Paris France, France
#6 Movements Unit

I was transferred from the Comm Centre in Metz to Paris. It was called #6 Movements Unit at that time. I could be mistaken but, from what I read in other postings, the movements unit, was at one time, located in the Canadian Embassy in Paris. Things may have changed numbers when they relocated to rue Murillo. This was the most unusual posting I (or anyone else who was there) could ever experience, except perhaps to some "exotic" embassy posting. We interacted with Canadian Embassy personnel on a regular basis, especially the military personnel. One chap George (francophone), whose family name I now forget, had at that time, been living in Paris for more than 15 years - lucky guy!. He was a mobile equipment type and I believe had driven the Ambassador(s), etc. when at the Embassy. He was a really great guy, as were the rest of the military personnel at #6 Movements Unit.

We worked very hard during the reception of personnel at disembarkation ports (Cherbourg and Le Havre), loaded everyone and their baggage on trains, escorted them to Paris, put them up in various hotels around the city and the next morning escorted them to the various train stations that would take them to the Wings in France and Germany or to #1 Air Div HQ in Metz. The materials handling personnel worked equally hard receiving and distributing goods to the Wings and 1 ADHQ. The service corps personnel handled mail and other goods and the distribution of the same. Nobody sat on their duffs in that place when personnel and materials were moving in and out of Europe. When things were slack, everyone seemed to be catching up on administrative duties.

You will note several visitors staring upwards in the photo wgich I provided. That mansion was awesome in it's internal decoration.

Walls covered with tapestries and ceilings covered with paintings, etc. It also had an impressive exterior. During the second world war, it served as Gestapo Headquarters in Paris. It was sort of a "V" shaped building located at a "Y" intersection, spreading into the back of the courtyard to it's widest dimensions. The room, in which the photo was taken, was actually two rooms separated by sliding tapestry walls. The wall was opened up for that reception of approximately 200 persons. It was a bit crowded that day. The RCAF leased that building with the proviso that no renovations were permitted. to the interior/exterior of the building. Who would want to disturb the awesome interior? The open door in the background right was one of two entrances to the OC's (F/L Groulx) private office, which was much smaller but equally ornate.

The entrance/courtyard of the mansion was enclosed by a high solid steel door and wall. You entered through beautiful doors into the stone-floored reception area (foyer). To the left was a wonderfully carved winding wooden staircase to the second floor. The offices there were the family bedrooms of the mansion. The materials handling personnel were located there. Again, my I forget family names, but F/L Frank -----, originally from Bedford, Nova Scotia was in charge of that unit. I do recall he owned a Studebaker Golden Hawk, quite an automobile at that time. Frank was married to a French national, whose father owned a large import/export company. He left the RCAF to work for his father-in-law some time after I left Paris for 4 Wing. Sadly, I learned years later that he died in an automobile accident in the mountains between France and Italy. He was a superb officer and a man of great character.

The third floor was the servant's quarters and my "private" work place. The secured communications office was on that floor and I spend lots of time there. The private all-ranks lounge was located up there. During work hours, military protocols were strictly observed. However, during off-duty hours officers, NCOs and non-coms were generally very relaxed in an office of only 17 Air Force and Army Service Corps personnel. We worked hard and partied the same way. Yet, despite this things never got out of hand. Mutual respect always remained the "order of the day". I had a particular duty, following receptions and our private parties. I placed a bottle of Perrier water on everyone's desks because we (and the French) believed it was good for a hangover.

The Air Force magazine cartoonist of that time, visited the Unit and later published a cartoon, giving his impressions of our unit. It depicted all military staff, feet up on our desks, looking just a bit hung over and with bottles of booze, etc., on each desk.

I was, as you can see in the photograph I passed to you, at that time an AC1 and the youngest person in the Unit. I was also "green as grass" during that time. A day or so after my arrival, just before 1700 hours, F/L Frank called me down to his office. He told me to go have have dinner, change into civvies and he would pick me up an hour or so later. Everyone lived on the French economy and I was in the Hotel Freidland on the avenue of the same name, close to Place de l'Etoile and the Arch de Triumphe.

When he arrived, five of the guys were in the car. With some difficulty, I squeezed my way into the back seat. With six, it was more than a bit crowded. I soon learned that Frank was equal to any driver in France for speed, manoeuvring in and out of traffic, etc. It was announced that we would be doing a tour of some of the more famous (more like infamous) bars in the seedier areas of Paris. The others laughed. We ended up down near the Moulin Rouge and Place Pigalle. We went into a bar called Madame Arthur's. I saw nothing amiss as we sat down at a table and beer was ordered all around by Frank. The guys kept asking me what I thought of the women, on the stage, who were entertaining us with song and dance. From that distance they all looked great. When the soloist completed her song, instead of curtseying, she leaned forward and the top of her dress fell down, revealing a hairy chest. The look on my very surprised face sent the guys into gales of laughter. They took me there just for that purpose. We then visited the Moulin Rouge and some less famous places like the Canada Bar and the Elephant Bar, etc. down the local side streets. Rough might be an understatement to describe those establishments. I was rather drunk by the time they dropped me off at my hotel. The next morning it was cold Perrier Water for everyone.

When I arrived in Paris, I didn't speak French. Every time we went out for lunch, dinner or just to the bars, the other guys would order for me. One day, I was told to order my own food, drinks, etc. The RCAF provided language training for me (and others as required) at the Unit. I was the only unilingual person there at the time. I managed to pick up the language and was able to live and converse in an somewhat understandable manner.

There are several Unit members in the photo. The head looking over my left shoulder was a Supply Tech. My eldest brother W/O (retired) Ken MacLeod worked with him after he returned to Canada. The shorter chap next to him was an Army Service Corps type. The three guys with backs to the mirror were also Unit personnel and the young woman immediately behind me was a French employee of the Unit. I am ashamed to admit I cannot recall the Sgts name in the front right. He was a great guy from Quebec. The officer with his hand on his head and the chap with the wings on his jacket, were, I believe from were from Metz. The latter, I believe was a S/L.. I also forget the names of three officers in the photo, standing between the two doors.

I lived in Paris during General deGaulle's "reign" of France and often watched as avenue Friedland (and other streets) were closed off and turned into a personal highway for deGaulle going to and from his office and on other occasions. I was there when the no honking (of horns) law was enacted. It came into forced at midnight and within seconds of that occurrence, I jumped out of my bed wondering what the heck was going on. It went from very loud noise to relative silence in a few moments. It took a few seconds before I became aware of what had happened. Everyone I knew at other RCAF facilities, who came to Paris wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and Pigalle. I spent a lot of time in both places. One time, I took four or five RCAF visitors from Metz up the Eiffel Tower. We managed to get somewhat tipsy. I mentioned the emergency staircase that went to the ground. It was decided to see how long it took to go from the second top level to the ground. The French police, who were waiting for our arrival. They were not amused. Lucky for us, very lucky for us, they only gave us a strong warning and let us go.

In December 1955, I was transferred to #4 Fighter Wing at Baden-Sollingen.

Would sure like to know if any of the guys who were at #6 Movements Unit at that time are still around.

Best Regards.

210670 Lac Don MacLeod
239 Chandler Drive,
Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
B4C 1Y4

Email nova.don@ns.sympatico.ca