Michel Torrent (code name Milor René Jules) fled Saint Malo under German occupation and found refuge for himself and his family with his grandparents in Perpignan.
Take a moment to visit or revisit some of the P-O villages and some of the fascinating war and anti war memorials around the region.
One day in August 1944 we were told “OK, boys, here we go.”
Millas, on the N116 between Perpignan and Ille sur Tet, has a rather lovely church, full of great Baroque art, plenty of shops and cafés – but today we are heading up to the Col de la Bataille, ancient battle ground and poignant memorial to members of the resistance group Henri Barbusse,
This year we take the time once again to thank all those ordinary men and women who went on to do extraordinary things 100 years ago – and then again just 20 years later.
A silence, our heads are bowed, a prayer from the Mayor. In turn the boys read out the list of the fallen sons of the Great War, perhaps a dozen names from those awful days. This would have been a village of around a hundred people.
Book Club: Secret Agent, Unsung Hero: The Valour of Bruce Dowding. This biography, researched over decades, is written by Bruce’s nephew, Peter, to honour Bruce and the millions who gave their lives for our safety.
Historic Perpignan, the colourful mix of old and new, chic and shabby, trendy boutiques, narrow, cobbled streets and small intimate bistros, was also a pivotal location in supporting the British and Allied war effort.
Rivesaltes. So handy for the railway. Destination: Auschwitz, via Drancy.
Visit this wonderful museum which was a beacon of hope for expectant mothers exiled during the Retirada.