over, we went to a big

ed goats were placed upon

s filed by, following the

off a leg, and picking it

it, or carving a slice of more

oat. It was tasty, and I en-

announced that our next

. Jerusalem had been a

troops. Quartered around

ahis, were Indians and Aus-

s left us first, and went to-

dians became part of our

red for invasion, a fleet of

assembled, a nondescript,

nsport unit of ancient,

eys and jalopies. In the

uld disgrace a respectable

t of them came from

hird-rate auto yards. Some

d paper clips for cotter

stuck together with ad-

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worn thin and were ringed

of bare fabric. Some of

elics of passenger service on

lphia and Cleveland, or

in American cities and

apparently cast-offs of

xpress companies.

ion to keep them in order,

n mechanics stuck things to-

ng wrenches, screw drivers

s motley motorcade had

ad been driven across the

make of car in the world,

, was in line; and these were

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e into Syria.

e British forces seemed

ed at Tobruk. All of

ol of the British and Free

s to the Suez Canal from

bly safe, and would remain

re forced back. Danger to

of Suez, in Syria, and the

amascus. Our mission was

krieg technique, across

dan, into Syria to take

n turn, would place us in

efend the oil wells of Iraq.

emy force in Syria, equipped

As far as we knew, we had

tanks in our caravan, al-

hope that when we finally

e Free French or British High

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ble to conjure up a few

st some form of air protec-

ning, Assembly sounded

nd equipment were ready

e line of trucks snaking into

and reports were called by

n the still morning air. "All

r," Weisskopf sang, and I

ed it to Captain Morel.

ucks," he said crisply

the other, a swagger stick

e soldiers in. We wore

woolen socks and white cork

strapped to our backs â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ns, and six hand grenades

pounds apiece. Each man

e hand grenades strung

climbed into a canvas-

n Morel stood by. Where

as impossible to tell. It was

. The brown canvas top had

years in the sun, and the

ged that an accidental

s the desert was clear

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trucks sitting on floors and

d comfortable positions for

cabin with the driver, and

m the head of the line to

agger stick toward the

nto gear, grinding and

r caravan moved slowly

was high; heat was in-

dust from a thousand wheels

like a sandstorm. The cabin

much worse than the cov-

erspiration dripped from our

ur clothing was soaked. Heat

es all around us. The metal

g to the touch. Water had

e shoved off, and we were

ne radiators were thirsty

ced when it became neces-

them.

nning the sky for planes.

at such a cloud of sand could

tracting attention scores

-five to thirty miles an

wastes, all signs of life quickly

as we could see, there was

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Already trucks were falling

cars far ahead filled the air

and it drifted back upon us,

hered in corners and crev-

anced at the borders of

against the honeycombs of

and interfered with engine

opped two or three times

for stragglers to come up as

he breakdowns across the

ched the base of the bare,

ills, and came to a halt to

s were tins of bully beef

, a package of hardtack a

water to wash it down. We

nd for beds that night, rolled

slept until daybreak, and

ardtack breakfast climbed

w moving slowly up to-

ses. Somehow, those re-

pt the chugging, coughing

overed about 2 5O more

de by sun-baked rocks,

l to eat and to roll in

n hours' sleep.

my own troop truck

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huddered, coughed and quit.

gs the matter with it to

nic a nightmare. Brakes

uck rolled down moun-

aster, endangering any luck-

mention ourselves. It was

g jalopy of about two tons,

n had not already accom-

off.

beside us, so coated in

like Black troops; they

of them unloosed a fouled

hful of gas and spat it out,

adgets and replaced them,

three of them worked

twelve hours, while

dug holes in the earth,

vide shade, rolled them-

went off to sleep. Since there

t I could do, I rigged a

r and joined them.

, on Tuesday morning,

h my unit in the convoy

he Syrian border at Dera'a.

ttlement where we might

es, but there was no pause,

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waste. We were going to-

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as the jalopies would carry

mmediately. My orders were

he airport at Damascus.

out in front of us, and we

ve, backing up the Indian

ers. Indian troops had left

ead of us, and now, for the

he grim, visible evidences

he wounded were being

long the very road where

Word came back to us

urrounded Kisque, the only

ance on the road to

truck convoy to Kisque,

e end of the line. Kisque

subdued, and we found that

han a fairly large settlement

was now our task to carry on

left off, and go through

ounted and deployed to

a target for planes and spread

h and rocks, following a

ound around rocks and low

ard dirt, and at some time

t might have been oiled.

