THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1955.
WINGATE APPEALS
W
INGATE'S carcer hovered on the edge of disaster,
after his return
from Palestine.
He
had some influential Generul
friends in London.
Wavell welcomed him back,
and he was taken to a party
at which he had his
first meeting with
Churchill; though Home
neither afterwards
recalled what they to
said to each other.
to the KING
in disgrace, he takes a taxi Buckingham Palace and asks
But the reports George VI
on Wingute
Palestine
black.
from
were
It is the admirablé rule of
the Army that an
officer
never sees his personal re- cord if it is good; but if a
by
to
clear his record
superior officer makes ad- LEONARD
verse comments about him
he must see them and sign that he has seen them.
General Haining's
JUSTIFIED?
com-
HE maintained that there words were damaging to his Army career, as, indeed, they were, and should be
MOSLEY
his career, his record and his future..
to hin
of
ELM
was
THE MAN
The men who clashed
with the
stormy hero
Jewish leader Ben- Gurion and General Sir William Fiatt.
Instead, he stay- ed at the flat of
Wingate appalled everybody to desert to the xxiemy, Wingate's in G.I.Q., Khartoun (with the second-in-commant, opened fire Captain exception of the C-in-C., at them as they can across no Lieut. General Sir William Platt) by man's land and foreed them
he back, Colonel) Simonds asking, almost by soon as
friend,
Clater
in Gezirah, Cairo, arrived: "When do we go out where his routine and kill the enemy? When do Some of Wingate's white of-
ers and men were not so much alternated between we defeat the Italians?"
incompetent ne vutlandish, Thero reading files about
were, for instance, the five Aus- tralians. These men, four ser
lieutenant, had
Ethiopia and long boute
the geants and a
The Forces in the Sudan were of sleep. an immaculate corps d'elite de "He never report signed to keep order in nd Into head- country and keep peace along arrived in the Middle East with quarters," says the frontiers rather than attack. the Australian Division during Smonde, "but Just They were, spruce and efficient the period of the phoney war. all civilians who in when and non-aggressive. They took They were pushed he felt like It. For one look at Wingate and smirk resented being called into the 48 hours he would ed with derision and disbelief. Army, especially when they had work like a dog,
nothing to do.
and for 24 hours
he would go
to
sleep, never an- KWET Д phone, never reply to question."
a
But perhaps the
Semitic Implien
WHO CAME
BACK
Apt
LJAILE SELAS.
SIE the Wingate emperor restored to his throne. First Wingate rehearsed how, many times he would bow. When the bowing was done be said firmly: "You must take your part in the Liberation of Ethiopia."
of this
A SIGHT
FOR against the immaculate background of White Sudan,
grease
And
'Then they went on a trip to Jerusalem anxt met some Elhio- plan refugees (Haile Selassie was in exile there for a tine) and learned about the Italian invasicu of Ethiopia,
i.
he deliberately looked a sight His shorts were too long and opped around his knees.
For the first time the fight for Lions of the Ethio- His bush-shirt was ill-fitting the freedom of small nations pian problem were and marked
with packs made sense of these tough but
dirt. without their of
flo gallant men; and when they got effect upon Win- wore ETY old-fashioned solar back to Calro they sat down gato. Suddenly topee, whereas everyone else, in- and wrote a letter to GHQ;
cluding
the modern Sudani, wore volunteering for service in Ethio terested in
The
smart, streamlined Bombay pla " and when you decide to Lion of Judah, bowler. He carried a fly-whisks liberate this small but beave Suddenly he ask- over his wrist (an infuriating country." ed permission to gesture in A country which
he became
IGNORED
piready
THE QUINTET
!
THE letter went into the fles
THE
were
#
first volun-
remarkable
"Gentlemen, you do not even know your own regula- tions," retorted Wingate, "Do I need to remind you that every officer in H.M. Forces has the privilege and ments on Wingate's conduct stricken from his record.
appeal right to
It was 1939 and the breath and activities in Palestine The Army Council was con-
Majesty himself when his
approaching war were therefore forwarded to vened and Major Wingate honour is at stake. I shall him with the request that appeared before them, and take my case to the King." was on the necks of every body in Britain. Wingate he read and acknowledge proceeded to address them. them.
At the end of it he was
He did so. He went out was pushed out to an anti- aircraft unit outside London. politely told that, while the into Whitehall and took a He sent the report back to Army Council appreciated taxi to Buckingham Palace, All through the first
do more: than prided itself on ita absence of Jerusalem unsigned. It was his eloquence, they had also where he wrote a note, at weeks of war Wingate General Wavell, new
C.-in-C. Wavell had asked him: "I will flics), end dangled a blue alarm returned to him with a curt studied the facts; and like tached it to his record, and fretted beside the guns and Middle East Command,
personally," he said, "put the clock from the small finger of request that he should do so
Authorities in sent it up to King George VI. itched to get into the fight.
