We Were Young and at War: The first-hand story of young lives lived and lost in World War Two

4 July 1940

The Bosches who arrived on the 28th have left again. It’s so lovely and quiet. They were real brutes, and there were industrial quantities of them. The commander often walked around in nothing but his boots, his monocle and his riding whip.

We are waiting for another division of Bosches to arrive, any day now. What fun!

With France under German control, Italy declared its allegiance to Germany. Now fighting alone, Britain seemed to be facing the imminent threat of invasion. Churchill was determined to ‘fight for every inch’, as he told the nation over the radio: ‘Whatever has happened in France makes no difference to our actions and purpose.’ Inspired by Churchill’s resolve, From Cheshire Brian shared his own with Trudie.

20 June 1940

Dear Trudie,

Now for it, we’re expecting it any time now. Bombs, parachutists anything. We’re fighting with our backs to the wall, only us left to defend democracy. Any invader who sets foot on British soil is for it, instant death, no mercy. Any Italian pigs, especially. Only they daren’t come out to fight! I can’t see how you Americans stand by and watch, it’s as much your fault as ours. You helped to make the Versailles Treaty. You and us stopped France from knocking hell out of Germany in 1919. And you think you’re too far away to be troubled but if our fleet goes you’re doomed. I admit the material help you are giving is welcome but I don’t think it is enough. Your air force is small but the quality of men and material are I believe first rate. This thrown into the war would I’m sure turn the tables. Okay. It’s off my chest. Please don’t think me rude.

None of your letters have been censored only your mags. Nothing crossed out at all.

Just now our country is very beautiful. The trees are greener, the flowers prettier and even the birds seem to be singing sweeter. It makes us realize that these are the things we are fighting for. I and my friends are fully prepared to die fighting rather than let the Germans take all these things from us.

After great consideration I have decided to send a snap. It is three months old though. I’ll send you a better one as soon as possible. This isn’t a good one, you will notice also I’ve spilt rubber lubricant on my trousers.

Remember me to your people tell them not to worry we’ll win if it takes a hundred years.

Yours,

Brian

A month later Brian turned seventeen and was now old enough to join his father in the 1 million strong volunteer army created in May 1940 to help defend Britain from invasion.

4 August 1940

Dear Trudie,

The best news yet, I am in the Home Guard. I’ve had three rifle drills up to now and I do my first duty from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, three hours duty, the rest asleep on the floor ready for action. What we want is not to shoot the Bosche but to bayonet him. That which the Germans don’t like, cold steel. The General in command said our motto shall be:’Kill the Bosche’ and shoot to kill. Done a fine bit of work today, cleaned 20 rifles with Dad. No so bad, eh? Our house is simply littered with field dressings, supplies of uniforms, steel helmets, ammunition and I don’t know what.

You have a sensible choice of your ideal man. Most girls have soft ideas such as having a chap with his hair parted in the centre.

By jingo I’m looking forward to receiving the record of your voice. If it’s unbreakable you can send it at once, can’t you?

The Royal Air Force are distinctly puzzled. For years they have had no rivalry—met no serious competitors in matters of the fair sex. But now the Poles. No one quite knows what it is about the Poles. The girls are not very helpful about it. They just make silly cooing noises and go all goofy when you ask them. ‘Ooh! They’re too wonderful!’ is all you get. It is all very mysterious and galling for the Don Juans of the RAF. Also it’s impossible to tell a Pole who had just pinched your girl what you think of him. It is a waste of words, and you cannot very well hit a brave ally over a little thing like that.

Last night and the night before we were in the dugout but no bombs were dropped. A week ago three bombs were dropped 2 miles away. All three failed to explode.

I read some more articles about the Americans who think we are starving. They have offered to send food here. Do not believe it we have plenty. I am eating more than ever.

I am going to stay in bed if they come over tonight and get up if the bombs begin to fall.