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d to engage the enemy, to set

ith periscopes peeping above

were dispatched to recon-

nformation.

et out, and our time-

the last lap of forced

in the dead of night.

orning hours, we covered

dvantage of the coolest air

visibility of early morning

un came up, we slowed

ount, and between sunrise

rom Purgatory to Hell. A

ng, a long, thin, perilous re-

urros and carts, from Jeru-

and over mountain passes

water and ammunition,

t to the front beyond

own upon us; the heat of

hot coals, came through the

e again I saw my men with red

n lips and the faint white signs

their mouths. My own

y mouth. Planes came over,

, waved arms and guns, and

d supplies. They were French

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e they would return and

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S NEAR DAMASCUS

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ter by parachute. We plod-

afternoon heat, stumbling

g ourselves up, always look-

y came back, and we

until we discovered that they

ded bomb racks. Bombs

ng the air with thunder,

round, and throwing sand

air. We dived into the shale

. For an hour or more they

d for them it was a field day.

guns and no protection.

nd we were able to stand

ound to take tally of my

hat fourteen of them, a

re either dead or badly

d to rest. Supplies came

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; water that must be

ot only because it was

r own systems could not stand

ord came back from an ob-

anks ahead. We were now

nd grenades were the only

mbat tanks, an almost futile

out of action. Reserves

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a few hours, and then re-

e darkness, plodding ahead

ound toward the city.

g tanks was in everybody's

in the mind of the Colonel

nd us, and apparently it al-

e following morning we

d dig in, and in a little while,

ing over the dirt road from

rucks and tractors into

ctly on the firing line â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

yed in modern military

even during the first World

ot arrive a minute too

were being wheeled into po-

nks rolled and bounced

The French 75's roared

em to bits. Those 75's saved

all of the men in the bat-

would have been liq-

eath tank treads, or mowed

forward, but now we

with the enemy. The tanks

ay for supporting infantry,

e were engaged in battle in

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and firing over the para-

ng holes in the sand, or

nd boulders that form

re were several days of this,

on improved. The supply

out interruption. Food,

reserves were coming up.

f the Syrian campaign,

s of the city, and could see

w, I had a blond beard.

were grizzly. None of them

We were dirty and suffering

days we had surged for-

urged forward again, and

We had taken a large num-

Moroccans who had been

ommand, and we had

nd machine-gun emplace-

ad designed in the outer

us. We now had meager

enough to beat back Nazis

rench planes.

ought us to within ten

oncluded; and on the morn-

rmed for the second attack.

y platoon across the re-

ough the city of Damascus

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tudied the map so long

ew exactly how we would

aced in the second po-

pearhead, and at zero hour

t we followed the spear-

boxes and machine-gun

a rear-guard action, cover-

troops, who were falling

al defense of the city.

y, the spearhead en-

e of rifles and machine guns

n. We came up to support

ug in, and fought all day long

n that sent the temperature

e again, my platoon was

omehow I seemed to escape

over my head. By night-

been entirely wiped out,

w in first position.

we were still eight miles

ployed on each side of the

almost every hill was a

had to be wiped out by

owing hand grenades into

nted about a mile and a

ush and over rocks. Be-

sweep of the road, my

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left side of it, and about

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oad. Crawling slowly to-

to twin hills, about 125

ks or rises in the ground.

r rattle of machine-gun

-gun nest on the hill near-

owed that the hill farthest

tified. Creeping through

st position, I was in the

came up slowly to charge

ed, rushing forward, the

cond hill rattled. I felt a

and chest, a peculiar sen-

back while going forward,

ion â&#x20AC;&#x201D; too late.

panting and breathless,

oat, and felt the trickle

t. One of the machine-gun

n the chest, an inch or so

ad torn a hole clear through

been pierced and another

e finger to thumb. My

d with machine-gun fire.

and my jaw was unhinged.

part of the world were

agged me out, I was facing

ong journey back to Bridge-

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rom a bloody hillock out-

ewater from that

g and tortuous. I

resting on the shoulder

o my Major, who tied my

andkerchief, and continued

y. A half-mile from the hill,

d, dirt road, I was picked

d eight miles back to the

ue. A surgeon, in a quick

I must have a tracheotome

p breathing. He had no

ent me back with an orderly

all town, where the Free

a Field Hospital, and there,

perating table, the tube was

placed on a stretcher

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in an ambulance to Dera'a

ctioning as a clearing sta-

od could pass my throat,

ecided that my stomach must

a gastronomy tube, so that

ot die of starvation. He had

operation was imperative to

d my stomach with the as-

, and without anesthesia.

