Brits on the Maginot Line, France 1940
by L Jackson
[Lorraine, near Metz, prior to the German invasion of Norway on 8 April 1940.]"In the spring of 1940, I was sent with a small detachment to the village of Woippy in Lorraine, near Metz, to service a British brigade serving in the Maginot line. The rail journey took 48 hours and we travelled in the traditional French goods wagons with their famous inscription, indicating the (small) number of horses or (large) number of men that they were designed to carry. A frequent task here was unloading goods wagons containing "boulets", made of compressed coal dust. I remember going into Metz only once, to the swimming baths. I also went into Thionville for some reason, where I heard a French solder describe some politician as "un bon petit père" and another say that he was in the chars d'assaut (tanks) and that ça avance toujours, ça ne recule jamais!" (unfortunately not born out in practice). I went on leave to England from Woippy, passing through Paris, where I was greeted by the war cry of the Military Police "Take your hands out of your pockets!".
I spent my leave in Dover, where my mother was staying with my aunt, but somehow I managed to see my (Labour) MP, Dr. Haden-Guest, with a view to getting myself moved to somewhere where my knowledge of chemistry could be of use. This must have been in April, as Norway had been invaded, and there were rumours that soldiers on leave in England might be sent there (it did not happen). My return from leave was delayed by one day for some reason, but I eventually found myself back in Bailleul [near Arras in Northern France]. I think that it was at this time that the unit was inspected by the divisional general, one Bernard Montgomery. I was pointed out to him as some kind of curiosity and had to pretend to be enjoying army life."
BBC - WW2 People's War - Brits on the Maginot Line, France 1940