THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1954,!!|
An Ex-King's Personal Story... Chapter 8
I LEAVE MY BELOVED
COUNTRY
FOR EXILE
By Ex-King Peter Of Yugoslavia
Some 50 unidentified planes, making for Belgrade, at 4 am, drove King Peter and his stag to the Palace shelter. He returned to bed when the "ali clear" wne rounded
more than hours later.
T
A
three
121
THE next thing I re-
member WAS ear-splitting scream and a mailed rou
bomb exploded. 1 jumped out of bed and, as t WIR putting on my great coat, there was a blinding flash outside and hol air rushed in through the open window, Hinging
me to the floor.
The other window, which was closed, was blown into
it
the room entire, where crashed to the ground. It had begun.
BCC
Alsout 12 miles from Zvornik, we passed through Banja Kovil-
delightful Jacha, a
watering pince, where I saw many of my generals drinking aperitifs on the terrace of one of the big hotels.
On
Lo Athens, the second day of my reported that arrival, Sturovitch
the bombing f Belgrade hod continued
night.
all
ops were already on the out-
skirts of the ety.
clearly the Italian could Insignia on the planes.
High Command advised me to go to Nikochitch where there was a fleet of bombers waiting toke me and the Governmeal
added
that, upon They also evacuating os many people as possible by air,
My plan was to send these whom there was a considerable crews to Canada, where they number, could be trained for long-range bombera, in which they could eventually By over Yugoslavia dropping parachutists.
Two months later King Peter they would flew Garman
to England, alighting at officially announce the capitula Poole Harbour, near Bourne tion of the army. The finality mouth. of the news was a great shock. I took the decision to evacuate but realised it was very hard,
My wiser to escape captivity.
organise the most plan was to effective resistance possible from
ulude the country.
The cormattention system was in complete chavs, and the Aft by issuing lunes.
erroneous
uver
12018. s to the troops, had gained
plete amount
their toovements
st
1t my valet to Belgrade to alicet same things. He reported that The elly was in a state of chaos and destruction, with loot- mg gong in everywhere.
it wes his intent on to
I spent a week-end with Uncle Bertie ant Aunt Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. I arrived there on August 2 in time to have lunch "en famille."
The weather was very fine and afterwards I walked in the park talking with Uncle Bertie on political lines. That nigh had dinner with the family and we retired early to bed. My roam was very comfortable, though with out-of-date plumb- ing.
$ our Sunderland flying-boat anchored in the boy, Uncle Georgle (the Duke of Kent) and Commander
Mr Thompson, Churchill's A.D.C., came out to meet 118. Afterwards 1 flew 1 raked the Patriarch whether with Geongie Kent to an airfield I should leave my country. He near my mother's cottage at the advised me to go, but said tha! village of Gransden, near Cam
remain bridge. that fr hr believed
14 11 My mother met me.
She had lender the enemy spiritual
been very ill. We chatted until would not
Lough tim
3 am
I next went to London to tee His plan was to continue
Subolich ot Orthodox Minister head of the Yugoslav Church, cherishing the spiritual fe of the peuple, and so he did dav when he was up to the wireshed and taken to Dachau concentration camp.
វារ ។
On the evening of th: 4th, Dr M tebek came to see me from the Government the, where
Hanid had been evacuated, That he intended to retin by breause at the
residence. to Zagreb Car
trops had
tamme the Croat
I made for The shelter, given up fighting and deserted,
Every-
like everyone else. thing was in darkness and
only I had a torch.
The arat -pozadibioting were not working. Air Command told me that about 200 bundars were attacking the city, Bemael i's was told and Junker Stukas.
Hurricanes That
If and that two Messerschmitta
**
a squad. n of
"
I
had just taken squadrons were on their way from Kraljeva, When the first wave of best- boys were over, I went back to the White House to get dressed. 1 had a guard posted on the visit with a tempel to ennotuses the approach of enemy planes,
A was dressling. The trumpet sounded.
and from the window
T
E intended to try to arous
their morate once more, entre,ted hurt to stay. Deeded him as Crint represente- five with the Government, but he felt 10 strongly that he must share ils people's fate.
