BATTLE OF THE RAILS
In June 1940 the Germans cut France in two,
separating friends and family
and blocking equipment and supplies behind the demarcation line,
dividing the country
into an occupied zone and a so-called "free" zone.
Linking the two zones, but under strict enemy control,
were the railways.
France had to maintain its inner unity
and relations with the outside world.
The barrier erected by the enemy
had to be crossed by both the past and men.
The railways took on this task, its first form of resistance.
Growing bolder under the regime of terror,
over four years they developed a fearsome weapon.
The day of the landings,
they contributed considerably to disorganising transportation
and to defeating the Germans in the battle for liberation.
Jews! It is strictly forbidden to cross the demarcation line
into the occupied zone.
The train has arrived at Chalon-sur-Saône.
It will stop for 20 minutes.
Would passengers please produce their identity papers
and passes,
ready to be checked by the occupation authorities.
Please do not block the corridors.
Papers, please.
Thank you, madam.
- Checking! - Stay there!
Dog for Lyon
Fill with water, now!
It's done!
Faster!
It's done.
I told you, it's done!
You're already late, you can do that further along!
All right, go.
You will now witness a very precise mechanism...
Command Post
From this command past, trains are directed and followed.
During the occupation these were often military transports: TCOs.
This is how it would work.
This gentleman requests
a TCO of 50 wagons...
Hello? We need a 50-wagon train.
It's for a TCO.
The railwaymen take the greatest care over the TCO,
cutting no corners and creating considerable delays.
Always with the greatest discretion.
- A bad wagon. - No, no!
- Yes. - No!
It should be scrapped, I'm telling you.
- How long? - An hour.
- Too much long! - Too bad.
For a TCO? I've only got one available.
You'll have to wait an hour for it.
Everything is in order on the traffic board too.
The command past is in direct contact
with all the region's stations.
This chart shows a projection of all railway traffic.
That's the theory.
The reality is this other chart,
on which the operator marks down the trains' progress
according to their real positions.
The S1288 has just left.
When will it get to Sarrey?
On time... Plus forty minutes.
Corbin Station here. The S1288 is arriving, 58 minutes late.
To number their trains the Germans use indecipherable codes,
which the railwaymen soon decipher.
Into the cogs of this precise mechanism
the railwaymen insert pebbles, making it malfunction.
It doesn't run smoothly, it resists.
And who's behind this resistance? Let's find out.
I've nothing more to explain.
- Cards tonight. - Right.
- A new player. - Good.
- Hello, sweetheart. - Hello.
- How's the old man? - Fine.
Here's the new one I told you about.
Well, I never!
Missus!
Careful now...
No messing about. His name's Athos, what's yours?
Camargue.
Your tasks are to find sympathisers,
gather intelligence and transmit it.
- I've got the lists. - And the pamphlets?
You'll find them you know where.
- I'm in. - OK?
Thanks.
I can get a few blokes together to distribute the pamphlets.
- Up to you. - Trump!
Are there many of you?
A few more just coming.
Come on, get a move on!
There are a thousand ways to cause trouble for them.
I'm counting on you.
You can stop the wagons from leaving France...
You can cut the brakes...
You, Louis, can see to the fuel...
It's a magnetic bomb, it sticks all by itself.
Look.
There are two magnets, here and here.
Put it on something made of iron.
Watch out, Krauts!
Hide in the bays!
They're coming.
Air raid. Everyone into the air-raid shelter.
That was close.
Sabotage of machines Sabotage of supplies
After the friendly advice,
the threats... Plastered everywhere.
Death penalty for saboteurs
No passing!
- Move! - What is it now?
Come on, Louis, they need an interpreter.
- Do you speak German? - Yes.
You can interpret.
Comrades.
I must announce
that acts of sabotage are being committed all the time.
This must stop.
We are fighting together
on behalf of the same cause.
We are working together for the civilisation of the world.
We are reaching out to you.
But if you do not obey us,
we shall have no choice but to crush you.
Translate!
He says..."Comrades, there's too much sabotage."
And he says...
