A few weeks ago his name was on everyone's lips. But today his wife waits desperately for news of him,
DIEN
T
HERO IS
FORGOTTEN
From WILLIAM ROLAND..........
Paris. dressed, has drawn blank for
HE postman brought news at all the French Govern- [o ment departmenta which might
with concerned
a scrap of paper
be
her
the Paris home of husband's well-being. In her Mme. Jacqueline de Castries, repair the hos approached the wife of the defender of Government of Indin, 'Dien Bien Phu. It Wan "At least they are trying to from the French Red Cross, do something for me. I do not .blank wall It was a printed form, and face an entirely
even thinking of in a blank space had been Now I am
approaching the Chinese Gov- typed the bure words: "Ac- ernment. Perhaps for humanity's cording to Servicemen, re- sake they will help me." cently liberated, General de Castries in nt Vietminh camp 112 with other fli- cora." This message bore the date Saigon, July 7.
Mme. de Castries sits in her nat near the telephone which On a shelf there nover rings. are dozens of silver cups which her husband won for riding. In two months she has lost 20lb.
It was the Arat evidence in weight,
du
that 40-year-old Mme. Castries has received that her husband Ja allve alice the spoke to him on the telephone from Hanoi on May 7, when he told her: 11 is all over. I
can hoki out another half a hour at the most."
Today in France the General is a forgotten man,
The apparent absence of any Concern for his well-being, the total inck of any official efforts to get him home, is puzzling to foreigners who were thrilled by
defence of the gallant French outpost.
not about."
Scandal?
the
Silent miracle
M. new
ANDRE DUBOIS, the Paria Prefect of Police, is Jubilant, Paris drivers showing themselves
co-operative in expectedly carrying out his "no hooting" order.
ILTX)
The roar of traffe in Paris goes on but the cacophony of klaxony is no more. A miracle is happening. Road users disciplining themselves.
aro
de 1 stood at the Place
1s Concorde for half an hour to watch what goes on.
Incident No.
1.---The lights
changed to green. One motorist in front was daydreaming. Nor- maily this would have released hooting do a discordant blare of
from dozens of cars behind him. Another But what happened? driver edged up and almost. In
"Monsieur, a whisper sald, would like to draw your atten- tion to the fact that we can now proceed." Unbelievable,
One Frenchman I asked about IL sald: "You koow. Dien Bien Phu is something we
reminuled want to be
"Mme.
Castries is more than puzzled, she is desperate.
She says: "I am beginning to believe that there are those in France who do not wish to see
<le
my husband come back.
know
I
now that M. Mendes- found pedestrian in his way.
is not responsible for He booted (force of habit?).
up Is
10 The pedestrian looked pained.
France the events which led Dien Bien Phu, but he
at "You have no right to do that," the bend of the Government he said, now and is answerable for my Incident No. 3-Hoot of o husband's life.
large and powerful car. Police-
THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1954. ?
The long thin but containing the spare lep dropped from the Blenheim It looked like a little corn, a parachute blossomed above it. It floated down surrounded by flak from the puzzled
German gunners,
ESCAPE!
Then Bader is recaptured and they take his legs away...while in London another exploit brings Churchill to
Very gently his feet touched
the flagstones and he was stand- ing:
"Piece of cake," he thought, and moved a couple of yards
the
on to the grass, cursing noise from his legs. He queezed through the gates on the cobbled road and instantly, immediately opposite, saw the glowing end of a cigarette.
He stumped diagonally across the road and the cigarette moved, converging on him. 1 came to his side with a dark shadow behind it that whispered "Dooglass!" in а
the telephone
REACH FOR
THE SKY
By
PAUL
-stairs
candle up some cottage
CHAPTER 14
BRICKHILL
the
an
hlin. There was a movement in the hy just above and another clang. His eyes, turned sideways, ARW a bayonet flash down inch from his nose and stab through the wrist of his battle- dress jacket to hit the stone floor. The next stroke would go into his neck or back.
He jerked up on his hands, heaving out of the hay like a
the monster rising from
straw ensending off his back.
A
German soldier, bayonet leapt sed for the next jab, back In shock and stared pop- oyed at him, holding rifle and He started
urgently strong French accent.
