Chapter 2

Laroque-Timbaut, 6th May 1944 – Tulle, 8th June 1944

Days passed, with Elise looking after Madame Bernard and assisting in the café. Dominique assured her the watchers were in place, but she would not know who they were, a precaution Elise understood. As a result, she felt she was dangling aimlessly between her life in England and a dark and dangerous future. She could neither retreat to safety nor advance into danger, as both were beyond her control.

Once a week she met up with her radio to listen out for any messages, but none came. May became June and still no landings.

She woke early on 6^th June and lay in bed, searching without success for what had wakened her. Then the blaring of a motor bike revving harshly crashed through the morning stillness. Elise listened as it sped away through the village. Something was going on.

Quickly, Elise dressed and headed downstairs to the kitchen to find Dominique already there. “We are waiting for confirmation, but I think it’s happening. There have been messages on the BBC...”

Elise could hear the excitement in Dominique’s voice. Her mouth felt suddenly dry: now her work would begin. Just before eight o’clock, Dominique tuned the radio to the BBC and they crouched over it to hear that paratroopers had landed in Normandy.

Dominique tuned it back to a French station and switched off. “I must get to the café so I can phone Victor. You need to be ready to leave.”

Elise nodded and ran upstairs to pack her few things around the spares for the radio. She looked in on Madame Bernard, quickly helping her into her chair by the window and setting her breakfast on the table beside her. Leaving her case in the cupboard beside the stairs, she walked down to the café to join Dominique, trying to keep her stride normal though she wanted to run the rising tension out of her body.

In the café kitchen, Dominique quietly told her that Victor was on his way – and the Das Reich HQ in Montauban was buzzing. Victor arrived with the news that the invasion had been announced on the BBC at nine o’clock.

Elise took a deep breath. “We need to know which the route Das Reich will take – through Brive-la-Gaillarde to Limoges or through Bordeaux. I can’t move until that becomes clear.”

Dominique waved her arms excitedly. “You cannot wait – you must be ahead of them.” She stopped, thinking for several seconds, then looked between Victor and Elise. “They will travel north through Brive-la-Gaillarde. It is a better road and the coast road through Bordeaux is too easy to attack from the air.”

Elise eyes moved back and forth between the two of them. They knew this area, she didn’t.

Slowly, Victor nodded. “I think you are right.” He turned towards Elise. “We go, now.”

Elise was very uneasy about this – if they were wrong how would they catch up to Das Reich on the coastal route? She felt the weight of her responsibilities pressing heavily on her, but she had to decide, now. She looked between Dominique and Victor – and finally nodded her agreement.

Dominique leaned towards Elise, speaking quietly. “Go to the chemist in Tulle and ask for Genevieve.” She gave Elise a quick hug. “Bonne chance.” (Good luck.)

Elise and Victor walked up to 4 Rue du Bayle, chatting about the weather and pacing normally past the guards at the Mairie. Elise grabbed her suitcase from the cupboard.

Victor shook his head. “No, that’s no good. It’s obvious you are leaving; get the bag you used before.”

Elise pulled the shopping bag from under the sink and carefully transferred the clothes-wrapped spares for the radio set. She had to leave most of her spare clothes behind in the suitcase. Then they were off, walking slowly up through the village towards the woods, as if they had no cares in the world. Once in the wood, their pace picked up. On the far side of the wood, the same car as the previous night met them. The driver nodded to Victor and walked off into the woods, his part in the operation complete.

Elise sat in the back nursing her shopping bag of spare parts and the radio set in its crate. The back roads they stayed on were narrow and poor, their progress slow as a result. Late in the afternoon, they stopped in the woods outside Sarlat-la-Canéda. Elise’s frustration with their slow progress was growing. She wanted to reach Tulle, east of the main route north through Limoges tomorrow. Dominique’s contact would have more information for her, she hoped.

Once they had pulled off the road, Victor disappeared into the village, returning with a small amount of food, setting it on the bonnet of the car. “Light vehicles from Das Reich have been seen in Cahors.”

Victor’s announcement sent a wave of relief through Elise. Dominique’s guess was correct: Das Reich was coming this way. But now Elise worried that the forward elements of Das Reich would reach Brive-la-Gaillarde before her.

Victor built a rough sandwich of bread, cheese and rillette, handing it to Elise before constructing one for himself. His eyes flicked up to hers. “We must collect fuel tonight. There will be several cans for us.”

Elise nodded – of course they needed fuel.

Once it was dark, they set off, walking along the track towards the village. After a quarter of an hour or so, Victor signalled Elise to stop and they moved off the track. Victor pointed Elise to a position behind a bush and moved to another, a few yards further on towards the village. They crouched, listening to the wildlife changing shift as dusk spread darker ink through the woods from the existing shadows. Elise pulled out her pistol, laying it on her scarf just in front of her. Some minutes later, they heard voices approaching. Victor signalled her to be silent and to stay down. There was muffled clattering of metal against metal ... and then the voices retreated.

