The baker’s son

Our last day in Normandy was quite amazing to say the least as we met up with M Gilbert Raimbault. Gilbert used to live where Barrie & Stuart do now… but he lived there during the Second World War when his father was the baker in the village!

He told us that the shed used to be used to store flour & the other materials that they used in the shop before the Germans began to use it to hold prisoners following D Day.

He recalled his father looking out for the prisoners being taken to the toilet which was in a little hut across the garden. He would then go out to pretend to want to use the toilet & shout abuse at the prisoner who was in there & at the German guards for allowing them to use it when he needed it. When the guards turned their backs, laughing, he knocked on the wooden door DOT-DOT-DOT-DASH – Morse Code for the letter V (also the same start to Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony) – which was used by the French to signify that they hadn’t given up.

When the prisoner came out of the toilet, Gilbert’s father would continue to shout at him, but would surreptitiously pass them a loaf of bread to eat.

Amazing courage!