At 15,000ft, just south of St bayonet on guard. and the shape into a room with a huge doublo Omer, sold,
Tangmere
wing hoarsely in German, took his right arm and
they
bed. He flopped on it. She put jockeyed round the
Blenheim. moved off. The town was like the candle on the table, smiled They saw the bomb bays open "Those people did not know
At the front door Bader nod ded his head back and said:
wall."
omb in which his legs were and went out. He unstrapped and the long thin box with the making an unholy clatter, echo- his legs with enormous relief, spare leg drop out. It looked was in their garden. I came in ing into the darkness, He could stripped to his underclothes and like a little coffin. A parachute last night through that gate in seemed to know by instinct. A gloriously 50 ft feather bed, down, swaying gently, sur- pressure on the arm and they thinking: **That's [oxed the rounded by the black stains of German officer questioned
bloody uns. I'll be secink fak-bursta from the puzzka
drove him to Head-
not see but the silent shape slid under the bedclothes into a blossomed above it and it floated rs in St Omer, where a
Thick began
to
of
him
to his
right and stumbled on, turned
and got no answers. Then into daya." gunners for below. Five minutes, ten twenty. Thelma in a couple His right stump
without the Then he was asleep.
The quiet, loyal and gallant a room where he was surprised chate.
Bader's A hand on his shoulder woke Stokoc,
balman, had and delighted to see the box minutes
It was sore him about 7 am. The old man asked to be dropped by para containing his spare right leg.
explained. smiling, that They and starting to hurt. On and on was looking down, smiling with chute with it to look after the they walked. He was limping tobacco-stained teeth. He left wing commander in prison, but i had been dropped that after- photograph badly.
been a razor, hot water and towel. permission had
refused. noen, and took his fieshened The steel Jeg had rubbed h? Bader
and He had to content himself in standing by 1
to give les annoyance, they prodded him akin off his groin and every step examined his stump which was helping Thelma stuff
£tump-socks, terribly with was searing agony. Stumbling raw and bloodstained,
powder it to and exhausted, he had both sore. No help
it. Just love tobacco and chocolate. pain. Done it be aims hanging on to the French- to bear the Bader
The Boches! fore. man's shoulders.
He strapped his legs on and went wincingly downstairs. Madame had coffee and bread and Jam waiting.
THE GERMAN GUARD tell. Wing Commander Bader, a prisoner in hospital at St. Omer, to be ready to loare for Germany in the morning. The legless fighter ace puts hi carape plan Into immediate operation. A letter, signed J. Hiecque, tells him that a Frenchman sinaking n cigarette will wait for him outside the hospital gates at midnight. makes a rope by knotting together all the sheets in the ward. He is mobile again after lusing one of his metal legs in the erash. Tin Germana have fadlord to England for a new one, Terla but and the missing leg in the wreckage of his airplane, they have repaired and returned to him.
I
the way
ever
was
At last the man took his arms round his neck, plcked him up, dangling Оп his back, and staggered along. In a hundred yards or so he stopped and put him down.
A kiss
him
up
the
him instead into an upstairs roo
roam.
There, for the first ume, they really infuriated him; as cot an officer
soldier
сл
im: as he sat
and a
BOUT half-past five there stood over him with a pistol and a bayonet, and made him a sudden terrifying take his trousers down and un- banging on the front door and strep his logs; then they took a chill swept him. The old man the legs away.
ho had been through whis-
jumped as Hely
shot, peered
the curtain, turned and pered. "Les Boches!"
jegs
back
on
the
A grunt....
Like a coffin
He snarled at them, but the N London the Luft- clock somewhere in the dark
mid-
TN halting French he tried to
officer said stiffly it was orders IN waffe's radio message ness of St Omer chimed
make her understand that his night. Holding the rope, Bader
from above. Two guards stayed had arrived saying leaned his chest on the window-
presence was very dangerous to
and the rest went out, leaving them,
He grabbed Bader's arm and If they found him he, that a spare leg could s and tried to winkle his legs
him
bed
helpless, out sideways. They seemned DUSHING open a gate in the himself, would only be put in led him towards the back door, humiliated and seething. Incident No. 2A motorist | be flown across in a Lysan- fully clumsy, more than I wall, the man led the way cells and then sent to prison Together they stumbled into the
der communications aircraft.
were garden, moving as fast as the huge, disjointed and and Bader stumbled after him camp, but the Hecques
would let him. He should
Three Spithres could escort it part of swellen. uncontrollable. Sweat- up a garden path. Then he was able to be shot.
yards from the hand off the rope in a little, low-celllnged room leave them and hide sornewhere. then Messering, he took
Madame The
door, sold: "Non.
against a wall, stood non, non
shed. schmitts would take over. The to grab his right chin and bend with flowered wallpaper, and
Iron galvanised knee.
Germans would rough Then somehow he land at Si the
Un oll-lamp. An old man and non Lysander could
through, legs dangling,
.find woman in a black shawl got never
here. That nailed on posts, covering some Omer, hand over the leg and
chairs
who baskets garden tools and straw. hands clutching the rope on the up from the
the evening her son-in-law, then It could take off again.