They waited, listening, stretching their senses, following the sounds of the people as they moved away. Eventually, Victor signalled Elise to remain and he crept forward. Pistol in hand, Elise tracked him as he moved cautiously forward, ready to support him.

After a minute, Victor reappeared, a large petrol can wrapped in cloth in each hand. “Wait, there are two more.” He set down the cans and disappeared back into the gloom, returning with the other two cans.

He gestured Elise to pick up the first two cans and they started trudging back to the car. The handles were narrow and soon started to cut into Elise’s fingers.

“Stop,” she hissed.

Victor put down his cans, watching Elise massaging her hands. He gave her a sympathetic smile and pulled the cloth from around one of the cans, tearing it in half. “Wrap this round the handles, the can won’t clank against your legs.”

They had to stop another couple of times to allow Elise’s hands to recover, but they made it back without incident. Victor put three of the cans in the boot and together, in the dim light of Elise’s torch, they poured the contents of the fourth into the tank.

Elise spent another uncomfortable night – perhaps more uncomfortable than in the Halifax – sleeping in the back seat of the car.

As dawn broke, they ate the remains of the food and set off. Keeping to back roads, they reached the main road between Cahors and Brive-la-Gaillarde before noon. Victor pulled off to the side of the track and went forward to survey the road. After about ten minutes he returned.

“It all seems to be clear. Can you drive this car?”

Elise nodded. “Of course.”

“We’ll go to the bend ahead and stop the car. I’ll go forward and when I’m sure all is clear I’ll wave you forward.” He looked ahead, thinking of how best to do this. “Drive slow enough for me to jump on the side and then go straight across the main road and keep driving until we get round the next bend in the side road.”

“Okay.”

“Get in the driver’s seat and drive up to the bend ahead.”

Elise sat in the driver’s seat: it felt odd to be on the left-hand side of the car. Victor pointed out the controls and Elise started the car and they moved down to the bend.

“Stop here and turn off the engine.”

Victor got out and stood listening to the quiet of the countryside. Satisfied at the normal sounds, he walked along the side of the road towards the intersection. Elise stepped out of the car and moved a yard or so ahead of it to keep him in view. Victor stood, listening, searching up and down the road for signs of traffic. She saw him step back into the bushes, waving her back round the bend. Shortly after, a farm truck lumbered past, heavily laden. Elise moved forward again, watching Victor again surveying the road. After a minute, he waved her forward.

She dashed back to the car and set off. She slowed as she reached Victor and he jumped on the running board.

“Allez. Vite, vite.“ (Go. Quick, quick)

Elise accelerated across the road – a quick glance showed it was empty of traffic in both directions – and headed down the side road. Once they rounded a bend and were out of sight of the main road, she stopped.

“Well done. No-one saw us.” Victor motioned her out of the driver’s seat and they refuelled the car. Elise resumed her seat beside her radio whilst Victor sat consulting his map.

They skirted south of Brive-la-Gaillarde, arriving in hills above Tulle late in the afternoon. Victor pulled off the road on to a track and as soon as they stopped, they could hear gunfire. They shared a startled look.

“Stay here. I’ll go and investigate.”

Elise nodded, watching Victor fade into the undergrowth. She stepped out of the car, wanting to get a better fix on the guns. The firing seemed to be coming mainly from the town, but some was from further along this ridge above the town. She heard a noise, thinking it was Victor returning. Two men with rifles levelled at her stepped out of the bushes.

“Les mains en l’air. Qui êtes-vous?” (Hands up. Who are you?)

Elise raised her hands, noticing the FTP armband each man wore. Communist partisans.

“I am an ally, on an important mission.” She smiled, doing her best to seem innocuous.

The older of the two men walked over to the car cradling his rifle under his arm. He peered inside and opened the boot. “You have a lot of petrol.”

It was a statement, so Elise didn’t answer. He opened the rear door and looked at the box holding Elise’s radio set.

The other man saw the anxiety on Elise’s face and threatened with his rifle. “Go on, open it,” he told his companion.

“Come and get it out of the car.” He stepped back, pointing his rifle at Elise.

Elise pursed her lips.

The men stiffened as another voice joined the conversation from behind them: Victor. “Very slowly, mes amis, lower the rifles.” The partisans glanced at one another. “Lower the rifles and lay them on the ground.”

Neither partisan moved.

“Now.” Victor’s voice carried the snap of command.

Very slowly, the two men laid their rifles on the ground.

“Good. Now go to the front of the car and place both hands on the bonnet.”

