Tug of War

‘We know he crossed the Seine with the cavalry in the first days of September and rode north to the Marne to fight on the right flank of the British Expeditionary Force. The British and French fighting together,’ he said with a slight smile, ‘took advantage of an opening gap and cut their way through to divide the opposing forces. Just like us, you’re thinking! The action led to the first allied victory of the war. But you were there, I understand?’

‘Right in the middle,’ said Joe. ‘Effecting liaison between the British GHQ and General Joffre.’ He swept a negligent hand over his eyebrow. ‘Souvenir of the Marne. If Dominique was 8th Dragoons he must have ended up in the French Cavalry Corps under General Louis Napoleon Co

Bo

‘Huge casualties up there, British and French, in the second half of that September,’ Joe said quietly. He could never repress a shiver at the sound of the word ‘Crao

‘His death was reported as taking place on 15th September, trying to break through the front between Cerny and Crao

Joe left a respectful silence.

‘In the skirmish that followed, Dominique’s horse was shot from under him and he was last seen grappling in combat with the German commander. Sabre to sabre. The French troop was wiped out with the exception of the letter writer, who was knocked unconscious and carted off for interrogation and three years of prisoner-of-war camp by the Germans.’

‘Terrible story. And you think our Mademoiselle Desforges is utterly confused? Her man whom she identifies convincingly and without prompting by his birthmarks was, according to her, present at the Chemin des Dames but I could have sworn she meant the second battle of that name in 1917. But, Bo

‘I’m afraid the evidence rules her out. A body – complete with identification, I have to say – was returned to the parents, was buried with no query raised in the family vault in Paris. In October 1914.’

Joe was aware of Dorcas’s disappointment.

‘Can we be absolutely certain that it is his body?’ Joe ventured to ask on her behalf. ‘In the chaos of war strange things happened . . .’

‘We’ll have to take it as established, I’m afraid. There is no way in the world we’ll get permission to disinter a war hero. Posthumous Croix de Guerre and all that. The parents categorically refuse permission. And, the facts being what they are, I can’t say I blame them. We’d be flying in the face of common sense and the evidence if we pursued this.’

‘Don’t cross Mireille off your list yet!’ said Dorcas. ‘Oh, sorry, Uncle Joe.’

‘I understand your sentiments, mademoiselle, and sympathize,’ smiled Bo

‘Talking of burials,’ said Joe. ‘If you look at my notes on the third lot, the Tellancourts, you’ll see I discovered – you might have warned me! – that their Thomas is comfortably buried where every French soldier wants to be buried, in the shadow of his own village church steeple. Amongst a whole tribe of Tellancourts. So what is all this nonsense about their claim?’

‘Ah, yes.’ Bo

‘It was in response to such a plea posted by the mother that one of these firms contacted her. They had found the boy, they declared, and had his tag to prove it. They could box up the remains in a coffin and return it to St Cérésur-Marne. For a fee, of course. They charge a franc per kilometre, I understand. So, for a small fortune, a body was returned and buried in the family plot. And until that wretched photograph of Thibaud was printed, they were at peace, content to take their flowers along to his grave every Sunday. But now? Well, how certain can we be that the body in the grave is the Tellancourt boy? You tell me!’

‘Not at all,’ said Joe quietly. ‘And I have to tell you, Bo

‘Silly woman! But that was well done, Sandilands. A denial by the wife! I’ll fetch her in and take her statement. That’ll amply satisfy the powers that be. Good, that’s one more off our list,’ Bo

‘Wait! Not so simple, I’m afraid. I was to discover that the lady values her widow’s status and means to remarry. The thought of remaining chained to a mental patient for the rest of her life doesn’t appeal. And gives her a jolly strong motive for denying him.’

Bo

‘But wait! You’ll see I had a roller-coaster of a day – I also managed a private interview with the mother, though I can’t be certain that she didn’t do the managing . . . Anyway – when asked, she offered conclusive evidence as to the birthmarks. It’s all in the notes. She was even able to describe the one on the rear which apparently escaped the attention of his soi-disant lover, Mireille Desforges.’

‘So, we rule out Desforges, leave in the Tellancourts and, tell me, what are your thoughts on the Langlois claim?’

‘As with the Tellancourts, I suspect that the imperative here is a financial one. Dorcas has done some sound detective work of her own and discovers that Mother Langlois, having apparently mistreated her son through his young life, now wants him back in his damaged state to facilitate her flight from the family hearth. I can’t blame her for formulating such a plan but I have to say it casts doubt on the foundation of her claim. Much, I’d say, rests on the statement of this schoolmaster who seems to be so sure of his ground and fighting her corner. Anything known?’