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THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 3, 1941.
SIR R. KEYES REVEALS HOW BELGIUM SURRENDERED
INSIDE HISTORY of the events leading to the surrender of the King of the Belgians was revealed for the first time in the King's Bench Division, when a settlement was announced of a libel; action brought against the Daily Mirror Newspapers Ltd: by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes
1
It was disclosed that on May 20 King Leopold warned the British Government through Sir Roger that the Belgian Army had neither tanks nor air- craft, and that if there were a separation between it and the Allied armies a Belgian capitulation: would be inevitable..
On May 27 he informed, the Allies that he in- tended to ask for an armistice but the message did not reach the Commander-in-Chief, all communica- tions with the British Army being cut.
fucts These
related In-1 were Patrick Hastings, court by Sir K.C., counsel for Sir Roger Keyes. He said:
"The Germans invaded Belgium on May 10, and a few hours later Sir Roger Keyes, at the request of our Government, left England by aeroplane to join King Leopold as special liaison officer.
"He was with the King at the headquarters of his army through-, out the brief campaign in Belgium, and at the same time was in close touch with the headquarters of the British Army and with the Government,
on
the Year, which
by now was flooded over a wide area and its bridges.mined.
"Fighting on the Belgian front had been continuous for four days. and the Belgian army by May 27 of food and was running short ammunition and was being attack-
at least ed by
eight German divisions, including armoured units and wave after wave of dive bombers.
Notice Of Surrender
"On the morning. of May 27- the King asked Sir Roger to in-
00000000
WORK DURING ALERTS
A fighter pilot went to a munitions factory to: address the workers.
After his modest and grateful speech one of them asked how much he was paid for his job of shooting down Huns.
"About £4.a week,” said the pilot. "And how much do you
get?"
"Between £10 and £12 a week," said the munitions worker, adding, in mitigation of the différence, which he realised was excessive, "but we work during Alerts, of course."
EIRE EXPOSED
"He remained with King form the British authorities that
p.m. Leopold until 10
the he would be obliged to surrender A night of May 27, the day on before a debacle took place. which King Leopold asked the similar message was given to the Germans for an armistice. Dur- | French. ing that time he had unrivalled "By the afternoon of that day opportunitice of observing the the German army had driven a course of events.
wedge between the Belgian and "On May 26 Mr. Churchill British armies. Every road, village small part of announced in the House of Com- and town in the
the surrender mons that
hands had Belgium left in Belgian taken place, and asked that judg-was thronged with hundreds of ment about the matter should be thousands of refugees; men, wo- being the facts were
children were
Eire may be the next suspended until
men and known.
mercilessly bombed and machine- scene of large-scale opera-
"Sir Roger Keyes on the same day, in the lobby, echoed the same advice, and trusted that judgment on King Leopold, a very gallant soldier, should be suspended till all the facts became known.
"This advice did not appeal to the persons responsible for the conduct of the 'Daily Mirror' newspaper, and on May 30, that paper published an attack not only upon the King of the Belgians, but also upon Sir Roger Keyes.
Sir Roger "How far justified was in his advice to suspend judg- to be beginning now
ment is understood.
TO INVASION
gunned by low-flying aircraft. tions by enemy air-borne
"In these circumstances, at 5
troops.
It
p.m. on the 27th, King Leopold informed the British and
German propaganda. is a mix- French authorities that he in ture of falsehood and truth. tended at midnight of that day does occasionally let out genuine to ask for an armistice so as to information, and when a pro- avold further slaughter of his minent member of the German people.
colony in Istanbul says that Crete "This message, like the earlier was a rehearsal for a landing, in one on the same day, was prompt-Ireland to cut communications ly received in London and Paris, between Britain and America it hut all communications with the must not necessarily be dismissed British Army were cut, and
as misleading. messages were though wireless repeatedly made it is now known that these did not reach the Com- manders-in-Chief.
