British Forces

It'll ruin your health !

Unknown author.

General Charles de Gaulle who clearly did not share Hitler's dim view of smoking - seen sharing a quick puff with his friend (he did have some friends !) General Edward Spears, Churchill's personal liaison envoy with the French authorities, in a break from a meeting in London, June, 1940. Spears is an interesting character. He was born in Paris of English parents, and brought up in France and French-speaking Switzerland. A grandfather had been a noted lexicographer, and Spears grew up fluent in French, and deeply versed in (and sympathetic with) French culture and institutions. This fact played a major role in his subsequent British Army career, as he played an important role in Anglo-French liaison in both World Wars. At the outset of WW2, he was appointed Prime Minister Churchill's personal liaison to the French Prime Minister, Paul Reynaud. A convinced anti-appeaser himself, Spears formed a close relationship with Colonel Charles de Gaulle, who had been appointed by Reynaud to the French Government as a "resistant" minister to help balance out the more surrender-inclined elements of his government. When Reynaud's government fell, to be succeeded by the first Pétain administration, Spears' mission came to an end, and de Gaulle found himself ousted and in danger of arrest by the new government. This was the situation when, on 17 June, 1940, Spears had arranged to return to England aboard a De Havilland Dragon Rapide aeroplane from a field near Bordeaux. De Gaulle arrived at the field, apparently to say goodbye to his friend. If they were being watched, the watchers do not appear to have registered the improbably large amount of baggage loaded - it included that of de Gaulle, who had apparently arranged to accompany Spears beyond the reach of Petain's police. They are said to have maintained the deception right up to the aircraft's take-off, at which point de Gaulle reached in to shake Spears' hand - and the latter pulled him aboard as the plane began to move. Thereafter, Spears continue as Churchill's liaison officer with de Gaulle's Free French headquarters to the end of Churchill's administration. They remained good friends - although the job of liaison officer cannot have been at all easy. Oh, regarding cigarette smoking and health - perhaps I should not mention that General de Gaulle (later Prime Minister, President etc of the French Republic) died at the not inconsiderable age of 79, while Major-General Sir Edward Spears (1st Baronet Spears), KBE, CB, MC and sometime MP, lived to the grand old age of 87 ! Best regards, JR. BTW - couldn't make up my mind whether to put this in the "British" or "French" folder; a bit of both, really. JR.