Victor Hayot, The Schoolmaster
Victor's home. The school is behind the house.
The front gate.
During the war, we had no idea who the schoolmaster was, and, of course, we didn't know the name of the village. Consequently after the war I had no way of finding this family.
In 1981, one of my helpers wrote telling me that he had found the schoolmaster. Unfortunately, Victor had died, but his wife and daughters were all living in Sieve. The school where Victor had been headmaster was in the village of Onhaye.
In 1988 Reeny and I visited Bieve. What an emotional reunion it was! They were so pleased that one whom they had helped had made such an effort to find them. Maman Hayot, was 90 years of age, but she had no trouble remembering me. Then I met Mimi and Suzanne, and we all recalled shelling the peas.
That afternoon the champagne flowed, and the special relationship, that exists between airmen and their helpers was very evident, as we chatted about, Victor, and that single day I had stayed in their home.
Suzanne, Mimi, myself and Maman.