To my Daughter Monique:
Whose request provided the original idea for me writing these memories,

which at first seemed without interest, but then somewhat appealing.

To my Sons:
Jacques, Roger and Philippe, hoping this history can teach them about their family roots.

And to my grandchildren:
Coralie, Michael, Cecile, Yohann, Solène, Justine and Valérian;

Their dad and grandpa

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A few dates concerning these pages:

July 1st 1919: My parents wedding.
April 15th 1920: Marie's birth (sister).
June 3rd 1921: Pierre's birth (brother)
October 28th 1922: Jean's birth (brother)
September 14th 1924: François's birth (brother)
August 29th 1926: Paul's birth (brother)
November 28th 1927: Marcel's birth
February 1st 1932: Charles's birth (brother)
October 1932: My first year at school.
Year 1926: Electricity available at La Troche.
Year 1929: Aunt Marie Paquelier's death
Year 1932: Grandma Paquelier admitted to Hospice.
Spring 1935: Our maternal grandparents Comparet Golden wedding
April 23rd 1939: My first solemn Communion
June 13th 1939: My Primary Studies Certificate
September 3rd 1939: Declaration of WW2
End October 1939: beginning scholastic year at Notre Dame de la Roche
June 18th 1940: Debacle and Armistice
June 22nd 1940 Demarcation Line (Vichy France)
November 1942: German occupation of all the French territory.
June 6th 1944: Allied landing in Normandy.
September 3rd 1944: Liberation of Louhans

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My sources
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Year 1927: We were a family of farmers, at Chateaurenaud, hamlet of "La Troche". Joseph our father was 42 years old; Eugenie our mother was 30. There were already 5 children: the oldest, daughter Marie was 7 years old, Pierre 6, Jean 5, Francois 3, and Paul 1. On November 28th the sixth child arrived, it was me, Marcel. Charles would follow 5 years later.

The farm of "La Troche" was our family domain since the year 1815. At this time (1927), our father Joseph was the only surviving child of his family, except for our grand mother Claudine Paquelier. His two sisters died relatively young, without leaving descendents. His brother Jules died in 1916, leaving his wife (our mother's sister) with 7 children. Our mother, Eugenie Comparet was the seventh of 13 children. Our grandparents Comparet were retired farmers at Meurienne-Chateaurenaud. Our dad had been mobilized for the First World War (1914/18) and served until March 1919. He was first assigned with the Expeditionary Corps in Dardannelles Turkey and repatriated due to illness. He was then sent to the front in France where he was wounded during the battle of the Somme. These recent years had been difficult for him as well as for his aging and ailing parents who had to operate the farm. My parents were married on July 1st 1919 after the end of the war.

Photo of my parents wedding, July 1st 1919

Early childhood - Primary school: 1927/39