French battery on the Western Front, May 29. 1940.

French artillery

While Wehrmacht was concentrated in Poland, anxiety was rising on the Western Front, with French troops welcoming British soldiers as they deployed along the border with Germany. 

Here, French troops pose in a cantonment in France on December 18, 1939. 

The Phoney War

During the excitement of the tank duel on Place de la Concorde in Aug 44, one of the 2nd DB tanks, received the radio mesage "watch out for the 5th column" (meaning infiltrators). The gunner, a country boy, didn't understand the expression and shot out the 5th column of the Crillon Hotel instead! Thinking there might be enemy positionned at that point. Since replaced, the 5th column's always had a slightly darker tint (different stone) -though the whole building is being/restored/re-scrubbed again as I type.