Two French soldiers after their capture by the Germans near Lille, May 1940.
The visibly distraught West African rifleman is comforted by a fellow soldier whose collar bears the number "38", identifying the 38th Infantry Regiment.
Part of the 25th Motorized Infantry Division, the regiment fought in Belgium before being encircled around Lille, resisting until May 31.
The African soldier probably belonged to a different colonial unit. His identity and the exact location remain unknown, but the photograph (a German soldier who took part in the campaign) captures the human reality of the French Army’s chaotic retreat.
Their names remain unknown.
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