1
On the ning of the next day we left for Han Pjesak.
was socwing, and by the time We got up there after R drive th show was Dirve-beh
deep
About 6 pm on aide drew my
attention tan column of caUN
going by which he had ienidled as the High Command.
in
King Peter flew in a bomber
Greek п
arrodrome al Jaramilia, escorted on the tast sluge by two British Hurricanes,
A
his
Next moming Princess Eliza- beth took me on a tour of that historie castle with 1 hupe ramparts and Interminable corridors. Then I strolled rund with Elizabeth and Margeret and thole two corgies. I had never met the two prinoesses before and found them cherming young girls,
Altogether it wea a delightful week-end and slands cut as one of my pleasantest memories,
atmosphero The
was a very friendly one, although my hosts were sensitive to my position as an exile and for my part I was a little awed at being in the I spoke to my own people for presence of such an illustrious
as King over the B.B.C. monarch
George VI, the first time
be was my god- and encouraged them not to lose even though
12 temporary defeat, father, and "Uncle Bertic." heart over
10 keep up Zł sturdy but resistance.
I was shock:d and saddened by The destruction wrought by the biltz, but at the sume time heartened by the wonderful morale of the people.
1 puld my Gorge
N armoured car arew up be
side us and a voice instructed us in English, Italian end Ger- Palace,
u with your wit man to "Cone hands up."
first visit to King
ut Buckingham where I went £r tea Queen Eliza. with my mother, beth received us cordially. Like We died out with our tundi ay English hostess, she poured up, but they identified us in a out the tea, tea first, then milk, all allowed only very short time and we restiver and we were
one lump of rationed sugar, a mast t happy welcome.
Berlie treated me very Uncle We went on to Athens, escorted
Kindly us Blenheim.
We discussed past by u
It gave My uncle, King George 11 events and future plans.
comfort
to see his welcomed
The only news me groat ine.
and courage; he could give him was of the most understanding
was obviously deeply worried by depressing kind,
He inquired My unole informed me that the current events.
troops about my last days in Yugoslavia quite a number hud succeeded in crossing the and I gave him all details. Greek border, but that they were all froin different units and very disorganised.
aide
I
I til him to send an officer I saw wine nighter planes ap-
The lo ask for details. proaching from the south.
The told me that the High Communi puit my heard! the rugh
WUN proceeding Tu Stenjeva emergency exit to see what w
under orders from Sumovitch, as going on
the Get muzi had crossed the I આ પ borrites
attacking They were German Danthe planes, our Hurricanes attacked Belgrade. the Messerschmitis. Casundfors considerante. This was the fault of the ground entrol.
What
Thinking
WATE
11
by ht".
and
W4220
I stayed in Han Pjesak another ww days. tw
The Germans were
approaching and I could hear the guns Bring in the distance.
Were
kind enough to discuss my future
Since violently and driving My hosts tuciting southwards น! grat speedy st
in time
I decided to proceed to Sarajevo. seemeŭ impossible to reorganise Plans with me.
to
The
in
SE
ON September
18th
my birthday, King George and the British Government arranged a magnificent thanksgiving ceremony in St Paul's Cathedral to mark my omcial coming-of-
ogc.
News began to seep through about the activities of verlain resistance Jurces. The name Mihallovitch cropped up more and more often. Another source of information was the German radio which had begun to men- tion the netivities of "bandits" in Yugoslavia.
Was heartened that my broadcasts had had their effect on an eager rudience.
Colonel Druja Mihailovitch wha chief-of-staff of the Motorised Units of the 4th Army in Bosnila. He had o military record to be prcard of; he has taken part in the famous retreat of the Ser- bian Army
across Albania in 1910, and before the second world wor, having proposed much needed army reforms, was sentenced to 30 days in prison by General Milan Neditch.
In
Mihallovitch Apr 1941, decided, with of officers and men, to make 101 several hundreds astern Bornia and Serbia, in the Lope of joining up with the
It was hard going in docu
Like my mother, they were these Yugoslav irtops At about 5 p.m. we
against my ambition to train as FEW minutes after this un- stopped at
place celled for them to be of any use as a
a pilot in the RA.F. during the time I had free from my duties happy incident second Gorazde, well off the main route, fighting force.
administrative situation ip otr petrol
as a constitutional wove of bombers, escorted by hoping
omarch, Greece WILS practically B5
with the eventuð alm fighters, continued the bombing tanks.
that fr Belgrade.
