18. Dezember 1942
A few days after our arrival, it is my turn again to go on leave, from 18 Dec 42 to 4 Jan 43. It came as such a surprise that I was again unable to take anything for the parents. There's nothing to buy here in the small town anyway. The last time I had also come home almost empty-handed. So I decided to sacrifice a leave day. I changed trains at Plouaret-Trégor[1] and made a detour to Lannion. Here I first stay in our old hotel at the station, where the officers of the battalion used to live. The landlady recognises me, of course, because we haven't been gone long. She gives me a room, I put my suitcase in and immediately go on tour. My first visit is to the Alsatian merchant couple. I ask for butter. The woman gives me two pounds and says that if I had informed her earlier, she could have given me more. Then I go to the Wehrmacht quarters. There I know the rations sergeant, who also sells me three pounds. In the meantime it has become dark[2], but by all means I want to go to the tailor's. The shop is still open, but everything is dark. There is a faint ray of light from the stairs leading up to the flat. When the doorbell rings as I enter, Jeannine calls down from upstairs: "Y a-t-il personne?" Is there anyone there? I only answer, "Oui!" Yes! Then I hear her exclaim in surprise: "Oh, c'est Monsieur Herbert. J'en suis sûre!" Oh, it's Monsieur Herbert. I'm sure of it! And while she is still saying this, she comes hurriedly down the stairs. There is a warm greeting with pecks. After a long chat with the parents, I leave the house with a thick bar of chocolate and return to my hotel late in the evening. The landlady is still sitting at the table with some guests. I also take a seat in the bar and when the guests had left, the landlady comes to me. In the course of the conversation she mentions the camera that had been stolen from her during our stay in her hotel. She suspects Max's boy. I tell her that this corporal had been demoted to common soldier because of another offence he had committed again in the meantime.[3] She hears this news with satisfaction.
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- ↑ express train for front-line furlough men no. SF 824, departure from Brest at 13:16, arrival at Plouaret at about 15:11 (acc. to 14th Directory of SF Trains)
- ↑ sunset ca. 17:30
- ↑ This recount will follow as a retrospective on 3.2.43.