Spears was the most interesting of the company. He was the liaison officer between the B[ritish] E[xpeditionary] F[orce] and the French army throughout the winter and observed many curious things. Boothby asked Spears how he would explain the catastrophe in France?

Spears’ answer was very characteristic. The reasons he gave were: the predominance of the ‘Maginot psychology’ in the French army in general and among the officers in particular; the obsolete nature of military thinking in France; the unsatisfactory performance of the General Staff, and in particular the poor disposition of the French army; the advanced age of the French generals; and the lack of talent in the military leadership. Weygand’s reputation, in the opinion of Spears, is greatly inflated. He is in fact a very mediocre general. These, said Spears, were the military causes of the catastrophe. But there were political ones, too. To illustrate the point, Spears referred to Weygand once more. Bolshevism was for him the No.1 enemy. Hitler was always the No. 2 enemy. At the last meeting of the French government before surrender, Weygand insisted on an armistice, arguing that it was the only way to save the army, which was needed to prevent a revolution. The greater part of the French government felt the same.

Spears also related an amusing incident in which he had been involved. It happened on the day when the Germans entered Rouen. The front had essentially already collapsed. The army was in full retreat. France was hurtling towards defeat. It so happened that on that day Spears had to visit Pétain on some business. The old marshal asked him what he thought of the current situation. Spears replied: ‘Only a new Jeanne d’Arc could save France.’

‘Ah, Jeanne d’Arc,’ Pétain echoed with animation. ‘Yes, yes, she was an extraordinary woman! I’ve been fascinated by her all my life.’

Pétain fished out from his drawer the manuscript of a long speech devoted to Joan of Arc, which he had given a few years ago on the occasion of some anniversary, and read it to Spears from beginning to end. Having finished the speech, Pétain launched into a long, general discussion of Joan of Arc. He took thick books down from the bookcase, read out long quotations, commented profusely on the reliability or unreliability of various sources, and offered his judgement. He entertained his guest in this manner for one and a half hours! Then Pétain remembered he had to hurry off somewhere and left, having even forgotten to ask Spears what he’d come to see him about.

And all France thought at that time that the ‘old marshal’ was stretching every sinew of his mind to lead the army, find a way out of the country’s catastrophic situation, and by some great heroic effort ‘save the fatherland’…