Yugoslav Air of the city.
I sent a little boy from the chaotle General Snovitch
Intrigue was rife. The Prime up with the
They all favoured what was Arrived wearing his bedroom garage to the Mayor, who was
Minister had been killed by presence.
in my view very
my silppers, as he had had his corns overwhelmed by my
much the continued As he
with. his poisoned tooth-paste. eperated on the day here.
There were air raids night second best idon, that I should
sample English university f We had been attacked along compliments I noticed that there
favourite larget Cambridge for a few terms remnants of the front there, and was Piraeus, where British troop- The streets, and teurs had been destruyel, Sunn- ing about in
trying to evacuate vitch said that' he had some found by questioning him, that ships were very good news."
he was completely ignorant of inen and material towards Crete, One night there was a tright- ful explosion 33 though the whole city had been blown up; an ammunition ship had received direct hit.
this border and all immunjen- were plenty of young men stand- and
sent a
Ambasador Gabrilovich had the war, although he had heard telegram to say that he romething of the revolution in had signed a part of friendship the capital. and mutual aid with Mokator. 1
could
zot share Simovitch's enthusiasm.
I went to the Marble Palace
to collec! some clothes and rome papers. The road leading to the Palace was pitted with craters.
DESPATCH rider drove up with a message instructing
day, A
The King and his party were me to make not to Sarajevo but florun by the R.A.F. to Egypt Auth to Nikale in Montenegro, and then to Lydda, Palestine,
Command and the
were
At the Palace 1 found that the The High main entrance was blocked with Government
to join me debris so we had to enter by thu there. library.
As 1 drove on i found a cor Every window was blown in in front of us which refu od to
were
ut
to study international law and economics.
On their way they came up against a strong Germier put
ton Churchill was on his visit to the mountains.
My first meeting with Wins- and, after combat, being unable to proceed further, withdrew to
my Government's offices In
Upper Grosvenor Street. I was thriik to meet this remarkable leader.
His personal
fed MIHAILOVITCH created the charm engulfed me from our first introduction, Akrot Resistance Movement His attitude to me was kindly not only of Yugoslavia, but all
We talked Europe in World War II. and yet respectful. for about half an hour on this
occasion.
The first combats of his Chet- niks with the enemy and the first acts of violence in reciproca- Churchill puffed away of one WAS taken to the residence of of his cigars.
He handsomely tion, took place towards the end Mr MacMichael, Governor of
of May. After མ guerilla attack praised my country's efforta, and Palestine.
on a German motorised column regretted that, Britain was not The Government trickled into in a position
the Nazia hanged several to give us more kat
*** members of Mihailovitch's or-
Court
to establish a new and Government.
My
in
and inside all was chaus. The make way for us to pass ai-rusalem in ones and twos, and aid. main bedroom had received a though continually sounded I attempted
He said that the British people gisation publicly, in Ounjitchka direct hit,
Poluga. as had
the tunnel, the hooter.
were proud to have us as allies.
From June onward Pavelilch's where seven guards who had Eventually I was able to get great idea was to get away from
A few days later he invited been using it us a shelter had by and to pull up in front of the sort of concentration camp
began me to accompany him and Mrs, the Ustachi in power
their huge been killed.
them. As ! Į passed
them in which we
now found our churchili on a tour of the South Croatia,' selves. Alr HQ reported that the recognised two of my generals,
Const
massacres of the Serbian popuin defences — the "Cinque I was in Jerusalem, while the Ports," Dover, Folkestone, etc.
tion thers. The Serba flying Germans
appproaching one of them in the back of the
Government was in a monastery Nish and
with very ear with a woman. meeting
We travelled together on July from them joined up with the little resistance, but we had sent One of them got out of the The Goverment,
at Tantura, well out of the city. 4. Junching on the train. Chetniks, after bringing arms Mihallovich sent finding itself
with them. our Blenhehin bombers to try to car in a temper, "but
Church 11 was busied with wit
and dispatches
out officers to organise resistance various de- hold up their Panzer advance. I showed myself he stood in at idle, did little but dwell on the dispatch was informed that we had des- tention and introduced in the other in turn for what had hap- journey and talked to me inter-
recent events, blaming each cuments throughout much of the against the massETCE,
The earliest contacts between patched a Blenheim squadron to He was the Commander of the
Mihailovitch and the Allies were pened. bomb Budapest,
4th Army around Nish, some 300 kilometres east by rond.
