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Upstarts
Lt Drake told me that he and the battalion commander had arranged to get a steak
dinner at a nearby farmhouse right after dark and invited me to attend. I accepted with
considerable gratitude.
Pretty soon here came my two jeeps, which had been trying to find me all
afternoon, and right on their heels in another jeep was Bob Wilson, who had been sent up
to relieve me as liaison officer. I could have kissed them.
I briefed Bob on the situation as best I could, and he advised me to start home
before it got too dark, since the battalion had moved and I might have trouble finding it.
His advice was good, but after about ten days of K-rations, I had no intention of missing
that steak dinner, so I stayed.
Drake spoke a little French and one of the boys in the family had a year of high
school English, so we managed to carryon a conversation of sorts with the family, who
bustled in and out or stood watching us eat, a trifle pop-eyed. We found that they had had
a group of German officers as guests the night before, and the quick change left them
somewhat dazed, especially since the front lines were only about a quarter of a mile
away. The English-speaking boy looked at us with shining eyes and exploded,
"Yesterday German officier. Today - American officier." He paused for effect.
"Tomorrow French officier!"
Let us draw a veil over my trip back to the 915th. Suffice it to say that Bob
Wilson was right, because I got lost innumerable times getting back, that I finally arrived
at Orglandes, the town where the battalion was located, but couldn't find the battalion. I
did find the 90th Reconnaissance Troop, however, and they were at least neighbors, so
my crew and I moved into their area, unrolled our bedrolls, and spent the rest of the night
with them.
Next morning we found the 915th without difficulty, and I reported to Eric Peach,
who had assumed command during my absence. Then I got some knockout drops from
the Doc and spent the rest of the day sleeping it off. While I was asleep the 79th Division
passed through the 90th and relieved us.
For the next couple of days there was very little going on, and I had some time to
spend on composing the promised letter to Mrs. Costain. It took many agonizing hours,
and I finally gave up and mailed it although I was not at all satisfied with it. I had known
the woman only briefly, but I think it might have been easier if I had never met her at all.
I don't remember what I said, but I believe I emphasized his sobriety and sexual
continence. What I said was quite true. All the time we were in England, where female
companionship and beer were available and most of his subordinates spent off-duty time
on one or the other, Costain never left camp except on official duty. However, he was an
advocate of waterproofing containers for everything, including spare socks, and he used a
lot of condoms for this purpose. I have heard since that some extras may have been left in
his footlocker, which was sent to his widow after his death.
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