French speakers; shameless free translation request

August 21, 2013 2:26 AM

Going through family papers, my partner recently found a 1950s newspaper article in French, detailing his grandfather's visit back to the area of France in which he spent most of his time in WW1. Google Translate gives us a stilted, semi-incomprehensible translation. We've recently been transcribing his grandfather's war letters and this article would be a wonderful addition to the document. I would be very grateful and owe a favour to anyone willing to have a go at turning it into English for us. It's only 276 words, so hopefully not too difficult. Text is under the cut.

40 ans après, un combattant australien devenu dêputé, retrouve Armentières.

Depuis plusieurs semaines les tourists britanniques débarquent en France, sillonnant les routes qui les conduiront vers la capitale ou vers la Cote d’Azur. D’autres viennent aussi chez nous pour se retremper dans l’atmosphere que deux guerres mondiales leur firent connaitre.

Les anciens de guerre de 14-18 sont les plus nombreux a venir notamment dans la région d’Armentières ou se tint si longtemps ligne de front. Ainsi, il y a quelques jours, se presentait a la mairie M. Hon Percy T. Byrnes, qui avait séjourné a Armentières durant les années 1916-1917. Il désirait obtenir des nouvelles de la famille Buisine, qu’il connut rue du bac du Crocq, actuellement rue du Kemmel, et qui, a l’époque, comme beaucoup d’autres, cuisinait pour les soldats de l’Empire britannique.

M. Byrnes fut naturellement mis en relation avec M. et Mme Duthoit-Buisine, domiciliés rue Guynemer, 79 et au cours d’une conversation a bâtons rompus, le visiteur évoqua maints souvenirs datant de plus de quarante ans, parlant des rues du Nord, des Patineurs, de l’eglise Saint-Louis, de l’école de la rue de Messines. Il parla naturellement de “papa et Mama Buisine”, qu’il n’a pas oubliés. Deux de ses enfants sont d’ailleurs prénommés Raymonde et Noel en souvenir de la famille armentiéroise.

Député australien, M. Byrnes est venu en Angleterre pour donner une série de conférences sur son pays. Il a voulu revoir le champ de bataille, des amis. A l’intention des siens il a photographié la maison ou il fut recu durant la guerre. Et en partant, il a dit son souhait de revoir M et Mme Duthoit, en France… ou en Australie.

posted by andraste to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

Best answer: Forty years later, an Australian soldier turned member of parliament, returns to Armentières.

For many weeks, British tourists have disembarked their ferries, making their way along the roads that take them to the capital or towards the Cote d’Azur. Others come to our country to return to the places they know well from two world wars.

Those who fought in the war between 1914 and 1918 are the most common visitors to the Armentières region, where they stood so long on the front line. Several days ago, The Hon Percy T. Byrnes, who had been posted to Armentières in 1916 and 1917, made a visit to the town hall. He wanted to find news on the Buisine family, who lived on rue du bac du Crocq, now rue du Kemmel, and who, at the time, like many others, cooked for soldiers fighting on the side of the British Empire.

Mr Byrnes was quickly put in touch with Mr and Mrs Duthoit-Buisine, who lived at 79 ruse Guynemer and in the course of impromptu conversation, the visitor brought back many memories from more than forty years ago, speaking of the northern roads, the skaters, the Church of Saint Louis, the school on rue de Messines. He spoke fondly of "Papa and Mama Buisine," whom he had not forgotten. He had named two of his children Raymonde and Noel in memory of the family from Armentières.

Now an Australian member of parliament, Mr Byrnes has come to England to give a series of lectures about his country. He wanted to see the battlefield, and his friends, again. For the benefit of those back home he took a photo of the house where he was billeted during the war. On leaving, he said he hoped to see Mr and Mrs Durhoit again, in France... or Australia.
posted by MuffinMan at 3:38 AM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Rough attempt:
After 40 years, an Australian soldier who became a member of parliament returns to Armentières
For weeks now, British tourists have been landing in France, thronging the roads leading to Paris or to the Cote d’Azur. Others however have come to find once more the atmosphere they remember from two world wars.
Most of those who come to the Armentières region are veterans of the ´14 -´18 war, when the frontline ran through the area for so long. One of these is the Hon. Percy T. Byrnes, (ie Mr Byrnes, MP in British English) who called at the town hall a few days ago. He was looking for information about the Buisine family, who he knew from what was then the rue du bac du Crocq, later renamed rue du Kemmel. Like so many others, the Buisine family provided meals for the soldiers of the British Empire.
Mr Byrnes was of course put in touch with Mr and Mrs Duthoit-Buisine, who now live at rue Guynemer, 79. In a wide-ranging conversation, the visitor recalled many memories from more than forty years ago, mentioning the rue du Nord, rue des Patineurs, the Saint-Louis church and the school in rue de Messines (or possibly „street of the church of Saint-Louis"). He talked quite naturally/casually about „mum and dad Buisine“, who he had never forgotten. In fact he named two of his children Raymonde and Noel in memory of the family from Armentières.
Now a member of the Australian parliament, Mr Byrnes travelled to England to give a series of lectures on his country. At the same time he wanted to see once more the old battlefield and his old friends. At his family’s request he took photos of the house where he was taken in as a guest during the war. And on leaving, he expressed a wish to see Mr and Mrs Duthoir again sometime, in France or in Australia.

