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VERNON - The River Seine Crossing (25th to 28th August 1944) - Part 9 | |
Pressagny L’Orgueilleux The Worcestershire men enjoyed a most pleasant stay at Pressagny. For one thing it was unexpected, coming so quickly after the peace of Berjou, and for another, owing to the speed of the advance from the bridgehead, it lasted much longer than anyone had hoped; the weather was mainly good, accommodation was adequate, and the people, from Monsieur le General (retired) to the local baker, were quite delightful and hospitality itself. They could not, it seemed, do enough for their liberators, and everyone from the Commanding Officer downwards was showered with gifts, invitations and expressions of gratitude and goodwill with embarrassing profusion. |
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After two nights in the positions taken over from their predecessors, the Companies moved into the houses in the village and at once every soldier, or group of soldiers, seemed to become some French family’s personal responsibility. French youths swarmed around and clamoured to be allowed to join the British Forces. Some were taken on unofficially and were given rifles and battle-dress to wear, to their immense delight and to the envy of their less fortunate brethren. It was before the Battalion left there that the French Government began recruiting, so none of these stalwart volunteers actually served with us, except in their native village. |
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The Mayor made a speech with much eloquence, tears and many extravagant gestures, to which the Commanding Officer replied in French. He was thereupon presented with a large bouquet, which, looking somewhat nonplussed, he handed to Captain Noel Watkins
(Second-in-Command of “B” Company) whilst he took the salute. The service terminated with much handshaking, tear shedding and rich expressions of mutual esteem. |
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Other features of Battalions stay there were the “Liberty Trips” to Paris, bathing in the Seine and the arrival of substantial reinforcements from 59th Division, which was being disbanded. The men were almost exclusively Staffordshires and the officers included Major W. H. Broom (killed-in-action just a month later at Elst, Holland), Lieut. R. H. Jauncey, Lieut. (afterwards Capt.) J. M. Lyons, and Lieut. (later Capt.) P. E. Gray. Lieut. N. T. Richards and Lieut. P. G. Hall also rejoined the Battalion after having received treatment for wounds sustained earlier in Normandy. Lieut. Johnnie Davies (7 Platoon, ‘A’ Company) recalls: “Lieut. Fiset, a fellow Canadian Loan Officer, and myself decided to visit Paris. Fiset managed to get hold of the company motorcycle and with me as pillion passenger we raced off to Paris. Paris had already been liberated by the Americans and when we arrived the streets were full of people celebrating. As we rode up the Champs Elysees, Fiset had to swerve suddenly to avoid hitting a woman; he hit the kerb and crashed the motorcycle. I was lucky to escape with just a few cuts and bruises, but Fiset had a broken leg. Instead of having a good time in Paris, I spent my time contacting the American forces in order to get medical help for Fiset. After this I managed to get a lift back to the Battalion at Pressagny L’Orgueilleux, leaving Fiset with the Americans in Paris. On returning I had some explaining to do arriving back minus my fellow Canadian officer and the company motorcycle!!” |
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Lieut. Henri Paul Fiset was evacuated on the 3rd September 1944. He did not return to the Battalion. |
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