March 14, 1944 late, early March 15, 1944: Dr. Henri comes to pick me up at the farm. He’s a welcome face. Dr. Henri was one of the first people I met right after I bailed out of my plane. He had doctored my wounds.
He speaks English pretty well. He’s Jewish so everyone drops his last name, “Cahn” – some call him Dr. Henri Bibi – to protect him.
His whole family had been annihilated by the Germans. Dr. Henri himself escaped from one of the camps.
The idea of moving, doing anything but especially going south, closer to Spain and escape is welcome.
I say goodbye and thank the family. They are at great risk with me there – never know who will talk . More Germans had come in to nearby Houilles which is near where the German plane came down.
The couple will be safer now, with me gone. Until they help the next fellow….what good people.
Dr. Henri & I bicycle all night, sleep in the woods during the day. Then bicycle to get to the outskirts of Nerac. Dr. Henri then leaves me with Gabriel LaPeyrusse.
Gabriel tries to get me to hide in the attic of his house, but I will have none of it – no escape and too obvious. So Gabriel hides me in his barn out back near the vegetable gardens.
Gabriel grows vegetables for a living but also is the Mayor of Nerac. And head of the Maquis. Dr. Henri is the second in command.
I’m pretty tired so I check all the escape routes, then hunker down in the back of the barn behind the hay. Been there, done that.
I wonder what’s next….and fall pretty soundly asleep.
c. GCYI