The 46 year old famed poet and songwriter Theodore Botrel pictured on this vintage postcard was told during the Great War [1914 – 1915] that he was too old for military service. Botrel then raced off to Belgium in order to enlist there. His request was again refuted because he had to be from Belgium in order to fight amongst them.
Botrel realized that his songs were as powerful as any bullet. He decided to take his songs directly to the front as a civilian.
His songs about the humble life of his native province of Brittany were later published along with images on postcards.
''His glance is that of a dreamer and a soldier in it is all the melancholy of the misty Brittany, all the fiery energy of the Breton race. When he coos a lullaby, a mournful and languorous chant his voice sighs with infinite sweetness, becomes caressing like the voice of a mother. When he weeps or intones an ancient and vibrant hymn of battle it rises little by little until it pieces to the inmost depths of your soul like the echoes of thunder.''
Botrel wrote song after song to stimulate his compatriots and their Allies, by voice and pen. He started writing a musical supplement to the military newspaper L’Echo des Armees with all of his songs.
The famous song ''Rosalie'' was in the first issue of this published monthly song sheet. '' The soldiers sing it everywhere, at all times — in the trenches, on the march, in the canteen — for it has a splendid swing, and, further, it symbolizes and glorifies the terrible little French bayonet.''
Here is a much to short video clip of the song: