Evening star., 1940-11-08
Tells of Ponic Flight
Through France
Letter Reports Ordeal
Of Family Escaping
German Invaders
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
Mrs. CASTOR de Bouy, resident OF
this city, but originally Of Havre, France,
kindly has consented to my translating
for publication letter received by her
from French friend who fed before
the German invasion of France. 1t was
written on August g. in small town in
the Department Of the Basses-P -Pyrenees,
near the Spanish border. The text is as
follows:
II first must tell you that we are all
alive after this ordeal. Pierre was called
to the colors In February, but was for
tunate in being able to have him near me,
since he was secretary at the army head
quarters, near our home. When the
offensive started nobody suspected what
was going to happen, nor how rapidly the
Germans would advance Everybody
therefore was taken by surprise, and no
body was warned. People were left in
ignorance, and when the Germans
reached the gates Of the city it was neces-
sary to leave in the greatest possible
haste.
II was fortunate, however, since Pierre
was at headquarters and had inside infor-
nation. On Thursday, May 16, he told
me that I must leave as quickly as pos
sible. You may imagine how sick at
heart was to leave our home. Gathering
together our most valued possessions, and
those easiest to carry, on Saturday morn
ing, May 18, at o'clock took our car,
loaded to the roof, and left with the
children. had just recently learned to
drive, and this was my first trip. What
trip 1t was you may well imagine In
jam Of vehicles moving forward very
slowly, and sometimes held up for hours,
I reached Harfleur "a small town near
Havre) the same evening. I left two
hours later to go into the Orne to rejoin
Pierre's sister and her family, who had
rented house in that region. After stay
ing two weeks, during which time we saw
the Germans arrive at Rouen, we decided
to go farther south. -"
"All that, and here am at Orthez -
Pierre has been demobilized since July
IA, and came to rejoin me here, being
stationed not far away in the Landes (the
fiat coastal region just south Of Bor-
deauX).
1T was on July 18 that I left Amiens
and the next day the great bombardment
took place. 1t was time that left. Pierre
left on the morning of July 20, under
German shell fire, and the first OF the
enemy units were already in the city.
When he left our house was still stand
ing. But afterwards, alas! it met the
same fate as many others. We know that
the entire center Of the city is but a mass
Of ruins. What destruction The fruit
of several generations of labor completely
wiped out. We had worked SO cou-
rageously and we were happy, and now
everything is gone. In addition to our
entire stock of merchandise, which repre-
sented a considerable investment, moth
ing is left of all our beautiful furniture,
souvenirs, china, glassware and linen. You
can imagine what that means to us. But
at least we can console ourselves with
the thought that all four Of us are still
alive as well as papa and mamma, while
SO many others are separated forever.
I'VE were without news from papa and
mamma, but after writing to Harfeur
We received a letter yesterday. They
have returned home and found their
house intact. They had left Harfeur
May 16, crossing the bay to Trouville
where they remained until the armistice
We should be glad to go north at least
as far as Harfeur but hardly know what
to do, for the British are bombarding
and it might not be safe. Pierre would
like to see what has happened at Amiens
and whether the ruins can be cleared
away. In our cellar we shall perhaps
find the bodies of my maid and her
parents, for they had taken shelter there
What horrors and what grief! How will
it all end? What do you think Of it over
there?
1--WE do not know how long we shall
remain here. We should be glad to be
able to pass the winter at Harfleur, OF
at least leave the children there, and
then go and try to do something al
Amiens. But what have we to set our
selves up with? This time we cannot
count on war damages We shall need
plenty of courage to face the future
| Perhaps we one day shall be obliged to
leave our country for the United States
Who knows?
For the moment we try to imagine
that we are on vacation in this beauti-
| full corner of France. The Gave de Pau
| flows near us, and We bathe in it, fol-
the weather is very warm. People here
are very kind to us and offer us vege-
tables and fruits. We have milk and
eggs, and are certainly much better of
than refugees in the central part of the
| country; for the soil there is poorer ano
provisioning more difficult. We are stay
ing in two rooms above the Mairie-ecole
| (evidently combination city hall and
school, the apartment OF the teacher
which she is not occupying. cook ano
we are not too uncomfortable. The chill
dren are in good health and growing up
They have no worries. ."
CHARLES H. PROBERT.
Urges Remedy"