The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-19
Observations
Columnist Tells
Own Experience
in Invasion"
BY Helen Essary


France, Allied chiefs explain. Cross
ing the English Channel is regard
ed by many people as the most dis
agreeable experience any traveller
can have. said President Roosevelt
the other day. The sea moves fast
there. The waves roll high and the
winds blow strong. There were tens
of thousands OF men to be got
across the water and landed on en-
envy territory on the shores near
Cherbourg. lie Hayre and Calais,
Mr. Roosevelt added.
used to think ] was landing on
enemy territory even in those jolly
old pre-war touring days when |
tottered off the channel boat at
Cherbough. Calais or lie Hayre.
Those fierce able-bodied French fe-
males who pushed me around the
customs offlce-especially at Cal
ais-made me feel unwanted on
French territory. This is definitely
an Internationally
There was no Parisien chic about
these ladies'. They wore no stays
10 bind their physical proportions.
Their smacked back "cheyeuX"
were not done according to the der
nier cri' Of the Rue de Riyoli. Their
broad denim aprons had not been
created by Paquin nor any other
courteriere.
But how those women could wave
their arms and yell and shove
suspected them OF being descend
ants Of Madame La Fargo. whom
Charles Dickens pictured knitting
in a Paris square as La Guillotine
Topped off the heads OF the aristo-
Gratis.
When the news Of the Nazi inya-
sion Of France startled the world
two years ago, | wondered how Hit.
ler's warriors could have got past
those custom house grenadier-esses.
Bucking the French customs with
their assistance was a trial 10 break
the sti;fest backbone. You always
knew you were going to lose your
luggage.
You knew the train on which you
had compartment suspicious
word) would leave without you be-
cause you were certain to be the
last 10 escape from this landing
madhouse.
You went stumbling up and down
steps, across cobblestones-there
always seemed 10 be so many cob
blestones-across railroad tracks,
al the heels OF strange foreign char
acters. These characters fought
over your bags and suspected you
OF concealed American cigarettes
and typewriters, whose shouts you
could not understand regardless Of
the opened "Phrase Book for Trav-
elers' you held in one hand With
the other hand you clutched an UNI
brella, a light weight coat, a pa.
per parcel OF silver spoons you had
picked up. my dear, az one OF those
adorable open-air markets in Lon.
don" a mile Of colored tickets, your
passport, your landing card, your
pound note for which you were sure
you were not going TO be paid your
francs worth at the exchange"
wicket. and your Paris-Heraid
without which. II you were a true
American. you never Travelled for
fear you would not know the rate
OF exchange"
The heavy fear Of the things you
had TO have in order to land in
France was sometimes more than
an uncultured American could cope
with. Especially II the wind over
the channel was blowing extra
strong. once saw a harried nerv-
Gus lady tourist drop her purse
and her passport over the side Of
the boat into the sea. The French
authorities would not tet her off
the boat without Identification.
She may be there yet for all
know.
Those channel tides we're exciting
and fun II you we're not rocking
about on their uneasy crests, so TO
speak. ! spent a season at a small
and elegant channel resort-"Bex.
hill-on-Sea"
Near Boulogne where many OF
our soldiers landed on the French
side many OF the beaches were
sandy.
spent one night at a spot
where the swimmers. Gertrude Ed
CLIO anu LAb OAAtIb were III Train
ing. After a dinner Of langousta
Qobsters without the big claw /
had taken myself to bed in many
Widowed room facing the chan
mel.
All night long. a towering light
house twirled its beams across my
poor face. When ! had finally got
to sleep | was awakened by the
noise Of the tide rushing in. At low
tide the beach had stretched out
as wide as two blocks, it seemed to
me, but now | could hear the sea
charging about under the founda-
lions Of the inn. And thought how
sad it would be If | we're washed
out to sea in this unknown land
without a friend TO identify body
OF drowned woman washed up on
shore" like the captains littlo