Gendarmerie

[jimmytaktak]

Hello everybody ! I am here to offer you my assistance. I am French. Please feel free to ask me any question about the French army and I will try to answer you if I can. In exchange, I only ask that you correct my errors. Thanks...

[Mutiara]

Hello Jimmytaktak,

That's a nice offer. Here's a question for you. Is the Gendarmerie now no longer part of the military but part of the French Government ?

Why do you only see Gendarmes with radars on sunny days and not when the weather is bad ?

 

 

 

 

[Âme]

I agree with Mutiara (even if they can't count [;-)]); it is a nice offer Jimmytaktak.

[cooperlola]

Ditto.  So in the spirit of mutual co-operation:

"Hello everybody ! I am here to offer you my assistance. I am French. Please feel free to ask me any question about the French army and I will try to answer you if I can. In exchange, I only ask that you  correct my errors. Thanks... "

is a little better, I think.  But to be fair, I'm being very picky.  It was pretty tough to find any real fault with your English, which is probably rather better than my own.[:)]

[jimmytaktak]

That is true, from this year the gendarmerie is now part of the "ministère de l'intérieur" instead of the "ministère de la défense". But the "gendarmes" keep their statute of soldier. Until this year, the gendarmerie was part of the army like the "marine", the "armée de terre" and the "armée de l'air".
As for radars, I have not answer but there are automatic radars... lol. I hope that I did not too many spelling mistakes...

Thank you cooperlola...

[Sunday Driver]

There are a number of French military schools near to us.  There is the French cavalry school at Saumur, and the sous-officier's college at St Maixent L'Ecole.

We went to St Maixent last summer for a visit, but because Mrs Sunday was in a wheelchair at the time (and the college museum did not have handicapped access) we had to abandon the visit, despite a couple of nice young cadets demanding to be allowed to heave her up all the stairs in her wheelchair.......  [;-)]

We also met the museum director who was very apologetic, saying that they were closing the museum shortly to do a complete refurbishment complete with wheelchair access throughout. 

 

 

[Maricopa]

Hi jimmytakak and welcome to the forum.

Well, I have seen no spelling mistakes and about 99.9% grammatically correct English, so a very big well done from me.

I thought I read somewhere that all new recruits to the Gendarmerie have to have a minimum level of English, perhaps you could comment on that?

[jimmytaktak]

There is no English test at the examination but from this year the "baccalauréat" is requested.

[Maricopa]

Thanks for the clarification jimmytaktak.

[ViVienne]

hello to you Jimmytaktak, are you a gendarme?

[Âme]

Your written English is very good, Jimmytaktak. I was wondering, is there a specific reason why you want to improve?

[quote user="jimmytaktak"]As for radars, I have not answer but there are automatic radars... [/quote]

'I do not have the answer' or 'I have not got the answer.' Use either, it's simply a question of preference, but don't forget the article 'the', (or a or an).

[quote user="jimmytaktak"]I hope that I did not too many spelling mistakes...[/quote]

I can't see any. [:)]  We make spelling mistakes but since you understand the difference between to and too, then I don't think you have too much to worry about! I hope that I didn't make any spelling mistakes or my compatriots will come down on me like a ton of bricks!!

@+ or perhaps I should say, l8r

[Patf]

Welcome to you.

Can you explain if there is any difference between the french gendarmerie that we see locally, on the roads etc, and the army that serves in countries abroad.

[Quillan]

I shouldn't worry too much about spelling mistakes if I were you. Google has a toolbar for Internet Explorer with a spell checker which I use as my spelling is very poor at times. It's the grammar that's the problem just like us English have problems with French grammar at times (well for me most of the time).

I did have a question. A year or two ago I had to give a statement to our local Gendarmerie. My French not being so good they took it in English then wrote it in French. Before I gave my statement the lady had to read something to me about my rights with regards to giving a statement. I am not too sure what that was about as I was only a witness. She translated it in to English for me but I have to say it was not very good English. At the end she wrote on the statement that I had been informed of my rights regarding the statement, her name and number (wish it was her phone number she was very beautiful) and underneath she wrote that she had translated it in to English, I had understood it and that she had a Diploma in English.

I would like to know where she got this diploma from and who actually taught her. For instance do the Gendamerie use English teachers or French teachers, do they do 'role play' and how long is the course?

I admire you for 'having a go' especially in an English forum and I am sure we will all try and help you as much as we can. Perhaps your friends might like to participate as well.