"We're all working for the same cause."
Louder!
He says, "We're holding out our hand to you,
"but if you reply with your fist, we'll crush you."
Conclusion: ten German trains should have left that evening.
And six men, two groups of three,
were arrested as hostages.
But words have no power here...
Get out, quick!
Come with me!
Get over here!
Wait.
- What do we do it with it? - Hide it till later!
Hide it.
Here, deal with this.
Finish up here, I've got other things to do.
Aim.
Fire!
3 wagons of concentrated milk 15 of flour
2 of tinned fish 8 tons of sugar
leaving for Stuttgart 3/5/42
All this stuff for a month now.
Yeah, and ore too.
Here, get this to the radio.
Quantities sent to Germany from the 15th to the 30th.
This is London calling.
The French speaking to the French.
First, a few personal messages.
The hawthorn is in flower.
The presbytery has lost none of its charm.
Twice.
Veronese is a great painter.
The cat is out of the bag.
That's it!
They've landed!
Get the map out.
They've landed.
Where do you reckon?
This stretch is seriously at risk.
It's vulnerable to attack.
It needs reinforcing immediately.
So we use...?
- The roads. - No, the railway.
Transport Command
Twelve trains for the western front.
What about the Apfelkern convoy? This way?
No, not the main line. Terrorists.
They won't expect us there.
They're preparing troop transports.
They'll take the single track, not the main line.
All we'd have to do is blow up the bridge at Corbin.
It'd be great if they never got there.
Order to prepare a 12-train convoy. The first train: S1504-322-425.
The convoy's name is Apfelkern.
- Apfelkern? What does that mean? - Appleseed.
- What? - Appleseed.
For Corbin.
They daren't tell us the whole route.
Excuse me.
Corbin here. The bridge has been blown up.
The Apfelkern convoy will have to go on the main line.
Always the same!
Command post?
Convoy S1504 at 3.45 pm.
The convoy is on time.
Langres Station here. The line has just been blown up.
Post 3. Halt convoy S1504.
No! Divert it.
Yes. Divert it via St-André.
Divert it via St-André.
- Do you understand? - Shall I go?
- Right away. - Now?
22nd July 1944 S1504 for 23/7
Hello, pal.
All right? Bon appétit!
Know why I'm here?
Yes, go ahead.
You got an engine here?
Yes, but not ready.
The boiler's empty.
- I can't fill it using buckets! - Why not?
What a job!
It'll be hard work. And I'll get shot after.
We'll tie you up. Blame it on the Maquis.
We have to make sure the convoy doesn't get past.
But I've no one to get it going.
Unless...
There's Jules, the retired engine driver.
- Why not? - Come on.
Don't go, Jules! They're all mad!
Can't you see he's too old?
I'm coming. But I'll need someone to help me.
There's old Victor.
What a job!
Who did that?
We don't know.
It's Louis. He came to blow the line.
Get a move on. If the Germans show up,
we're defenceless.
Come on.
Take out these two.
- What a job! - Have a swig.
The wagons on line one, the engine on line two.
Now for the engine. Down you get.
- How far away is the break? - 800 metres.
Yes, I understand.
See you, pal.
St-André Station here.
They've blown the line, and derailed an engine and 8 wagons.
- When? - Last night.
And you tell us now?
I was tied up and they cut the phone lines.
Only three out of seven trains arrived.
Why hasn't the convoy arrived yet? It's your responsibility.
Yes, sir!
- Repair now. - We can't get a crane.
- There's a 30-ton crane. - Ask for it, you'll see!
It's for you.
Weissmuller!
Where is the Apfelkern convoy?
It must arrive without fail, whatever it takes.
I'm making you responsible.
Yes, sir.
Get a 30-ton crane to St-André Station immediately,
to lift a locomotive and 8 wagons.
Impossible.
We haven't got a locomotive for the crane.
I repeat! I need a crane immediately.
We only have one stand-by engine.
That's for the convoy.
I don't care how, just get the crane there!
OK, we'll give you the stand-by engine.
It's coming.
Lower it.
How long to clear the line?
