THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: French and British friendship strengthened by a ‘deep understanding’ between troops

As the war entered its fifth month the “deep understanding” between the British and French was being manifested in the RAF zone and other parts of the Western Front, reported the News Letter on this day in 1940.

The paper reported that the phrase ‘Our Allies’, “the old formal term of address used in speech and conversation” was being dropped in favour of “the warmer term”, ‘Our Friends’.

A sergeant-pilot from Birmingham put the British case simply, but effectively in the following terms, noted the News Letter: “I’ve had the time of my life since I came out here. Many of my chums say the same thing. You see, the French family I am billeted, with could not have been kinder – no, not even if there had been a war out here to take some of the gilt off the gingerbread.”

The RAF man added: “We are both fighting the Germans, I know, but, the French could have made our job much less easy than they have. They all seem to like our intervention.”

The News Letter noted that the happier social, as well as professional, interaction between the British and French soldiers and airmen was in measure to the big increase in the number of Britons and Frenchmen who can speak each other’s language. One French officer in fact said that in this respect the improvement over 1914 was “most marked”.

Meanwhile, the tactfulness of British officers and the exemplary conduct of the men under their command had also contributed greatly to the close friendship between the British and French.