During the war Grandma worked with a young French woman called Marcelle who had an English Grandfather. They became firm friends and kept in touch throughout their lives. Marcelle had two daughters and when they came to see us one Summer we all got on so well they invited us to stay at their home in Arras.
We went on our own by train and took the ferry to Boulogne. The whole family were waiting to greet us. French roads were not like English ones then, and French cars were made to cope with bumpy roads. We bounced along in their car on the ... wrong side of the road smiling at each other with affection. They were so kind to us. We went to see Vimy Ridge Memorial to pay our respects to the Canadian soldiers who had fought there. Northern France still bore the signs of the terrible years it had gone through. The only tense moment came when General de Gaulle appeared on the television and Uncle Peter let out the most amazing loud raspberry I have ever heard. They politely laughed ...
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