- Three hours. - Fine.
We'll do our best.
We'll start with the first wagon.
- Are you sure? - Yes, we'll count them.
I'm all right.
- Sabotage, sabotage! - What can I do about it?
Clear up all this!
I'd need a 50-ton crane to lift this one.
I need another crane. A 50-ton crane!
50 tons. Hurry!
- How long? - I need to have a look first.
Come on.
- One, two... - Three hours for the wagons.
This changes everything.
Well?
Even if we work all night, not before tomorrow evening.
It's impossible, we can't do otherwise.
This train has to...
Impossible!
Clear all this up!
Take that.
The bastards! They're going to get past.
It was a good plan too.
We'll see about that.
Watch the road, by the woods there.
Watch that spot.
Everything's ready. Hide on either side.
Hey, you lot, hurry up!
Halt!
Get this fixed right away.
Hands up!
Bastard!
Go on!
Go on, walk.
You watch over there.
And you, this side.
Get the pressure up to maximum and then get down.
What are you doing? Get down!
All right?
Yeah, fine.
We won't be getting home for a while.
You're not going to blow her up?
Never mind.
More bloody trouble!
St-André here. A runaway train just went through!
There's a work party on the line.
I can't warn them by phone!
We've only got a few minutes.
Phone post 7, tell them to half-open the points.
It won't go any further.
Post 7.
Post 7? Half-open the points.
What? Derail the train?
Which train?
The crane?
- What are you doing? - Never mind. Get out of here!
Just the heel broken!
That's just great!
Command post.
Post 7 here.
The train's gone through.
No derailment. Just the heel of the switch point broken.
There's a slope, but after the works.
St-André here. The 404 just went by, at 9.13 pm.
They're still at it.
We've had the Krauts going in circles for two weeks now.
From diversion to diversion, they can't make it out of the region.
Hence the armoured train.
The only way they're safe. But more than that...
- They're all tight together now. - What do you mean?
I'll explain.
This is the armoured train.
Then the other trains in the convoy, as close together as possible.
The armoured train in the lead, the others following.
In front, a wagon with spare rails.
If there's a break, they stop, and they do the repair immediately.
And all the other trains follow close behind,
so there's no sabotage between them.
We have to blow the armoured train, see?
Here, for you.
- What's new? - Nothing.
What's an armoured train like?
Like a goods train.
You know what I mean. With cattle trucks.
They put rail sleepers inside, and...
Forced labour workers behind sandbags.
Anti-tank guns?
Of course. They're well defended. Why, are you scared?
It's not that.
Wish you were home, eh?
No, I wish the fight had started.
You want to see the Krauts?
I want to see myself. You can never be sure of yourself.
You can be sure of this. It'll pierce metal 10-cm thick.
A pity we only have one.
- What? - A pity we only have one.
Hardly any reinforcements by rail, and by road they're short of petrol.
For which they can blame us.
In any case, I never delivered any!
It's taking ages.
Who's that with Masson?
Louis. The one sent from the centre with our instructions.
- Well, well! - What?
A glow-worm. So what?
- I've never seen one before. - No?
We don't use them for street lighting in Paris!
I've learnt some stuff over this last year.
Rye, barley, colza... Glow-worms!
Colorado beetles, green beans...
No, not like that! What are you doing? There!
- Do you think they'll come? - Louis wouldn't be here otherwise.
An armoured train...
followed...
by a convoy... S1504.
This is it! It's passed Buisson.
Watch out!
Halt!
Can we?
Get down, lads!
Damn it!
There!
Prepare to fire!
Load!
- Ready to fire. - Good.
Ready to fire.
Good. Ready to fire.
Fire battery volley!
They're hit!
Come with me!
We can't do anything against that!
What are the others doing with their bazooka?
Pull!
A bit further!
Stop!
- Drop it! - Watch your feet!
To the outside!
Roll it to the outside!
Roll it!
- Hello, sir. - Hello.
I heard you wanted to see me.
Yes, but first I'd like to borrow your office,
so Mr Roussel and I can finish our work.
