Very Strange Places
From Carol Darling:
In the mid 1950’s when my dad was stationed at Orleans, my parents decided to have us live as a French family in the countryside, rather than military housing. Mom fell in love with Chateau la Mouche an ancient estate home on the banks of the Loire River. It was overtaken and occupied by the Germans during WW II and there even remained a tree house lookout to enable German soldiers to check the riverway for French armed boats. We kids roamed the medieval grounds and became fascinated with mysterious closed caves in the garden at the base of the Chateau.
We begged our dads to open the ancient doors and lead us on exploration into the dark recesses. Finally giving in, Major Grindell our playmates dad, agreed to lead our little parade on a tour. I was placed in front of him and given a flashlight. We walked very slowly into the pitch black long, stone- lined cave. Illuminated solely by the thin beam of light from my flashlight, I was guided carefully by the hands of Major Grindell on each of my shoulders. Catching a glint of something to my right, I cast the light beam to scan it and was terrified to illuminate the mummified body of a uniform clothed German soldier, sitting on a rock, leaned against the back wall….with a twisted wire around his neck. He was guarding for eternity, a long line of German guns, lanterns and helmets, placed in formation along the wall. I gasped in horror as Major Grindell seeing the sight too, quickly twisted me to the left and down a corridor….before the little parade of children behind us had a chance to witness the horrible sight.
Years later in discussing the find, we determined that after the war, the returning French family had found one remaining German soldier on the place, guarding the supplies. Their revenge for lost French lives was to place him forever in his guardpost….deep within the ancient caves. Just last year, my 55 year old brother revealed to me that he had also seen the body, being right behind Major Grindell. But to honor the intent of this wonderful man to spare the youngsters any trauma on their little adventure, he had never told anyone that he also shared the unreal experience of that day……and the totally unique life of a military brat…..in far off and very strange places.