Le demi-solde, édition originale

FIRST EDITION. One of 85 numbered copies on vellum pur fil Lafuma-Navarre, second paper.

"In August 1964, to commemorate the Liberation of Paris, France-Soir asked me for an account of this episode in which I had taken part. I was bored by the official accounts in lyrical style that one read everywhere. As a reaction, I wrote the story of the Liberation as I had experienced it.
This little piece of realistic literature whetted my appetite, and I thought it would be interesting to tell the rest.
Peace is very hard for a young man who has only known war, its violence and its distractions. This was my experience, at least during the first two years that followed. I was married, I had two babies, I had no money, I knew nothing of the world. A ridiculous character on top of that, a mixture of vanity, presumption and independence. I believe that in this book I have shown myself and my adventures without complacency. But perhaps my account will interest some people by the picture it paints of the errors of youth."