To help us, what do you find is the main problem with the English when you encounter them in your work, no understanding of French language (I suspect the biggest problem), French law, are they rude or well behaved in comparison to the French. What could the English do to help make your job easier?

[JMB]

Jimmy your English is excellent.

I have a question for you.  I am writing a book, it is really a photographic book, where I interview and photograph pilots from World War II.  I am looking for one or two French aviators who flew in the French Airforce or who flew with the RAF in WWII.  Many of these guys would have worked closely with the army, for example with the paratroop regiments in Indochina and North Africa during the conflicts in these regions.   Some of my pilots are high ranking officers.  It is not my intention to interview senior officers.  They can be of any rank.

Do you know any pilots who "fit the bill" (conform to my requirements) and would it be possible for you to assist me in making contact with them?

For your information I have interviewed four British pilots, four Germans, a South African, a Czech, and two Australian pilots.  Examples of some of my photographs of pilots may be seen at  http://gallery.mac.com/johnmartinbradley#100142&bgcolor=black&view=grid

Please accept my apologies for being so forward in making this request and thank you in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.

Best regards

John

[Dog]

[quote user="John Martin BRADLEY"]Jimmy your English is excellent.
I have a question for you.  I am writing a book, it is really a photographic book, where I interview and photograph pilots from World War II.  I am looking for one or two French aviators who flew in the French Airforce or who flew with the RAF in WWII.  Many of these guys would have worked closely with the army, for example with the paratroop regiments in Indochina and North Africa during the conflicts in these regions.   Some of my pilots are high ranking officers.  It is not my intention to interview senior officers.  They can be of any rank.

Do you know any pilots who "fit the bill" (conform to my requirements) and would it be possible for you to assist me in making contact with them?

For your information I have interviewed four British pilots, four Germans, a South African, a Czech, and two Australian pilots.  Examples of some of my photographs of pilots may be seen at  http://gallery.mac.com/johnmartinbradley#100142&bgcolor=black&view=grid

Please accept my apologies for being so forward in making this request and thank you in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.

Best regards
John

[/quote]

 

I used to chat with a bomber pilot that flew the most daylight bombing missions in the UK.

I think he is still alive.

He had big arguements with Dowding as he was a committed christian and was not happy about bombing civilians.

He told us some great stories.

[JMB]

Dog

Is the old codger still with us?

Those bomber guys went through hell.

[Dog]

[quote user="John Martin BRADLEY"]Dog
Is the old codger still with us?
Those bomber guys went through hell.
[/quote]

 

He was still alive last year.

He was a small chap we called him the squadron leader. Because that was what he had been.

He was shot down three times from memory - he reckoned the only reason he managed to get out and survive was because he was small and could get down the fuselage fast.

He told us how a lot of the crews were drunk on the missions. He would only let his crew drink beer and only on the return from a mission. He said beer bottles especially full made a great explosion from height.

I have a lousy memory for names but there is a famous story of a pilot bailing out without a parachute and surviving. The squadron leader said this was complete fabrication and that he had a parachute and bailed out at his first contact with the enemy and there was no reason to bail the pilot had chickened out.

I asked what criteria he used before he bailed, he said when the flames got so hot you could no longer touch the controls.

He recounted how at the beginning they had a six monthly group photo and it got to be daily.

After the war he had a driving school of all things and was a town councillor. He had a lovely wife and it was her bad luck to teach me how to drive a car

In UK I lived near the Carpet Baggers base. My house was used to billet SOE and French agents before being dropped in France. Apparently the airdrome was off limits to people but a mates dad cut the grass. He told how they moved in with earth moving machines and ripped out the hedges and trees. Apparently when they started the Liberators up you could hear them 5 miles away.

They were brave men no way could I do it - CO for me. The Squadron leader was not a happy man about what he had been ordered to do.

[JMB]

Do you know how I could contact him? 

[woolybanana]

Bobo, they were brave men indeed, as were their wives and lovers who listened for the sound of returning engines even as they slept.

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Dog"]

[quote user="John Martin BRADLEY"]Dog

Is the old codger still with us?

Those bomber guys went through hell.

[/quote]

 He told us how a lot of the crews were drunk on the missions. He would only let his crew drink beer and only on the return from a mission. He said beer bottles especially full made a great explosion from height.

