Mr. Elie Lemarchand, a young farm worker
who wrote the account of my capture……
July 7, 1944
Around 1:00 in the early
afternoon, a airplane turns above Bons-Tassilly. La DCA shoots, we go out to look. The airplane is hit; it falls in flames; the
pilot ejects and falls through the flames and it is for this reason that he is
seriously burned on his face and elsewhere on his body. The pilot falls into a little woods on the
other side of the road behind the washing-trough of Bons-Tassilly. The airplane crashes not far from the
entrance of the road from Caen to Falaise and the “lagoon” in the marsh (swamp)
formed by the lagoon. Now at this spot,
a double lane road passes from Falaise to Caen, not far from the water
treatment plant at Bons-Tassilly…. So
at this moment, the pilot disentangles himself from the netting and hobbles
behind the washing-trough to hide. At
the same time, Guy Oriot, who has seen him, runs toward him and perhaps makes
signs to hide in the woods behind the washing-trough…. But….alas…the Germans
based at Patigny are arriving by car and notice Oriot making his way toward the
pilot….stop both of them.
The
story continues because Oriot is suspected of wanting to help the pilot in
order to save him. The pilot himself is
taken prisoner, but….what would happen to Oriot? For the Germans…perhaps a “resistance
member” who was looking to hide the pilot……Still they are both taken to the
farm of Chateau de Bons-Tassilly to the residence, for the time being, of the
Colonel who commands the DCA who had shot down the airplane….
So.. the Germans who arrive at the farm with the two men are SS. There follows a sharp discussion between the
two parties, the colonel and the SS. It
is the SS that take Oriot and the pilot
to the General’s quarters which is located at Beaumais…We are thinking that for
Mr. Oriot, it is serious and that he will be harmed upon leaving….that perhaps
even give his life. In these kinds of
things, the SS don’t play around…..
Therefore the owner of the Chateau where the colonel stays thinks that
he must try to arrange things. He goes
to find the Colonel in the living room where he has set up his command post and
tries to convince him that Mr. Oriot is not involved in this business and
during a good part of the afternoon with carafes of coffee, washed down with
calva (calvados) that finally the Colonel phoned Beaumais and we don’t know
what was said to convince the SS that Guy Oriot had nothing to gain in this
incident. Mr. Oriot didn’t tell him
anything. After having been a little
roughed up, he is finally set free in the evening…
You are thinking that he’s had enough of it and started walking on the
road towards Bons-Tassilly…..But…a few kilometers further, he is caught by the
SS car…. His blood runs cold and he
immediately thinks “This time I’ve had it!:
But no!
They were coming to apologize for having mistreated him and offered to
take him to Bons-Tassilly….that’s what was done….
The
next day relatives of Mr. Oriot came to the owner of the Chateau to thank him
for his intervention with the Colonel and brought him something (I’m not sure
what) to express thanks. (perhaps a
flask of calva)
This airplane, I don’t know if it was a Spitfire. Had it been removed by a business that digs
up war wrecks?
Mr.
Oriot has been deceased for a few years; the owner of the Chateau has also died
as have quite a number of family members.
There are still some grand children who are now one, three and five
years. Perhaps they don’t yet know about
this incident.
So…some more testimony…..
If I remember, it is because I used to work on this farm, on the run
from the STC and hidden on this farm at Bons-Tassilly. I was 21 years old and one shouldn’t be too
visible near these people—the SS and other Germans.
But…I remember very well this Canadian pilot who had burns on his face
and elsewhere. Is it he? The airplane to the southwest of Falaise
doesn’t reveal much—an airplane which turns and returns and searches and
moreover is looking to evade the DCA.
Will he be able to avoid them a few kilometers further?....
I’m
adding to the story that the owner of the Chateau used to go every morning to
see the Colonel, commander of the artillery of DCA of the region. He had been stationed there since the
beginning of the disembarkation (landing) and it is through him each morning
that while bringing him his ‘liquored’ coffee that he had news on the military
operations on the Normandy side. To that
effect, he was being friendly with the enemy,
especially when it was a matter of saving
the life of someone.
Nevertheless, this story would take all afternoon to unfold on the 7 of
July, 1944 and it is really true as stated, Mr. Barry Needham, in the
newspaper, that the mother and father of Mr. Oriot did really come to plead
with the Colonel on behalf of their son.
But not knowing how to speak German and the Colonel not knowing how to
speak French, it was therefore Mr. H of Belgian origin, who in some fashion,
served as interpreter….
Certainly, Mr. Barry wouldn’t know what had happened to the young man
beside him in the SS car….Himself, burned, wounded, hiding in the woods…Perhaps
not seeing too clearly, no doubt not even seeing Mr. Oriot running towards
him. It is normal that he is wondering
who this young man is…
Mr.
Oriot was, I believe, 21 years old at this time. I think that part of the answer is in this
narration.
E Lemarchand
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