My Young years in the French Air Force.( 4)
Tunisia 1946 - 1949 We selected our post by order in which we graduated. When my turn came, I was able to choose Tunisia (El-Aouina airbase near Tunis). As my dream was to go overseas and as I though that this exotic location would make me forget my frustration brought on by the fact that I still didn't have flying status. After a short leave to say good-bye to my family, I reported to the transit center of Marseille (Camp St Marthe) waiting to board the G.C Chanzy and cross the Mediterranean sea in two days and one night. This was my first ride on a ship and I wasn't seasick. So here we were, slowly cruising down the Goulette canal leading to the Tunis harbor. It was April 11th 1946, exactly one year to the day after I had joined the airforce. I could now look back the accomplishment of this past year that lead me to a career other than I had wished for. There was no way anyone could have known what was in store for me. I could have easily completed my second year and end my contract since the airforce had failed to meet their terms. Or I could continue my career in the support role, taking care of paperwork in the shadow of mechanics and pilots. The future will decide otherwise but we're not there yet. As soon as we were off the boat, we were herded towards the El-Aouina airbase located almost four miles from Tunis. With an accountant diploma in our pocket, we were able to hold any kind of post such as personnel admin, financial, quartermaster or even part support. The available position offered to me was in food supply, i.e. officer and non-commissioned messes reporting directly to the mess officer. I was in charge of purchasing and account receivable for any food or equipment related purchases for the mess. The people I was in contact with were, the supply sergeant, the privates waiting on tables and the bar and the German POWs we used as cooks. Among these POWs, we had the chef on the luxury ocean liner "Normandie". Needless to say he could out-do himself if the supply was good. We must realize that although restrictions at home were still in place, this was not the case in Tunisia where the only restriction was money. Since the accounting part of my duties wasn't take too much of my time, I had enough free time to get to know the guys in the unit. I was the youngest and even after having been promoted to sergeant on June 1st, the difference in rank was not an issue. In fact my position called for me to be the accountant as well as waiter at the mess and yet ending up being a customer at the same mess enjoying a drink with friends. I still today picture my friend Aime Bornarel in his Bugey country. I kept this position until December 1946. I was then sent temporarily to Sidi-Ahmed, another airbase near Bizerte, a port on the northern coast of Tunisia. Maybe my superiors thought a break from my friends would have done me some good? Or maybe it's just that a soldier is always on the move.. Life in Tunisia was different than life back home. During summer, we had a different schedule called "Continuous Day"; i.e. from 6 am to 1 pm with a lunch break a 9. The afternoon was off, allowing us to go to the beach. Trucks would take us to the Amilcar beach (near Carthage) reserved to airforce personnel. We were also free on Saturdays afternoon and Sundays. Tunis and the surrounding area had a tramway called the TGM (Tunis/La Goulette/La Marsa). One line had stops on every beach. El Aouina had its own line as well. However, riding this tram was not very practical, as the schedule didn't go very late. Often time after going to a movie or other, we had to catch a ride with a horse drawn buggy. Cheap but slow! Our hang out was the main avenue in Tunis where all the theaters, cafes and restaurants where along with the cathedral. It was always a good thing to be seen at mass as it gave us the opportunity to see the girls of the French families living in the area. At that time Tunisia had a large population of Jews, Sicilians and Maltese. Outings in the "Souks" (merchant neighborhoods) were common practice among soldiers. It was customary to argue over the price of any items, knowing that the first price given had to be divided by at least 2 or 3 if not more. And let's not talk about the cheap imitation passing for real… Like most Arab neighborhoods in cities around North Africa, they were irresistible. The "Souks" also had an area with "closed-houses" that only adults, 21 and over could attend. Since I did not have the legal age, their access was theoretically forbidden to me but the uniform was a sign that I was emancipated thus making it ok. Anyone who lived in Tunis at that time will surely remember the rue Abdallah-Gueche ! After spending a few weeks in Sidi-Ahmed/Bizerte, I came back to El-Aouina in March 47 to be appointed to a new position at the CTRRT (Technical Repairs and Supply Company). This time no more counting bottles and food, I dealt with cars, engines, aircraft parts and tooling. Still boring yet taken more seriously. Although I kept in contact with my friends, I made new ones, fresh out of mechanics school of Rochefort. Most of them were aircraft mechanics but ended up working on vehicles millwright. The only unit with aircraft in El-Aouina was a small support one with very few planes and thus didn't need a lot of mechanics. It was at that time that I got interested in motorcycles. Several mechanics had one and talked me into getting one. Since I didn't have much money to my name, I found a 250cc TWN (Triumph Werke Nurmberg). The engine was a 2-cycle engine with 2 pistons in a single combustion chamber. The bike had good pick-up but very prone to backfiring. As a matter of fact, one night after a movie, the carburetor caught on fire when I tried to start it resulting in gathering of police officers. The fire went out by itself but since I didn't have a license, they took me in to be questioned by the lead detective. What a surprise when he announced after checking my id that he too was from Chateaurenaud!, the Vincent family in the village of The Gruyeres. The whole thing ended up at the bar where two guys from the same region far from home were having a drink talking about the old country. As we parted way, he invited me to take the motorcycle license test as soon as possible and advised me to switch bike at the earliest. This is what I did and found a 500cc BSA with sidecar from the allied military surplus this time. I was so proud of that machine and passed the test sidecar and all. This machine became our primary mode of transportation when going out with friends. One evening after celebration more than our fare share, seven of us packed on the bike made our way home. Although this was a short trip, the machine and all its passengers went flying into the ditch. I don't remember out we made it out and pushed the bike back to the base. One thing for sure is that as we were going through the guard post we were spotted and after seen that four of us were hurt (me included), an ambulance took us to the Tunis military hospital. Thankfully, our injuries were not serious and we were back with a couple weeks. Upon my return, a 15 days jail sentence was waiting for me. I still remember the charges "dragged his colleagues in a motorcycle outing and due to his carelessness caused an accident resulting in four injuries". Months, years went by without a care in the world. My family was far away and we only went home once a year yet I never felt homesick. During those yearly leaves, we were allowed one free round trip either by boat or via military plane. This is how I got my first plane ride. The plane was a Halifax bomber. A four engine English made sizable machine. The bomb bay was in the middle connected by a catwalk with benches on either side. Of course there was no soundproofing nor heat or air-conditioning. The experience was very different to the airliner I got to step into later on. My unit change named and now is the PBA 157 (Airbase 157 Vehicle Pool). I was assigned a special mission consisting in a round trip to Alger (Hussein-Dey) via Constantine. This was a weird adventure for me full of responsibilities travelling into the unknown. I must say that at that time, the risks involved were more like a mechanical problem that an ambush like it would be later on. The trip to Constantine went well but nothing was ready for us at the camp so we had to wait a few days. I had a little adventure at the hotel we were staying at and I wouldn't have mind staying a bit longer. The rest a the trip went without any problems and we returned to Tunis ten days after our due date. I resumed my job as Technical supply-accountant until June 1949.	G.G. Chanzy, Marseille-Tunis Tunis El-Aouina   The young sergeant in front of the NCO mess
	The mess staff around the Sergeant (2nd on right squatting down)
	Amilcar beach, on the Tunisian Mediterranean Sea
	Sunday morning in Tunis at the ending of Mass. (I am the one with dark jacket and light trousers)
	The BSA motorcycle, without the sidecar attached
	One of the frequent Unit party, this one for a change of command. (I am the 3rd on left)
	Mission from Tunis to Algiers: taking a break on the road to ride a camel…
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