Normandy - chapter one

Tensing from the cold, wind bitting his face, Henri felt at home. His family had been fishermen for generations. In the seas off Normandy, and despite occupation, they had largely been allowed to continue unhindered. The Germans actively encouraged some semblance of normality where it fitted within their ideologies, their beliefs and their need to have locally sourced provisions. In this instance, ethnically pure, aryan fish, in return for knowledge of where was safe to fish and where mines and other dangers had been placed.

Henri had not had the chance to fight for freedom as Henri's father had done in the Great War. The war in Port-en-Bessin hadn't been fought, it had been lost along with the rest of France by an unstoppable German war machine. The first days of abject fear had given way to weeks of tension as German officers in nearby Bayeau made their authority known, and brave but clumsy efforts at local resistance met with predictable and sudden ends. Tense weeks turned to watchful months that eventually drifted into a grudging acceptance from most. Each month the Nazis would march through the centre of Bayeau and the local population would busy themselves indoors, the occasional shouts of defiance growing less as passivity turned to reluctant acceptance.

Henri was not politically aware. His father had fought in the great war and had a deep rooted hatred for all things German but Henri himself had no cares either way. He was French and proudly so but resistance seemed pointless and besides over the 4 years that had followed Nazi occupation he had begun to build the business by providing fish to the local Nazis in return for knowledge of where it was safe to fish. Three of his friends had died 2 months ago when an area that had previously been safe to fish had exploded in an almighty chain reaction half a mile out to sea. The new divisional commander had ordered new mines be laid, and as new divisional commander he had felt no reason to inform any locally occupied Frenchmen of his decisions.

As 1944 begun Henri realised that fishing was no longer a home he had to himself but rather one that had become as much about survival as anything else. He no longer felt the freedom he lacked on land in the cold waters off the coast. Henri pulled his boat in, his two younger brothers helping where they could and his father watching on from the shore.
'How were the fish?'
'Good' Henri heaved once more before tying off the boat and inviting his father on to inspect the catch
'A good catch, the fish seem to be enjoying the war as much as we are despising it'
Henri's father was a shadow of the man he had been before his wife had passed away but his shadow was bigger than most. He no longer joined his sons fishing as he no longer had the strength to pull on the nets but instead sat watching and waiting for his boys to return. His youngest son Christophe came aboard with him. His 4 boys had made an agreement since the recent loss of their friends that they would take it in turns not to fish so that should anything happen at least 1 would be left and their father would not be alone. In the euphoria of a successful trip no one had noticed the arrival of a sixth man.
'Heil Hitler'
Hitting his head firmly on the edge of the boat, Henri did his best to ignore the pain and return the greeting.
'Heil Hitler'
Brothers and father belatedly climbed out of the boat to also greet the man in Nazi uniform, against their will they forced a half hearted salute.
'To which one of you does this boat belong?'
'It's a family boat but the fish are definitely French'
'How is this so?'
'They were caught free'
'And yet you are French but not free, I think you may prefer life as a fish?'
The tension was normal but something was not. The Nazis had never lacked for confidence but as Henri looked around him he grew concerned that this one had come alone and despite his bravado had not the same ????
'It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Sebastien Franks, yours?'
Henri, head still ringing, introduced the family but was careful and precise. Experience had taught him to answer questions but to not answer also ones that had not been asked.
'What is to happen with your fish Henri? It seems you have too much for your family'
'We aim to sell them Herr Franks, if you wish to purchase some I can discuss a price'
'You are aware that should I decide they are necessary for our war effort they can be taken for the greater good of the Reich?'
'Do you plan to throw fish at the enemy now?'
Sebastien explained how before the war he had wanted to train as a chef but that the Hitler youth had not promoted such things amongst boys. He had however continued to cook and as time had gone by he had become the divisions chef.
'I choose not to buy your fish but to provide you with an opportunity. You will provide me with fish, free of charge and with no material benefit to yourselves. In return I shall provide you with information.'
'We have more need for fish than information' Henri's father said as he begun to take a more senior role in the discussions.
'Your friends would have benefitted from such information no?'
'Our friends would have benefitted from being free, I'm sorry there can be no deal'
Removing a piece of paper from his pocket, Herr Franks handed it Henri's father.
'We agree to your offer'
'You will naturally be allowed to keep enough fish for your family and a small amount to trade but I shall collect the fish each Monday and provide you with a new note in return each week. I'm sure you understand that the notes I provide do not come easily and that they are at great risk to myself and of course you should they go missing. Heil Hitler'


The note was a detailed map of the 5 miles of coast surrounding Port-en-Bessin and dated 4.3.44 they contained a mixture of symbols and German words. Whilst none of the family spoke German, they knew the sea and they could make out that the symbols largely represented areas to be avoided. The boys spent the next hours discussing the deal. The youngest boys fuming at the indignation while Henri and his father did their best to point out the bleak alternative. The waters had become more dangerous lately while the alternative of not fishing was to guarantee poverty and starvation for the family