The old man pulled
the sl. The terrible pain pierced woman put her arms round him spoke English, would come and
baskets and straw
away, laid things
him on his stomach, cheek his ribs again, making him gasp. and kissed him. She was over they would discuss
with a lined, patient face. Her She examined his right
"I see from the newspapers long the corner of the wall and piled of husband was spare and stoop- and produced a pair Fleetingly he saw his woollen underpants.
Cutting the straw and baskets on top, you've been fraterndeing with ing. guld, who shook his hand and one of the legs off, she sewod Lying there, he heard the bid the enemy, dropping a leg to a
up the end and there a man's footsteps hurrying inside. captured pilot." was off out of the door.
There was not long to wait. "Well, sir," Sholto Douglas The old woman said gently: perfectly good alump-sock. After
she powdered the stump he put Within a minute he heard voices said, "you may call it fraternis- "Vour eles fatigue."
Holding on to the table, he said the sock on under the leg and and then tramping feet by the ing, but we managed to shoot back door. He knew the sound down 11 of the enemy for the "Out" and she led him with a felt much better.
of jackboots. A vague kind of loss of six or seven of our own, twilight Altered through the so I hope
and
a TN Fighter Command Head- quarters in England next morning the telephone rang In the office of Sholto Douglas. Ho picked it up and recognised the voice of Winston Churchill say- ing "Dougins!"
Yes,
Then he started casing him- 00, Mme Hiecque, plump and get him to the Undergp pillowed on his hands, against
"I told him two days ago that man 1274 turned in the driver's
From Leigh-Mallory, AOC 11 if my husband did not come direction, raised one finger, and
Group, and Sholto Dougins, head back to me alive I would not put it to his lips with a frown. whistle to keep alient about what I know Not even a police
of Fighter Command, the reac
definite, and self down. tion was prompt, of Dien Bien Phu. I have cer- break the alience.
It was simple. The legs rasp- I tell you I M. Dubois has other plans for identical. No free passage er tain information. could cause a scandal if I wish- Paris trafe. He is now tackling German escort (with its lump ing against the wall were use. had plum cake for less, but the arms thai ed. Let me have my husband the parking problem. And he la
such muscles since They would send developed back and I will be satisfied."
General's wife, who is he can pick up a few hints. I the spore let in a Blenheim on the long-ago crash at fteading Tho
look his weight
He casily. a normal bombing raid. tall, blue-eyed and exquisitely doubt if he will.
Weary means of time scened lowered himself, hand under
have passed before a hand, under sure control.
of
geing to London soon to see if Goohanda
SEC. RADIO
OVERSEAS BANDSPREAD
RECEIVERS
MODEL NO. BC 6540
FOR AC. AND DC. MAINS
Full bandspread tuning is provided on the six broadcast bands; 11m., 13m., 16m., 19m., 25m., and 31 metres, giving maximum ease and accuracy of tuning on the most important overseas wave lengths. In addition three more bands are pro- vidad covering 11m-38m, 37m-125 metres, and 188m-550 metres.
10
Nathaniel
S this is the silly aca- and Peace" while washing his son it is not surpris-
ing that the Institute
ears?
Cricket Guide
Gubbins
Q: What's his score?
A.
A duck, door.
Q: A what
A.i
Nothing, dear.
of Incorporated Practition- ers In Advertising has published a survey showing HERE is another instalment of many runs has he made?
was
"That was only chicken feed to 'im," sold the man. "Slac then he's been to the Board of Trado to change the regulations in about hire purchase aa họ can be in on the never-never lark."
"There certainly ain't no files on 'im," said the woman.
Q. Don't say "nothing" that silly superior way. How
A. He hasn't the Unintelligent Woman's
made any, that 32 percent of all the Guide to cricket which may be deor,
Then what in heaven's people who own washing given to any girl worrying a machines read the Daily chep with silly questions during name are they clapping HIM man. "Sell em
for? You Know What.
Question: What are they clap- plug for now?
Figures are also given show ing its percentage class, middle class, class" readers.
a match.
Q.:
A.. Q:
He's done his best, dear, Don't talk rubbish. It
"It's just another plot to en slave the proletariat," said the
things
the7
can't afford on tray terms so c're always in hia debl"
"I would 'ave thought he'd *ave the money than
Answer: Because the batsman that's his best, what's his worst ra said the woman
of upper lins reached his 60, dear. and "poor Q: Weren't they clapping for
that an hour ago?
like?
He's not a batsman, dear. Then why was he bat A: All bowlers have to bat, Do all batsmen have to
dear.