Emperor at Abyssinia back on his left hand, the Army
Did Wingate bring a letter his throne." without further delay.
two He
frequently in Palestine, they too agreed He then waited for
at G.H.Q. to moulder away, What particularly infuriated from Churchill with him to Cairo until a messenger London at parties where saying: "The bearer
It was a choice dramatle re- His reply was to send a that he had been prone to hours
the British in the Sudan was forgotten, until Wingate arrived, note to the Army Council put the interests of the Jews came and told him that the senior officers were present. letter must be given all possible mark to make. It arcused both Wingate's incredible rudeness, and one day he stumbled on it He cared neither for rank or Ethiopia. Ho immediately rent white reading data about asking for a hearing. The before those of his own King had read his letter and Once more he met Churchill; aid, and has permission to refer enters and cotagonisms.
job, but swung at everyone
Australians, and report described him as people. They considered the would take what action he and this time each remem to me if it is not forthcoming"?
within reach. He called General for the five car Middie Every senior officer and condemnation of his actions considered to be appropriate, bered more of the encounter. East Command's staff believed
"a nitwit. They are "untrustworthy"
all had them transferred to the Не nitwits,"
marted at the Sudan and thence to Ethiopia. security risk."
that Wingate had such a letter, to be no more than justified. after which Wingate went home. (The adverse com-
Sudan civil servants: "Treating "You shall be my Wingate told Churchill and, in an area where soldier's HE Emperor had
THE
if they leers," he told them. "I shall appeal against ments were Aubsequently how he
would fight the of the rank of major were four reached Khartoum in July, the cative populace as
They your decision," said Wingate. toned down to make it clear battle of France if he were for a piastre, treated Major Wine before Wingate prived in the were time opts. So conscious of their own virtues. So incom- gate with great respect and Middle East,
quintet. One was a millionaire petent," It was firmly pointed out to that Wingate was "disloyal" a German commander, and it attention in consequence.
sheep farmer whose legs weze Haile Selassie had practically him that, so far as he was only in Palestine; though was a rough forecast of what
The rumour of the legendary so bowed from 6 lifetime an concerned, this WAS the whether the King had ally- was subsequently to happen.
had to fight his way into the
Churchill letter hed already horseback that he could not Είναι court of appeal. The Army thing to do with this is a
Sudo. The majority of British
e dared be rude to him. He cer- first priority when mounts were Council was the arbiter of matter of conjecture.)
metals there neither lover the preceded Wingate, sed no one walk, and was always
the Ethiopians, tainly did not reciprocate, Emperor nor
On scarce, in Ethiopia. Another was They had always beicule at one occasion he called a meeting an ex-full back of the Australian spite of the British public and of the officers who had been rugger team. the League of Nations) that the seconded to him for the Ethio- conquest and development of
plan operations.
The others were bank clerks or planters, and all were a Ethiopia by the Italians was a
"I know why you are here,” rough crew. They were hard to good thing.
and he said. "You want to get away control,
sometimes The Emperor, installed in a
from the dangers of front-line amnak, machine-gunning elephants villa on the banks of the Nile, warfare, so you have volunteer- and giraffes in the areas through was practically ignored excepted for this job in the belief that which
they wtre passing, by a few admirers and minor
you will save your skins, I don't dynamiting fish in the river. But officials.
know what I am going to do when Wingate was around their
you. I asked for the best discipline And then, in October, Wingate with youneers in the arany and never neglected to call him Sir,
was perfect. They AT any-rate, the newly-arrived arrived. A Major Onde Wingate was
what they have give me aro
Another curious character-at- He rehearsed how many times escapiste and make-weights," tsahod to Wingate was a Jew treated with a respect normally he should bow to an Emperor,
from Haifa named Alcavia. He had once been secretary and in- obeisances to Halle Selassic,
terpreter to Wingate when he wontier how Cairo's brass hats He said to him: "Fifty-two
ran the school to train the would have behaved had they nations let you down in 1935.
the Ethiopian cam- Jewish secret army in Palestina EN-GURION refused to em- known that there was one letter That act
of aggression led to AND so the It war.
paign, which put the Em- in 1939. When Wingate arrived the first shall be barrass the British. They in Wingate's kit, signed by a
wire asking bigh member of the Army. It hart met storetly in a caron said:
to be avenged. We offer you peror, the Lion of Judah, back. 1040 he sont a
Akavia to join him. freedom and an equal place on his throne in Addis Ababa,
The Jewish secret army gave Hampstead Heath because Win-
among gate had been ordered to keep You are going on a Mission sort of place will it be if you gate later said: "Between our help of a famous British soldier the nations. But what began. Or that campaign - Win--him permission to go. With the away from Jewish politicians, to the Middle East. Under to have no share in your liberation?
circumstances, while you You must take your part." In this area,
will you visit disgust, and then sald: "You Palestine. In case you should a traitor to your country attempt to do so as a civilian,
up, like a bullfrog and am ate. He went everywhere with and your poople."
you will note that your pass
trying to get rid of some of the Wingate thereafter, port has been endorsed:
wind before somebody pricks Yet Abyssinih,, where I Ben-Gurion got out of the car bearer of the passport should not, THE Emperor locked at him me.
left cynically and replied: "What achieved much, and walked back alone across be allowed to enter Palestine."
part canl I phy? Nothing is secure and with a damaged the heath to the house where
Meanwhile, Wingate found being done. They have even reputation.”- he was staying.
himself involved with Ethiopla. prevented my escaped troops
Reliability...