e to the operation table,

g. Throughout all of this

usness. It might have been

n able to do so. I could not

y throat like acid, and ran

y neck. For three months,

except for frequent mouth

me at the hospital in De-

sited me there and gave me

e boys from the American

ase in hand, saw to it that

t, and helped to make me

ed to Nazareth by a

k, and was delivered to an

on. I stayed there for five

I could not write notes â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

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. In a curious mix-up, I was

d prisoner; and I could not

urgeon took an interest in

the wounds intrigued him,

it was a challenge to his

how he discovered that I

he Free French Foreign

heated and indignant about

l over that hospital. From

ery careful and particular

s a rabid baseball fan, and

aints about the war was that

Cincinnati Reds, or keep

n the League, until days

played. As I grew stronger,

I wrote my observations on

itary hospital near Jeru-

e my bed was among fifty

soldiers, and here some of

A machine-gun bullet had

ree inches above the heart,

back; it had left a clean hole.

restoration was begun

dinburgh. He replaced the

id some reconstruction

d the tube from my neck,

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mall metal valve, strapped

viding enough mechanical

I could whisper.

kvari, Captain Morel of

ain Delavinne, who had

Douala, came to visit me, and

ore the other wounded

s the Colonel read a citation

a Croix de Guerre with Star,

Patients in the barracks

bows to look on. When this

ere smiling, genial, cheerful

d to bed among the pa-

were General de Gaulle and

nts looked on wide-eyed and

icers had departed I found,

y months of convalescence,

e was an exasperation. Fel-

ratulating me on the visit of

ot explain that he was

urs before I could whisper

nt, and tell my friends what

s, I was able to be up

part of my face was rigid

of the medical staff of the

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tland, including Molly Gay-

er time off, Molly and I

night clubs in Jerusalem

ed my birthday in the

of the United Press came

e a silver cigarette case. He

of the Associated Press

me around Jerusalem.

a special hospital for

m. Doctors restored my

together to cover the

his hospital that I went up

ay off allowed me, to be

Guerre with Palm.

me a reception when I got

n the radio that I had been

ed to make quite an event of

ted their efforts with a

nter into the spirit of it and

eciative, but I was home-

g. I sat with them down-

ng words of praise, but I

omfortably conscious of

e fact that I was an invalid.

ion to the excitement of the

of officers and men with

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men of my platoon who

and Blashiek, who was de-

my life, and the strange,

m; standing before them

w, realizing that I would

s over, I returned to my

g and remembering scenes

nd violent action â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tracing

at brought me from a little

e Jerusalem of Christ.

e was the road back to New

ng more obscure as war

could not now fight. I

that night, and fell asleep,

s the British call it, by

as "unfit for active service,"

el Amilakvari to inquire if

e from further service with

forwarded the letter to

ptain Morel of my com-

tal to see me, carrying a

eral that no matter what the

d always be a place for me

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I could get back to duty.

and life became more

movies in Jerusalem and

etty Grable in "Down

ntertained at cocktail

d Hotel by Americans

eneral Pinkerton and his

Consul Scott was very

French wife came to the

y week.

lastic work was done, I

o return home, and the doc-

now able to travel. I wrote

told him so, and received

ying that after reviewing my

send me back to the United

f travel that I chose.

and I was still far from

was removed from the dan-

ust 31. I had been decorated

Sunday, October 19. I had

itish General Hospital on

surgery operation. Christ-

efore I was ready to go

choice of transportation,

s order, I decided to go

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stayed at Spear's Mis-

n arrangements could be

sion was in general charge

had had my first operation

Beirut and snow was deep

way up. On the day before

n consular office advised me

he coast to Cairo.

in very high spirits. At

ome. The plane took off

nted its nose toward Cairo,

ng over the desert. Then

The engine spluttered. The

ed downward. My heart

ese months, was this, I

to come down on the desert

ng, have the wheels sink

no traction, nose over and

plane into the sand. It

ast it was the kind of

walk away from. The

adio, and I spent Christmas

king again of home and

g and gifts. For years I had

as in strange places: on a

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oons, in a religious mission

o of Monte Carlo. Christ-

a New England Yank; and

waiting for help to come.

have been shining

ther star shone over

ears ago. Three wise men

e from Cairo, picked us up,

n the Shepheard's Hotel;

use of the delay, I had

the plane for the West

remain until other air-

uld be made.

t the home of American

number of Americans â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

newspapermen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and later

come from America, and

e members of his military

d States.

