Ernest Hemingway Has a Fist Fight: France, August 1944

The night of the 19th – 20th August 1944 may have been a long one in Rambouillet but it was not unpleasant. After clearing the road of mines and booby-traps Hemingway made his HQ at the Hôtel du Grand Veneur, a grey three storied structure with a slate roof and a splendid rustic weathercock. Behind the building there were extensive orchards – with beehives – that stretched away into the lush and deceptively peaceful French countryside. But more importantly for Hemingway the hotel had a fine wine cellar and an excellent chef.

But Hemingway was still smarting from Irwin’s refusal of arms, and probably in an effort to regain some self-respect, he set off with Krieger and Pelkey to reconnoitre the dangerous Versailles road.

After a short drive they pulled up outside Marie Antoinette’s Royal Hunting Lodge and Model Dairy in the grounds of the former summer residence for French presidents, the Chateau de Rambouillet. According to Krieger, Hemingway was really fired-up and wanted to carry on to Versailles and then Paris. But Krieger argued hard, and convincingly against it, saying that Hemingway would need all his men, and indeed more arms, to safely reach the capitol. In the end Hemingway agreed, and after a look around the grounds – and the building were Marie played at being a milk maid. They then headed back to Rambouillet.

Krieger freely admitted that he came under the famous Hemingway spell. He also reasoned that if he broke away from the writer at Rambouillet he could explain away his and his men’s presence in a town ten miles away from where they should have been. But to head for Paris with a war correspondent who was breaking all the rules would have meant untold danger for his men and a court martial for him. Krieger said his farewells, gathered together his men and equipment, and headed back to the 2nd Infantry positions and some pretty tough explaining.

That night Hemingway and his merry band of men wined and dined well and Hemingway’s spirits – still rather low due to the refusal of arms by General Irwin and Krieger’s departure – rose.

In the morning a refreshed Hemingway returned to the 2nd Infantry positions and again asked for machine guns and grenades – he wisely kept well clear of Irwin – saying they were replacements needed for the 5th Reconnaissance Troop. He was given as much as he could cram into his Jeep.