▁with ▁bar bed ▁wire , ▁he ▁told ▁them ▁that ▁when ▁you ▁have ▁done ▁something ▁really ▁stupid , ▁it ▁is ▁best ▁to ▁admit ▁it . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁de ▁Haut ec loc que ▁entered ▁the ▁É cole ▁sup érieure ▁de ▁guerre , ▁the ▁French ▁Army ' s ▁staff ▁college , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁its ▁ 6 0 th ▁class . ▁On ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁ ▁( 4 e ▁DI ) ▁as ▁its ▁chief ▁of ▁staff . ▁ ▁Fall ▁of ▁France ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁Germany ▁inv aded ▁Luxemb ourg , ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁and ▁Belg ium . ▁The ▁ 4 e ▁DI ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁line ▁of ▁the ▁Sam bre ▁river . ▁De ▁Haut ec loc que ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁three ▁inf antry ▁batt al ions . ▁To ▁his ▁dis may , ▁orders ▁came ▁to ▁pull ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Canal ▁de ▁l ' Es ca ut . ▁From ▁there ▁the ▁ 4 e ▁DI ▁retre ated ▁north ward , ▁becoming ▁enc irc led ▁in ▁the ▁L ille ▁pocket ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁May . ▁De ▁Haut ec loc que ▁received ▁permission ▁to ▁escape ▁through ▁German ▁lines . ▁He ▁attempted ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁way ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁lines ▁by ▁pret ending ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁civil ian ▁refuge e , ▁but ▁was ▁app reh ended ▁by ▁a ▁German ▁pat rol ▁and ▁taken ▁prisoner