“2 August , 1914, arriving in front of the town hall, it was a shock ! France was entering the war against Germany. General mobilisation had been declared ! Our youth and laughter were over ! The following day, we were ordered to serve in the army. We were headed for Saint-Mihiel, to the 29th Battalion de Chasseurs à pied.

Would we be there to finish the harvest ? The ploughing ? We had no idea of what lay ahead for us really with Arthur ! ”