Rhiwbina Living 61

c'est la vie
David Judd's life was changed the day he met his French exchange
student at Cardiff General station as a youngster. This is his story
by David Judd
I
was born in Cardiff in 1938; I went
to Allensbank School and then
onto Cardiff High School. Not a
remarkable upbringing so far.
But there were a few highlights
along the way. The first was the
arrival of two American GIs who
were stationed in our house for
several months. We had food
parcels from their families for years
afterwards.
Another highlight was getting a
Halfords bike for passing my 11
Plus. Then there was somehow
an exchange visit of 40 boys for a
month with a similar group from
Nantes. I have no recollection
of how or why they came other
than I was studying French and
had a paper round at Shapleys in
Whitchurch Road to earn money to
go. But their visit did change my life.
32
I recall going to Cardiff General
station and seeing the French
contingent with one boy in plus
fours - and yes he was mine - Eric
Tertrais.
During his stay, we had various
organised outings that I have long
since forgotten but I do remember
one where my father took us up to
Brecon. We were there to drop off
my elder brother Peter on a longdistance
walk with his friend Francis
Paton. Other than that, Eric just
joined in our various games, playing
in the castle grounds at Blackweir,
on the Wenallt, Cefn Onn, or up
Garth Mountain. Not a lot of French
was spoken during his visit as his
English was much better than my
French!
The big adventure, however,
began with the railway trip to
Southampton, the ferry, and then
the railway down to Nantes on the
return visit. There I met his parents,
and we spent the night in their
Vertou home.
The following day, we piled into
their Citroën and went to their
holiday home at St. Marc sur
Mer, some 40 miles down the
estuary. This was a former German
blockhouse in the grounds of an
aunt’s château, overlooking their
private beach and clifftop tennis
David as a youngster