Sir Roger's Plea
The German General Staff must look on Eire as an almost perfect ground for the operation of air- borne troops. There is not even Under French Command
the beginning of adequate pro- vision to oppose them and the "King Leopold, when his coun-
Germans would, probably expect "Sir Roger Keyes, knowing to find a number of supporters try was invaded, had placed him-
His self and'
under the these facts as he did, with anum-who would ease the problems of army French High Command, and the ber of details that are unneces-food and fuel supply. movements of his army conformed sary
Command.
for the purposes of this
with the orders of the French statement, felt more than justified Courage Not Sufficient in suggesting suspension of "On May 20 the British Army judgment, on the King, and he No one questions-that-the Irish and the French northern army quite naturally resented the in- would fight with the greatest 'Daily courage. There is no finer fight- were ordered to prepare to fightJury of the article in, the
ing race. But against the efficient to the south-westward to regain Mirror' attacking him. contact with the main French "He immediately saw his solici-1 highly, disciplined: German. troops the Belgian tors and the present action was backed by elaborate military
unless
army, and army could conform to this move-started." ment it was clear that it would involve a breach of contact be- tween the British and Belgian armies.
drawn..
engines. of all descriptions cour- age and: heroism are of no avail.
Sir Patrick added that the defence originally pleaded was Nor would the guerilla type of that the statement of facts were warfare in which the Irish might true and the expressions of believe themselves to be adept, be opinion "Sir Roger informed the King
fair comment. Last of the slightest use, The Ger- of the order, and he was asked October this defence was, with mans do not succumb to such by the King to inform the: Bri-
tactics. They reply to: individual tish Government and: Bord Gort Mr. G. O. Slade, for the défen-sorties with..mass, shootings and. that the Belgian army had nei-dants, said that his clients ac-organised terrorism; whole villages ther tanks non aircraft, and cepted without the slightest: re are made to pay for the acts of in- existed solely for defenco.. servation; the statement made by dividuals. "He did not feel he had any Sir Patrick, from which it would For the protection of Ireland right to expect the British Gov-appear that, unfortunately, they against the airborne, attack, which ernment to jeopardise, perhaps, were entirely misled
is likely to come the best hope. the very existence of the British
When everyone's hand was lies in novel technical ideas appli- Army to keep contact with the against: King Leopoldi Sir Roger ed with audacity and ingenuity. Belgian army, but he wished to Keyes pleaded that judgment Without them Ireland will stand a makse: it quite clear that if there should be suspended until the good chance of going down in less were a separation between the true facts were known. That time than Crete. two armies the capitulation of the dignified and fairminded attitude- Belgian army would be inevitable. had been, abundantly justified, and the defendants tendered to the gallant Admiral a sincere apology for their criticism of "At the request of the French him, coupled with an expression of High Command the Belgian army was withdrawn on May 23 from the strongly prepared position on the Scheldt to a much, weaker and: longer line on the Lys, to allow the British Army to retire It was also apparent that a also boon paid! behind the defensive frontier line very grave. injustice had been which it had occupied throughout done to the King of the Belgians; ng naval uniform, sat alongside the winter to prepare for the who, had acted throughout in ace his solicitor in front of Sir Patrick offensive it was about to under-cordance with; the highest tradi take to the southward,
+
Withdrawn
their appreciation of his conduct and bearing throughout.
Grave Injustice
tlons of honour and justice. The
unlike some, others, appears to have served a most-uceful pur- pose, and/› resulted monta; being made wh Will give vary, wide patisfactian.” An order was made, to with- [draw the action and for the pay- ment out of court oft the damages paid in by the defendants, all the costa of the proceedings having
Sir Roger Keyes, who was wear-
Hastings, during the brief pro-
"On the evening of May 20, defendants: also tendered to him ceedings,
a break through the Belgian their most sincere and respectful "I am glad the case has line by the Germans, soemad to apology for the Injustice they had ended in the way it has," he said afterwards. "I deeply appreciate be inevitable, and., the King, unwittingly done to him;
Mr. Justice Tucker, approv-the handsome apology the defen- grmoved the remaining: Fronch
made to King ing the cottlement, sald: "All danta have
60th:Division:In Bolgian vehlofes
to
a prepared position across
need say is that this libol zotion, Leopold,"