Falmouth recently hosted a group from France who were here to meet with British veterans from World War II to commemorate the St Nazaire operation. Heather Campbell, Boat Collection volunteer, gave up her Saturday afternoon to practice her French and show the group round the Museum. This is her report.
The visit to the Museum went very well, though not entirely as anticipated! But I guess that was to be anticipated as well!!
The visit, which was expected to last for no more than 90 minutes, actually lasted for almost twice that time, due entirely to the enthusiastic interest in everything that Les Francaises encountered. They were very complimentary about the Museum, one gentleman commenting that 'over here you are so much ahead in this area, of anything we are doing in France'.
The nature of the visit was quickly shaped by the Mayor, M. Batteux who is a veteran of 5 Fastnet Races, including 1979, when he was towed into Penzance, dismasted. He had also sailed all the single handed dinghies on display. The French contingent were just 5 - the Mayor and his partner, the Deptuy Mayor(ess), another gentleman (and I never knew what was his role but his English was impeccable), and an add-on, a very serious young man in military dress. There were also two English couples.
Unfortunately, as is the tendency these days, introductions were made in first names, so I initially missed the fact that one couple were Nick and Sue Beattie, son of the Captain of the Campbeltown, whose father's letters are on display in the Falmouth Galleries. The other Englishman was his cousin, and his wife - they have recently found letters belonging to his mother which Cmdr Beattie sent to his sister shortly after his capture.
They mostly spoke English, so my French was not an issue! The Mayor strode off around the Museum, enthusiastically inspecting everything with the rest of the group straggling his wake. My job was really to keep everyone up to speed and and steer them onwards and upwards. We were treated to a magnificent scene at the top of the tower - the Falmouth Gigs and Working Boats out in force, the Working Boats schreeching towards us before turning just off the pontoons. A shoal of Mullet were strutting their stuff when we got down below, so the Tower was truly a tour de force.
It was when we got to Curlew that I realised the significance of the English couples present, as it emerged that the Beatties had lived on Curlew for two weeks and are old friends of the Carrs. Additionally, when looking at the Olympic boats, it emerged that one of the two cousins had sailed with Rodney Pattison when they were submariners - it was hard to keep up with all the cross-referencing !
There was of course a lot of interest in the letters on display in the Packet Ship Gallery (until someone spotted the two-headed piglet) and when we finally reached the original St Nazaire exhibit in the Cornwall Galleries, the Beattie contingent were intrigued with the pencil drawing of his father (they didn't appear to have seen it before) and the French were delighted with the cartoon - NAZI being blasted out of St NAZAIRE - this was much photographed, as was the whole visit!
We ended the tour on the pontoon - apparently there is a big Dragon Regatta at St Nazaire - which Tessa kindly unlocked for us - and it was a nice finale for the afternoon, group photos were taken. I left them in the shop, where the ladies found renewed energy!
They were a delightful group, most interesting and their enthusiasm for everything they saw and their complimentary comments about the Museum should be shared by everyone.
Many thanks for involving me in this visit, I enjoyed the challenge!