[/quote]

Sorry Dog, Thats not particularly convincing. My late Father was ex Bomber Command (WW2) and we obviously spoke a lot about his experiences, drunk aircrew on missions was never even hinted at.

To be honest, the sight of a  bursting  beer bottle when dropped from a bomber at height would require incredible super-human eyesight by the tail gunner, who would be the only person in a position to see.

In UK I lived near the Carpet Baggers base. My house was used to

billet SOE and French agents before being dropped in France. Apparently

the airdrome was off limits to people but a mates dad cut the grass.

He told how they moved in with earth moving machines and ripped out the

hedges and trees. Apparently when they started the Liberators up you

could hear them 5 miles away.

They were brave men no way could I do it - CO for me. The Squadron

leader was not a happy man about what he had been ordered to do. WHY ????????

I may be wrong but I dont recall Liberators being used for agent dropping, Agent drops were usually night drops and were by Stirlings, Lancasters, Wellingtons or Landings by Lysanders of SOE. As I say I could be wrong on that one.

[JMB]

Liberators were heavy bombers and used by Bomber Comand and Coastal Command, not SOE.  I don't think dog was saying they were used by SOE. 

Lancasters were pretty much kept for Bomber Command.  SOE used Sterlings, Wellingtons, Halifaxes, Manchesters, Whitleys, Lysanders and pretty much anything else that nobody else wanted.

Where is this Carpet Baggers place as a matter of interest? I wonder if it is Old Sarum, and if it was, I wonder if the Liberators could be heard from Boscombe Down?  Just a long shot ...

[Dog]

[quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="Dog"]

[quote user="John Martin BRADLEY"]Dog
Is the old codger still with us?
Those bomber guys went through hell.
[/quote]

 He told us how a lot of the crews were drunk on the missions. He would only let his crew drink beer and only on the return from a mission. He said beer bottles especially full made a great explosion from height.

[/quote]

Sorry Dog, Thats not particularly convincing. My late Father was ex Bomber Command (WW2) and we obviously spoke a lot about his experiences, drunk aircrew on missions was never even hinted at.
To be honest, the sight of a  bursting  beer bottle when dropped from a bomber at height would require incredible super-human eyesight by the tail gunner, who would be the only person in a position to see.

In UK I lived near the Carpet Baggers base. My house was used to billet SOE and French agents before being dropped in France. Apparently the airdrome was off limits to people but a mates dad cut the grass. He told how they moved in with earth moving machines and ripped out the hedges and trees. Apparently when they started the Liberators up you could hear them 5 miles away.

They were brave men no way could I do it - CO for me. The Squadron leader was not a happy man about what he had been ordered to do. WHY ????????

I may be wrong but I dont recall Liberators being used for agent dropping, Agent drops were usually night drops and were by Stirlings, Lancasters, Wellingtons or Landings by Lysanders of SOE. As I say I could be wrong on that one.

[/quote]

 

You are getting two posts mixed up.

The squadron leader was more than very unhappy about bombing civilian targets.

Where I lived in UK had many airfields. I wouldn't know the difference between one aeroplane  and another. My school did have fly byes from Scampton or nearby of Lancasters and when a boy I and friends found the regimental silver that was stolen from the base in the woods.

I was more impressed by the bloodhound missiles and the Vulcans.

This was not where I lived where SOE and French agents stayed.

[Dog]

[quote user="John Martin BRADLEY"]Do you know how I could contact him? 
[/quote]

 

Send me an email and I will give you the email of where he lives.

[jimmytaktak]

[quote user="Shivy"]hello to you Jimmytaktak, are you a gendarme?[/quote]

Not yet. I will be a gendarme in August.

[jimmytaktak]

[quote user="Âme"]Your written English is very good, Jimmytaktak. I was wondering, is there a specific reason why you want to improve?

[quote user="jimmytaktak"]As for radars, I have not answer but there are automatic radars... [/quote]

'I do not have the answer' or 'I have not got the answer.' Use either, it's simply a question of preference, but don't forget the article 'the', (or a or an).

[quote user="jimmytaktak"]I hope that I did not too many spelling mistakes...[/quote]

I can't see any. [:)]  We make spelling mistakes but since you understand the difference between to and too, then I don't think you have too much to worry about! I hope that I didn't make any spelling mistakes or my compatriots will come down on me like a ton of bricks!!

@+ or perhaps I should say, l8r

[/quote]

Ok. Thank you Ame...