Why are you not asking me questions? I’ve run dry because I’ve no questions to answer!

Questions:

What is your attitude to the idea of compulsory military training?

Are you doing any sunbathing?

How do you wear your hair?

Hoping you’re okay and having a fine time.

Yours,

Brian

Before the German troops could cross the Channel, the Luftwaffe needed to establish air superiority. Herbert was now stationed on the northern coast of France, near Calais, as 11 August, the date set for the Luftwaffe to intensify its daylight raids on Britain, drew closer.

7 August 1940

My dear family,

We have been relieved of lifeguard duty, just as the great strike against England is imminent. I think we are going to really experience something now, and we won’t have much longer to wait. I can’t tell you where we are. We are living the real outdoor life, like we used to in the Hitler Youth…

It’s a shame about the beautiful material and the white suit, but maybe we can get a better, cheaper one in England. Six planes flew over today but they were forced to turn back in a hurry. They don’t have far to go, it only takes about 10 minutes from here. All day long they flew overhead, sometimes 50 or more fighter planes.

Your Herbert

14 August 1940

My dears,

I just got Mother’s lovely letter from Freudenstadt…I am so glad all is well at home…

…I hope all this camping will finish soon. We are getting filthy, as there’s very little water and we’re in the same clothes for days on end…Tommy has discovered us and bombs us every night. But he is normally turned away by our anti-aircraft guns before he can strike. He never hits anything though. Last Saturday a Bristol Blenheim flew over at eight in the morning and was about to drop a bomb when our guns returned fire and after about ten shots he was on fire. A few seconds later he crashed near us. There was a huge explosion and bits flew everywhere. There was wreckage spread around for about 60 metres and you could hardly believe it was once a proud bomber of the Royal Air Force; all three crew were dead of course; when we arrived the bodies were still burning. But you can’t feel any sympathy for them because they were trying to kill us…

Warmest hello from your Herbert

The next day the Luftwaffe launched its biggest assault on Britain so far. In France, in response to Pétain’s call for the millions of refugees who had fled south to come home, Micheline and her family returned to their own flat in occupied Paris.

12 August 1940

The Lycée Racine reopened today and I have signed up for some summer courses. It won’t be like this for long but it’s quite shocking: no notebooks, no textbooks, no homework. Great or what! Lessons are from 9 till 11 in the morning, nothing in the afternoon. I can go up from the 5th to the 4th form without taking any exams because the head teacher ran away from the college at Verneuil and the Germans who’ve settled in there have taken everything. I found all this out from Yvette. She’s back too, I was so pleased to see her again. She told me that Mademoiselle Brachuet, the Latin teacher, was so scared during the bombing of Verneuil that she wet her pants. She was out for a walk with the weekly boarders and Yvette saw it all. I would have loved to have been there! It would have been revenge for everything she put me through.

There are 2,000 Germans in Verneuil as well as 9,000 French prisoners, 40 Scots and a few English. Everything’s been looted by those who stayed and by refugees passing through. The Germans have requisitioned most of the houses. The Flercks have a huge villa and they have four of them staying, which suits them fine as they get sent to do the shopping—the Germans don’t like to queue. The only annoying thing is that when the Germans are drunk, they sometimes go to the wrong room. Oh to be a fly on the wall!…

The Germans have launched a massive attack on the English from the sea. The English threw tonnes of oil and petrol onto the water and when their planes bombed the Channel it all burst into flames, along with the Bosches. Hip, hip, hip, hurray! At least the English know how to defend themselves! They won’t let their country be invaded while they’re busy making fine speeches, like spineless old Pétain.

The incident in the Channel was part of a deception tactic to make it appear that the shores of Britain were protected by a wall of fire, and as invincible to the Germans as Micheline hoped.

By 20 August, the RAF’s aerial defence of Britain was still keeping the invasion at bay. On that day Brian wrote to Trudie about his part in the events of the previous week.

20 August 1940