My grandfather was enlisted in the French infantry, driving horses to haul their outdated artillery through deep mud. His unit quickly had their supply and command cut off, and so they ate their horses and dispersed back to their homes mostly on foot, surviving as best they could on what little they could find.
Later, a couple men from the local resistance showed up at his house, having learned of his experience with explosives. They asked him to join, and he reluctantly agreed.
After he and a colleague blew up a local bridge, the SS came into town and carried off an elderly business owner and respected member of the community. They publicly tortured him and threatened to kill him the following day unless those responsible turned themselves in. Allegedly, that night, my grandfather was forwarded a note smuggled from the captive elderly gentleman saying that he'd lived a full life, and to not under any circumstance surrender to the Germans. He stayed hidden, and the SS executed their hostage. He never shared the note with anyone, and for a long time felt the animosity of the people in his community who reproached his actions and their gruesome consequences.
Later, a couple men from the local resistance showed up at his house, having learned of his experience with explosives. They asked him to join, and he reluctantly agreed.
After he and a colleague blew up a local bridge, the SS came into town and carried off an elderly business owner and respected member of the community. They publicly tortured him and threatened to kill him the following day unless those responsible turned themselves in. Allegedly, that night, my grandfather was forwarded a note smuggled from the captive elderly gentleman saying that he'd lived a full life, and to not under any circumstance surrender to the Germans. He stayed hidden, and the SS executed their hostage. He never shared the note with anyone, and for a long time felt the animosity of the people in his community who reproached his actions and their gruesome consequences.