"First World War plane"

Un but entouor la Grande Dgèrre dé Souos l'Hôlouoge en 1981:

A snippet about the Great War from Under the Clock in 1981:

Native tongue

The story of the First World War plane which got lost in the mist and finally ended up on the beach at Grève de Lecq continues.

I asked the other day if anybody had personal memories of the incident and as a result there was a telephone call from Dr. Frank Le Maistre, of La Brecquette, L'Etacq, St. Ouen.

Even though only a child at the time, he remembers the incident with vivid clarity, being one of a great many who went to the beach to see this strange thing which was probably the first plane many had seen and any had actually touched.

On their arrival, I reported, the observer of the plane greeted the waiting crowd in French, a reply in English coming from Grève de Lecq miller's son George Baudains.

That, says Dr. Le Maistre, was unlikely. He himself was only seven at the time, and Mr. Baudains - who died recently after spending a lifetime farming first in St. Ouen and later at Bagot - was younger.

"In those days," said Dr. Le Maistre, "one started school during one's sixth year. Until then our only language was Norman-French. We only learnt English at school, so I doubt it at that time young George could speak any English at all."

It's a strange thought that there could have been such a profound change within one lifetime as that illustrated by Dr. Le Maistre.

Jersey Evening Post 4/6/1981