Instructions for British Servicemen in France 1944 – Could easily be titled Instructions for British Tourists in France 2014.

What a delightful and touching document. This little book was provided to each invading soldier and was, according to the Daily Express, “the gentlest and most human article the soldier carries to the wars”. The pamphlet was written by Daily Telegraph journalist, Herbert Ziman, and opened with WInston Churchill’s statement that “France will rise again free, united, and independent to stand guard over the brightening opportunities we mean to rescue and rebuild”.

It contains a concise history of France, what the French must have lived through under German occupation, what the French think of the British, and provides very clear guidance on how the British would like to be thought of by the French when the war was over.

It starts very clearly … “A new British Expeditionary Force, which includes you, is going to France. You are to assist personally in pushing the Germans out of France and back to where they belong. In the process, you will meet the French …”.

And provides some classic pieces of advice that British visitors today would do well to adhere to but often do not; to the detriment of all our reputations …

– “If you should happen to imagine that the first pretty French girl who smiles at you intends to dance the can-can or take you to bed, you will risk stirring up a lot of trouble for yourself and for our relations with the French”.

– “The French are more polite than most of us. Remember to call them ‘Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle,’ – not just ‘Oy’ …”

Most surprising to me, these instructions go to great trouble not to paint the regular German soldiers as demons. It states “The French are our friends. The Germans are our enemies and the enemies of France. Remember that the Germans individually often behaved well in France. We have got to behave better”.

Good advice for any time.