Meanwhile Wingate was still busy working, beaverishly, at his dedicated task of helping the Jews.
for
of
Yet I can find no evidence that any officer in Cairo, or ang where cise, for that matter, ever raw sucht a letter, or that one was ever written it was Win- gate's imaginary
carrot
nosca dangling under the ambitious and hopeful scador Shortly after the miracle of members of the stall, and it had as much effect en their attitudes Dunkirk he met the Jewish and appetites as if the vegetable Labour leader Ben-Gurion, and had been real. asked him to turn the screws on
the British. "You can get a Jewish Stale out of this situa- tion,” he said. “It is up to you. All you need to do 'is play your cards wisely."
THE COMMAND
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BE
He stared at Ben-Gurion in
bre
.
J
gato
The
H
his
A PROVERB
'A BULLFROG'
selves, my exfort in Burn is in the Middle East, Brigadier of far less importance and value
to humanity, a9 I judge it, The Claytory, he was sont across three affair. in Burma has blown me frontiers and presented to Win-
full of
me in-
HE
TRIUMPH
TE was a civilian and a Pales~ tiniac subject, and was
herolsm yet he went through the whole
This East African Empire was from coming here from. Kenya It was almost a swashbuckling never recognised by the Army. It was shortly after this that occupied by the Italians, who because the Keaya Goyermanent campaign, Churchill remembered Wingate, had (in 1935) drives Emperor rays they escaped from Ethiopia, and endurance, and scarred also of the Ethiopian campaign, led
Haile
Lion of are therefore deserters, and by by great administrative blunder troops into battle, acted as Whi Selassie, the and sent a note to the Wor
Win- rules of war can only be retain and neglect. How much of gato's secret clerk, and booked Office saying: "What about this Judalt, from his throne.
learned drom General ed to work on Kenya roads, the blunders and neglect were after his codes and
and signale; man Wingate? It should not be Wavell that his job in the Mit- I am being used as a pawn.”
deliberate the record will deelde, was third in the procession, be- impossible to and hin a job dle East would be to reconquer
To take Haile Selassic back to Selassie rode in triumph Into Wingate, when Halle of Eagl Wingatesald perhaps more whore, his talents could be used this colormous chun
Wingate used with Addis Ababa. to help us win the war."
Africa and restore it to the con- firmly than he felt: "You will his capital trot of its rightful ruler.
play your, part, I remind you the native troopa 50 British of an ancient proverb: 'It I am officers and 20 British other And now begins a mystery.
cet for myself, who will be racks. Of some of them he used The mystery of the Churchill
with me? You must trust to the very harsh words. Letter.
Justice of your cause."
One officer lost him half his Haile Selassie smiled: "Yes, troops by camping for the night- Orde Wingate, after spending His did not make him in Major Wingate. Bub can I also in what Wingate called "the
Tush towards some time with an anti-aircraft mediately
trust to the justice of your worst defensive position in his-; battalion outdido Loxion, sud-hiopia. He had patrolied its superiors?"
bory," DS a young Sudan
sergeanta found the lack denly motived orders to proceed · omfleer, noki did not seem anxious “You have my word upon it," of normal food, cigarettes- and
Cairo ant to report to to get there'sgain.
sak Wingate.
20
frontiers
THE AIM
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
| IF WE EVER GET
OUT OF THIS CELL |--WILL YOU TRY. MY PLAN, GUANT
YES--BUT IF IT DOESN'T WORK **LOOK--THE ELEVATOR.
PALEENA WANTS US
BECAUSE TO COME TO THE TOR» " YOU I'LL BET SHE'S HOPPING|| BROUGHT
ME HERET MAD
With these mer, on January 20, 1041, Ordo Wingate took the Emperor of Ethiopia back into his kingdom,
(WORLD COPYRIGHT).'
NEXT WEEK:
letters so trying that they, fried Wingate tries suicide
By Lee Falk and Phil Davis
YES, IT WAS AGAINST HER'
ON:
ORDERS, NARDA. I DON'T DEAR KNOW WHAT SHEʼELOOF | |--TM TURN US INTO GEASTS ON- | SCARED
HELLO. SO THIS IS NARDAI
HOW SWEET OF YOU TO BRING IHER HERE, GURN. DO COME INTO MY GARDEN.
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