Quick as a flash old Uncle A: No, dear. That was when ting? Nat Gubbins has produced a the batting side's total reached survey of his readership, with 50, the following results.
Q: Is it unusual for a cricket team to score 50?
Among the upper classes Gub- A: No, dear. bins can claim at least one mil-, Q: Then why ciap? lionaire (who can afford to buy A: It's a form of encourage- all the Sunday newspapers, ment, dear. anyway), at least 80 percent of
ail
politicians who read most
Q: What's happened now?
A. He's been caught behind
columns to see if they are men- the wicket.
tioned in them, and 10 percent Q: Why are they clapping
bowl?
A: No, dear. Q. Why?
money
BIT"
straw but he could not see any worth it”, you might feel it was
thing.
There was a grunt, and then From his heart outwards Ice a click as the phone was hung seemed to freeze his nerves. up.
The baskets were being thrown WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED around, the boots rasped on the "Reach for the Sky," by Paul
a Brickhill, is published paving, and then there was metallic
clang that mystifled Collina.
Be Uncomfortable.
And Live!
London.
TP till now the seats of drawbacks, too. U2
bu
Adjustable seals have their Drivers, ho automobile's haven't says, are inclined to slip them well-back during runs, causing "He'll git the irat," cold the man. "He pays worried me much one way them to extend their arms to a is workers the minimum wage or the other. Apart from position in which fatigue and the rells them my act casually classifying them develops easily. for a couple of quid down and
Soft seats are worse, if any- as comfortable or otherwise, co much a week."
On lengthy trips the "What's wrong with that?" I've been prepared to let a
driver slumps comfortably into arked the woman.
them go as appliances de them--and that's dangerous. For the worker's wife
a
thing
washing machine and signed to take the weight off as his eyes grow tired he seeks Wants that sich the man, your feet while you're be a closer view of the road and
"And very nice too," said thehind the wheel.
A: Because they can't dear. Q: Then why should bowlers he sells
bat when they can't bat?
A. Please don't shout, dear
Q: I shall shout as much as
I like. Where are you going? A. To the pavilion, dear.
A: To get some dear.
Q. Why? Because he's
of impoverished duchesses who him now? Because he's out? are using washing machines be- A: No, dear. cause they can't afford laundry played a good innings. prices.
So has the other batsman, Middle class readers include hasn't he?
A.: Yes, dear.
"Poor class" readers include
Q.
fay
A. The bowler who took the wicket, dear.
clarette.
Q: Not another drink? A: No, dear,
In The Train
"I
on
SUPPOSE ho'a *olidays pony," said
woman.
ה
Looking back, however,
has to raise his head to poez This
through the windtricts the
I says Dr Campbell,
"Then she wants a refrigerA- for, a vacuum clearer, earl arwin' machine," said the man "So is Nibs ells her them"
cars I have owned the brain, "She's
as well orf as has tended to increasing com- nearly oirl friends," said the woman. fort. "Well ort?" asked the man.
1831 "Well orf? What appens whe way he sell them a motci car?"
"They go for a nice ride in the country. I should think," said the woman.
note that, with advancing years, muscles at the back of the neck, blood-flow to the seating accommodation in slowing down successive
The jolting austerity of a Morgan J.A.P. has given
ing ease
gradually to the spine. And if like most drivers he of my current opens only one ventilator in the car, then he's really asking for
For trouble. cort- that--
ventilator belief of anxious vent
one abctor
with Now it seems
open, the trary to the "After he's done with them next-of-kin- I was a lot safer points out, stale alr 'Is they
wouldn't 'avo enough when I was bucketing about in around the driver causing " the money to buy a pint of petrul the Morgan; that is, if we take minor condition of asphyxia."
All these faults result in mare said the Dr Gordon Campbell of Toronto to put in the tank,"
"Then they shouldn't buy the car," said the woman.
"Who t?? daked the woman, man, "Old melon 'end snorin' in the corner," said the mar "Not that he would notice the difference."
seriously.
rapid fatigue, a falling off In Dr Campbell is an osteopath, concentration-and accidents. arici across the Atlantic he' Maybe there's a lot in what "He makes them buy it," been voleing the theory that Dr. Campbell says. Notice how rold the man. the he makes many unexplained car accidents seldom sports:
Care at
Involved them buy his washin' machines, could be eliminated if cars were in accidents compared with their and TV sets, and vacuum less comfortablé,
counterparts.
woman.
•
1
This is
60 percent of all bald-headed Q.: Then why ien't men with slipped dises who own clapped? motor cars, 45 percent of over-
AR He's not out yet, dear, weight women who use vacuum Q. You said Just now that cleaners, and 25 percent of teen- the first one was not clapped age girl who go to the pictures because he was out. Now, you twice
A week and iron their the other won't be clapped man in the train smalls with an electrle fron. until he is out. What are they
clepped for? Being in or out?