They complied and Victor emerged from the bushes, pistol in hand. “Pick up the rifles, Elise, and put them against the tree over there.”

Elise leaned one against the tree but kept the other. It was a standard British army Lee Enfield – she had trained to use this. She moved to keep the two partisans covered and Victor out of her line of fire.

Victor nodded at her and walked round behind the two partisans, checking them for other weapons, finding nothing.

He stepped back, pocketing his pistol and gesturing Elise to lower the rifle.

“Gentlemen, the lady and I are allies, on an important and secret mission to help the liberation of France.” He smiled ironically. “I apologise for disarming you, but it was necessary to prevent an unfortunate accident.”

The partisans shared a confused – and relieved – glance.

Victor’s face became serious. “What is going on in Tulle?”

“We are liberating the town.” The young partisan’s voice was full of pride.

Elise recalled her briefing and sighed. Did they think the Nazis would ignore this?

Victor glanced at Elise. “I will go with one of these men to find their commander. You stay here with the other.”

Elise nodded.

“Gentlemen, please collect your rifles.”

Elise flicked the rifle in her hands to safe and handed it to the older partisan. The younger one gathered his from the tree, flicking it to safe after a glance from his companion. Elise shuddered slightly – her arms instructor would have bellowed at her for forgetting to safe the weapon.

Victor smiled at the older man. “I am Victor. My companion is Elise. And you are?”

The two partisans shared a glance. The older one shrugged. “I am Pierre and that,” he nodded towards the young man, “is Jean-Claude.”

“Well, Pierre, let’s go and talk to your commander.”

After they left, Elise and Jean-Claude stared at one another for a while and then Elise moved across to a fallen log and sat down. Several times, the young man tried to engage her in conversation, which Elise shut down. She did not want to share information that could end up – rather quickly if things went badly in Tulle – in the hands of the SS or SD.

After about twenty minutes, Victor returned with Pierre. “We’re going to their HQ. Get in the car.”

Elise got in beside her radio. Jean-Claude climbed in the other side, lifting the radio crate to rest on their legs. Pierre sat beside Victor, giving directions. The crate was making Elise’s thigh sore by the time they reached a small barn in the woods overlooking the town. Pierre and Jean-Claude got out. After talking to one of the men outside the barn, they set off at a run, rifles cradled in their arms.

The man then ambled across to the car. “We have the remaining Boches surrounded. It will soon be over.” He looked at Elise. “Then you may continue your mission.”

Elise glanced meaningfully at Victor. How much should she tell the man about what she knew? Victor’s response was a tiny shrug. Elise took a breath and made a decision. “The Panzer division, Das Reich, is coming up the road to Brive-la-Gaillarde. Some light vehicles were seen in Cahors yesterday.

The man shrugged. “They have bigger fish to fry than chasing Maquis though the woods. They will be rushing north to their deaths at the hands of the Americans and British.”

Elise’s eyes narrowed in surprise at his off-hand attitude. “I hope you are right – for the sake of the people in the town.” She was aware that actions by the Maquis had caused retaliatory actions against civilians.

The fighting had not finished by nightfall and continued in two areas into the afternoon of the following day and Elise was becoming increasingly worried that she was out of touch with her network and England. After multiple requests, Elise was grudgingly allowed to walk down into the town in the late afternoon, leaving Victor to guard the car and her radio. She made her way to the Pharmacie, standing a few doors away to watch. Seeing nothing concerning, she walked in.

“How may I help you?” A girl younger than Elise stood behind the counter.

“I’m looking for Genevieve.”

Elise saw a flicker pass across the girl’s face. “And who sent you?”

“Madame Berger.”

The girl fiddled with something under the counter, her hand reappearing with a pistol. “And you are?”

“Chardonneret.”

The girl blinked and lowered the pistol. “My apologies. I am Genevieve.” She moved to the shop door, locking it.

Elise nodded. “I think you have information for me?”

Genevieve opened the door behind the counter and led Elise into the house.

“I have been taking orders for out-of-town farmers.” She smiled, picking up a bound booklet from beside the phone and opened it, pointing to several recent, neat entries.

Elise read over them and then smiled at the young girl. “Code?”

“Indeed.” Genevieve explained, running down the entries.

“ ... and six Panzers and ten half-tracks arrived in Brive-la-Gaillarde in the early afternoon.”

Elise’s eyes narrowed. “And they are still there?”

Genevieve shook her head, unconcerned. “No, they left after about an hour.”

Elise’s stomach lurched. She stared at the girl. They could be headed anywhere and they could arrive in Tulle this evening. The Germans would surely have heard of what was happening in Tulle ... but her mission must take precedence.

Elise maintained her control. “Thank you, Genevieve. I must go out for about an hour or so.”