General Koenig of the

gion, and we spent a few

House, in the desert, near

e was light and laughter and

t to the races and ran

who had been a good cus-

r's. I finally boarded a

airo and was flown to

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was booked for me via Pan-

ere, after a two-day wait,

a different Clipper in ap-

that had brought me across

ow stripped for action.

e. Seats had been removed,

freight, with only enough

ers.

ntic to Natal in Brazil,

re I spent the night in a

trange sight to me to

nd indifferently, sipping

. We went on to Trinidad

ransferred to a Baby Clip-

ternoon of January 12,

in the United States. I tele-

olks were in New York

up via Eastern Airways,

he following morning at

and my brother Dick and

wd of newspaper reporters

wded around. I answered

d under the handicap of the

d for pictures and news-

e Hotel Roosevelt with

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again.

United States from the

ntry at war, unified to a

expected.

ad doubted those college

before them, after return-

had enlisted. Some were

wdown came, they proved

of questions that had dis-

y answered. Isolationists had

s, and when the final trial

y own country could stand

any other countries had

d alive, and that was balm

ay, so often, that we were

e American way," but I

g for much more than that.

erve, too, the English way,

e democratic way.

e in Bridgewater, among

rs that I knew, and found

wardens and members of

auxiliary police and fire

ded that my own country

nt part of the lesson.

ort rest, I went into the

Hospital in Boston where

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more plastic surgery. A

n from my hip to create

s I was bandaged again, and

ing, discovered that I had

resembled the old one. The

w almost completed. Next

ke tube in my throat, now

he collar of my shirt, and

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still on, I'll find a way to

Legion.

egion and Colonial.

or the promotion

enant, of 2nd

of the 2nd Com-

attalion.

, 2nd Lieutenant Hasey, al-

only a short time, enlisted in

ght against Germany.

in a fighting force because

hip, he was not immediately

a desire to serve France at any

mbulance corps of his own coun-

ablished in France.

went to England and joined

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at first in the ambulance corps,

quest, he was transferred to the

Legion.

paigns of Eritrea, and his

r fire, notably in the Battle of

arded with a citation of the

e Army. In this Battle, his Cap-

t being wounded, he remained

s absolute indifference to danger

his men.

sawa, he led his platoon with

an assault upon enemy positions,

g with a large number of prison-

k upon Position 748 outside

ck by machine-gun fire, wound-

a short time in the Legion, he

as the qualities of a man, of a

He has won a place in the hearts

and respected by them, as well

enant John Hasey is the perfect

hom the love of France is not

e, he has paid dearly and gen-

regains her position in the

able to recognize her own,

will receive the Cross of the

ch the color of the ribbon will

has spilled for France.

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ay that she has not forgotten

y, Commander in Chief.

ision.

nant, 2nd Company

he changed branches of

of infantry, and brilliantly dis-

e attack upon Enghiahat (Eri-

, 1941.

pany being wounded, he trans-

r fire, the orders of his com-

k command of several elements

cult withdrawal, and until the

stopping, rescuing the wounded

d imbued with the highest

his first engagement, he won also

nnaires.

ade of

the Army with the

ved by his men: On June 20,

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n in attacking a strongly defended

second wave of the attack, he

ough to the head of the attack,

absolute indifference to danger,

hest order. He was seriously

age, he does honor to the

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ade.

u fait que

à l'hôpital pour y

ement, 11 y avait bon

z bientôt être

nouveau

rison, J'ai le plaisir

'ai voulu que vous

n américain à devenir

de la Libération,

le premier citoyen

hat in spite of the fact that you

o back into the hospital for further

y reason to believe that you are

plete recovery.

u on your physical improve-

ter pleasure to tell you that, just

merican citizen to shed his blood

oppressors, so I wish you to be

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n to become Compagnon de

e sang pour délivrer

s, dans les Forces

us haute distinction

ation, et tous ceux

du Général au

nt pour la vie des

américains et

nouveau cote à cote,

q ans. J'espère que

e vous permettra de

votre place parmi

h can be bestowed upon a

orces of Free France is the

All those to whom it is awarded,

, become Companions for life.

case twenty-five years ago,

oldiers are fighting side by side,

e restoration of your health will

u to resume your place among

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re.

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THE SEVENTH DAY

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LIFORNIA LIBRARY

HE LAST DATE

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)

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LIFORNIA LI&RARY

HE LAST DATE

CENTS

FAILURE TO RETURN

TE DUE. THE PENALTY

CENTS ON THE FOURTH

HE SEVENTH DAY

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LIFORNIA LIBRARY

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