I saw the new Ambassador, Sir mittently, glancing
The first made in the first days of Septem be 1941, by radio. British mission went by sub- marine,
Captain Hudson, two Yugoslav radio operator officers, and
To my astonished demand for the reason for this I was told: "Don't you know that Hungary has declared war?"
when I
going and he said he was making been Minister in Rumania.
Was
up on one I asked him where he was William Hore, who had formerly occasion to ask unexpectedly and
He boy?"
weightily, "Are you bored, my old for the High Command to ask
gentleman, & charming for orders, although to further but not very efficient or helpful. that the I constantly pressed him for per- questions he replied Germans were all round his mission to go on to England to
furiated by the continued They made their way to where CONSIDERED it a very bad army and that his troops were pursue our policy from there and I COULD not help being in- made up the smell landing party. tried to arrange for equipment Inactivity of British military the Chetniks were centred. This policy to reply in such a way fighting. to a declaration of war at this
ropeds training party had their own radio, and away," I for our aircrews. idle in Egypt, authorities De "You are running
our Air Force kopt in constant contact with the Juncture, when rll our planes accused him, "turn back and go but his only answer was to my! and equipping
for instructions
who were still idle in British. were needed to hold up the to your command." I posted a "We must wait for
in the car from the Foreign lived in German Panzer odvance.
military policeman
My
that proposition I was astonished at the Hun- with a light machine-gun with garian declaration of war after orders to see them back to their Jerusalem from Moscow to the should be shipped to Curado and IN
Minister there South Africa, for training was
I
to us
Office
men
}
recolved
A telegram was
October Mihailovlich radioed effect that our
a hopeful message, to the the conclusion, a few months command.
had been ordered to leave the flatly tuned down on the British: "Pojega is prepared for carlier, of a Pact of Mutual Aid
as a consequence of the grounds of insuficient shipping plane landings," but the Britali, between our two countries. I
on Yugoslavia, space and need of these men in -atill distrustful of makeshift was Inter informed that, as a
vory strange OCCULTERED tho Middle East.
runways and the dike, ignored it. result of this switch in the Hun-
Eventually a plan was adopted The Chetniks were short garian
attitude
Count POUND about midnight we especially after they had signed Teleki, the man responsible for got sluck in mountain a pact of friendship and mutual to use our best pilots to ferry: arme, ammunition, and medical concluding the pact with us and pass, where we had to be dug, useistance a short time before. planes from Takoradi, on the mupplice. All they,
This treacherous move had its West Coast of Africa, for delivery were a few packages dropped by whom I had met personally in out of the mow and hauled to
effect on my future allude to Belgrade, committed suicide that immer ground by ozen.
to in Cairo.
parachute. At 7
approved this. in that it
name bardly Alto, then A am, approaching the Rumia. very day.
It was decided that most of would feep the men active and known to the I left Belgrade by ear. As we town Niksic, the car in front of passed by Mount Avala I took a me suddenly stopped and every our Air Force, numbering some in training and would mocustom General Minally last long look at Belgrade. My body jumped out and took cover, 700 men, of whom 300 were them to handilega variety of meetings in the loved native city was burning having seen planes elreling over trained pilots, should be trans placed but willed too0 September
feried fo Amman,
in Trans me to be a sorry weite of their Optober and a column of smoke rose to our cere
**I did the same, and one of my Jordan. I visited" then-" and
and capabilitie the sky where wave after wave of bombers were flying
bodyguard range with his found their morale rather low The re I availed to Zvornik. Along machine-gun e shetine (inder for They find all lost them. Escollian the entire journey we met with the tree. 13 erized the gun? behind and had now only one Inta crowds of refugeen walking, often saying:Let's bare a littly bit desire to get into battle oners carrying the children, or riding compost and, propping them more
in their oxen carie wils all their, myhort branoc sy kooky! worldly good.
KIM RAF had confiscated
1
ths and sad two of 1941
and on
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