That was fun! Do ask if there is anything you have questions about about the text, or if you want any more translations done! (am sat at work doing nowt). Sad to think that all of the WWI veterans have passed. But lovely to hear of another friendship resulting from it, like my Grandad had from WWII.
posted by runincircles at 3:39 AM on August 21, 2013 [3 favorites]

Beaten!
posted by runincircles at 3:41 AM on August 21, 2013

Yours is better in lots of places though.

"an Australian soldier who became a member of parliament" is a nicer translation than my modern take.

"when the frontline ran through the area for so long." is the right translation. Mine is wrong.

"mentioning the rue du Nord, rue des Patineurs" is also the right translation. Mine is wrong.
posted by MuffinMan at 3:46 AM on August 21, 2013

Also "landing in France" is a much nicer translation than my butchered efforts. The word utterly escaped me.
posted by MuffinMan at 3:51 AM on August 21, 2013

No but your "return to the places they know well" "spoke fondly of" "For the benefit of those back home" and "billeted" are much better than mine!
posted by runincircles at 5:14 AM on August 21, 2013

Allez, les mecs, y'a des hôtels pour ça ;-)
posted by ZipRibbons at 6:50 AM on August 21, 2013 [5 favorites]

Best answer: For an Australian audience I'd suggest "guerre de 14-18" be translated as either "First World War" (British or Canadian) or "World War I" (American). Since the original poster mentions "WW1", "World War I" is probably best. Here is a combination of what I think are the best features of MuffinMan's and runincircles' translations, plus one or two very minor additions of my own:

After 40 years, an Australian soldier who became a member of parliament returns to Armentières

For weeks now, British tourists have been landing in France, making their way along the roads that lead to the capital or to the Cote d’Azur. Others, however, come to return to the places they know well from two world wars.

Veterans of World War I are the most common visitors to the Armentières region, as the frontline ran through the area for so long. Several days ago, The Hon. Percy T. Byrnes, who had been posted to Armentières from 1916 to 1917, made a visit to the town hall. He sought news of the Buisine family, who had lived on rue du bac du Crocq, now rue du Kemmel, and who, at the time, like many others, cooked for the soldiers of the British Empire.

Mr Byrnes was of course put in touch with Mr. and Mrs. Duthoit-Buisine, who now live at 79 rue Guynemer. In a wide-ranging conversation, the visitor recalled many memories from more than forty years ago, mentioning the rue du Nord, rue des Patineurs, the Saint-Louis church and the school on rue de Messines. He spoke fondly of "Papa and Mama Buisine," who he had never forgotten. In fact he named two of his children Raymonde and Noel in memory of the family from Armentières.

Now a member of the Australian parliament, Mr. Byrnes travelled to England to give a series of lectures on his country. At the same time he wanted to see the old battlefield, and his old friends, again. For the benefit of those back home he took a photo of the house where he was billeted during the war. On leaving, he expressed a wish to see Mr. and Mrs. Duthoit again sometime, in France... or in Australia.

posted by RichardP at 7:43 AM on August 21, 2013

Response by poster: Thank you so much, everyone!! I think I will be going with RichardP's version, but everyone's assistance is very much appreciated. I'm especially grateful for things like the translation of "une conversation a bâtons rompus" which Google gave as "a desultory conversation" - I knew that couldn't be right! And the bit with all the different street names came out very confused on Google. Your translations read so naturally now.

This is a wonderful addition to Percy's letters. It's especially great for us to get some details of the French family, as I would love to trace their descendants. Percy (later Sir Percy) died in the 1970s and we had not found out their surname from his letters. I believe he greatly admired the family's daughter Raymonde who he named his own daughter after - there is a photo of her still in family possession, and the "original Raymonde" has been a cause for much family speculation over the years!

I'll leave you with an extract from one of the letters where he talks about the family, because it's fun, and also very Australian:

"It is funny to see the welcome I get. The baby girl kisses me and Mother plants me down near the fire and Father looks disgusted. I send him out to hold the donkey while I have a cup of coffee and a yarn and then go home. The place is always full of soldiers of all sorts and battalions and you get all the dinkum oil, but I get a good leg in being generally the only one who can parlez French.

The French girls have good complexions and beautiful hair, but terribly big feet on account of the big wooden shoes worn here... They seem to hate being idle and put our Australian girls completely in the shade for general capacity. The needlework done in parts of this country especially around Ypres is wonderful. However I don’t think I’ll marry one. There is not enough room for her feet on a 17 acre block."

Thank you all again!
posted by andraste at 4:49 PM on August 21, 2013