Be my guest, sir.
So, can you tell me anything about this convoy, Apfelkern?
It's a very sorry story, sir.
Bad luck coupled with terrorist attacks.
Yes, I know.
We have the Transport Kommandantur on our backs.
It's been going on for two weeks. Quite a tour de force!
So it seems, from my work in the command post.
Quite a tour de force, in the opinion of my friend Castenet,
who asked me to congratulate you on such good work.
Ah, Castenet...
We work together.
So it was to you he transmitted...
We can save some time.
We're going to have to work fast, and on a much larger scale.
Another 11 trains are to be diverted onto the electric network.
We need to take extreme measures.
We have to intervene between two trains.
- There's no time between them. - There is!
It's dangerous for the crew.
Don't worry. Lampin has already done two derailings.
But he'd like the chance of killing some more Krauts.
- OK. - Goodbye.
- Finished? - But the left axles need checking.
- Seen Lampin? - He's over there.
Thanks.
Did you request the 1504?
How do you know I did?
I know these sorts of things.
Careful! That little pig has big ears!
We want to derail the first train after the armoured one.
The Krauts will never think we'll dare do it.
The only thing is, the trains are so close together
that the explosives will go off as your train's passing.
You know the curve after Lissac?
That's where we'll have to do it.
I'll try.
It's all happening in Normandy.
Reinforcements mustn't arrive. It's a question of days.
If you don't feel up to this, old pal,
no one'll hold it against you.
Ten tanks less in a battle can change the outcome.
What about your mate?
He's always with me.
Remember.
At the 212-km mark.
Are you getting changed?
As you can see.
I didn't think of that.
Well, you're young. You're smart enough already.
I left a bike tyre in my locker.
It's for my wife. Remind me tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Hey!
If you see Rossignac, tell him I've gone.
All right.
Ready?
We're ready.
Jump to the left, not down the ravine.
Reckon we'll survive?
We'll see it through to the end, anyway.
We've had it!
- Jump! - I can't leave you.
Jump, I said!
Who's in charge here? Join the Maquis.
Why lose two when one can do the job?
It's over to you now.
Eleven trains in a row.
Bellay substation? Cut the current.
What? We can't do that!
Cut the current!
- Go! - There's no current.
- Prove it! - Phone if you don't believe me.
It's back there.
- Speak. - There's no current.
They're going to shoot us!
Put it back on. We'll get them later.
Restore the current.
Broken down on every line.
Take all locomotive engines to pull trains on electric lines.
Now, old pal... the locomotives!
What?
Resistance order: dump the fires!
Here! "Apfelkern troop convoy.
"Ten trains immobilised. Waiting between V and B."
Air raid!
Lights out!
Lange Station here. The bridge has just blown!
Post 7 here.
The tunnel's blocked, the line is cut!
The Free French are here. Roadblocks everywhere!
The Krauts are trapped! 50 prisoners already!
They've got weapons, then!
There's a Kraut convoy in retreat!
Not many trains still running.
They're stealing all the bikes!
The convoy was bombed by the English the other night.
They're running away!
Things are looking up.
Locomotive!
Station staff only
What the hell are they doing now?
Stop!
What's going on?
Reserved for occupation troops
Post 9 here.
A train of Germans is heading to Sarrey to blow it up.
Stop them!
I can't!
We have to save the material now.
I'll make the Germans think the Americans are there.
Let German HQ know the Americans are at Sarrey.
Switch the points.
- The Americans are at Sarrey. - Not true!
I want to see for myself.
- Telephone. - There.
Transport command.
Where are the Americans? In Sarrey?
So it's true!
We're going back.
Come on, move!
We've been liberated!
Nice one, lads! We beat them, eh?
St-André here. We've hoisted the flag.
With machine-guns still firing.
Hang on...
They've fixed the rail. Listen...
The first train's about to leave. It's been decorated.
Flags and banners all over it.
People are throwing flowers, everyone's on the platform.
Just listen...
Post 8 here. The first train, the 122,
at 2.45...
You do the first one.
Vive la France and all the railway men!