A.: It depends on the cir 80 percent of those who borrow the paper primarily to read cumstances, dear.
Q: Who are they clapping something else in it, 60 percent now? of women between 40 and 60
"Difference from what?" ask who have
broad-and-bes due, in '・ somno · swollen ankles and
ed the wontan. use ferubbing brushes, 30 Dere
Q: Why not the man who cent of red-honded men who ride
"Avin' an 'oliday and not cleaners and refrigerators."
"Does he manufacture al 'avin' an 'oliday," said the man.
them things?" asked the The Society of Molor Manu mansuro to the fact that sports blcycles anil cat margarine with caught the ball?
"Is whole A: I expect the applause
widjord life is an
facturers here, or their counter-car drivers are usually batter gumo, and
31 percent of mousy-
oliday
"Of course he door," said, the part in the United States aren't cat-handlers. But it could also.
because be
(the very starkness" of haired men who ride power was meant for both, dear.
strap their "" solah mine was," said the man "He's the devil temptin likely to
existing Q. There they go again.
their machines forces them to assisted bicycles and cat mar-,
the worker to economic slavery." coach-building policy as a res YOU'TO A. The other bowler, dear.
got to be, fat and
"Don't talk so loud, suld the sult of Dr Campbell's theory, keen their minds on the job.
The some applies to heavy- the power-assisted bicycles.
Q. For not taking a wicket? extful like im before you can woman. "He might, "ear you." But at the same time, the doc
truck
and taximen 'ard",' worth argumente
drivers Judging. from
A For bowling, a maiden ave a life-lonat oliday ilvia' on
shouted, tor "Lot im***
"the man
at, since they
Their driving positiona pondence Gubbins can number over, dear.
suggest the blood of the workom," said "He com, mitro la fortune out
devoid of any attempt at com. among his readers 100 percent
"Look 9le that where that silly tho 30117-
of the blood and sweat of the possible modifications, of the cat lovers of Britain, one
touchhy In is lovin' appy with joka
comes from?
workers but he can't taks It Take elbow rests, for exam fort. And they seem to stay out fairly half
A: Its not a silly joke, dear.
pia. Dr. Campbell points out of the casualty "He's probably
im." shippers, at the dog wor-
that there are usually supplied effectively. and at least 90 per
Q.. Yes it is, Childish and dreams" said the woman,
I opened my eyes when the
for the driver's, ofside "And so he ought," said the train stopped at a station, out elbow. As result the shoulder theory catches on with the car
perchance, cent of the lunatics, and the
And what's
only
Campbell's so clever cranks who bellave the world
got outfitted fightly, throwing the manufacturers, then one day we will end next week about bowling a maiden over man, considerin ha'a just put the man and woman
A Tho bowler has prevents mother,llion in 'is pocket."
the man shouted arain;
"He that chorts the labourer spinal aid chest'allment out might be asked by the publicity The survey also, shows that of the batemans from martThat ought to
Fondu” said the woman, Lom wearing
his hire shall sitter slemal of a natural posture. The boys to "Let the Bhurgemobile Gubbins can claim the man who dear,
Take the Comfort out #rends the paper" while" efðan="
bombs and that, What's happened – he, toss, selling
Bananas ⠀ In America, to bui Deart...necklaces for i
Obtainable from the following CEC authorised Radio Dealers garine without gusto to pay for Who's being clapped now?
Mesars. Chang Ygen Electrio Co. '71, Des Vooux Road, C
Hong Kon". Messrs. China Radio Electrio Co. 192, Nathan Road, Kowloon,
Menaru. Tai - Lin Radio'. Service. 309, Nathan Road, Kowloon
ית
Messrs. Pacific Radio Co. 101, Des Voeux Road, C., Hong Kong. Mesars. Hop Fat Electric Co, 123, Des Voeux Road, C., Hong Kong. Mesars, Tuang Fook Piano Co.
19, Queen's Road, C., Hong Kong.
OF ENGLAND THE GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
gerar i Represented Byst
THE BRITISH GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
hlo
-CONTES-
woman,
come
13
ing his teeth ” though. Cübbing" ¿Ie: doesn't take much to last,me we “adw "Im you saidźidemnation,. And that yʻmeans Pavydu, shoulder Sievin' which Driving for, you]???
prevent (would, rkier sot, have hinja Monty
What would Tolstol have inid A
VOLEC You big ended pot, beilled,
Jainty.
Gilbert Hill