THE
TO
I
N the
Bummer
of
of
1941 an agent the Palestine Jews
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1955.
ROYAL DOCTOR COMES
WINGATE'S
LE RESCUE
working at
G.IL.Q.,
Middle East Forces, sunt 24 message
to tho
Jewish Agency in Jerusalem. It said: "Ya Hedid is grave- ly ill, and may die. Please inform Weiz- mann and Sher-
tok."
He did
Y a (Hebrow for
Friend ".)
Wingate's
"The
W & B
code-
name in the Jewish
secret army.
Almost Immediately
Shertok (now Moshe Shareht, Prime Minister of Israel) appeared in
Cairo and went the
HE WAS A WRECK, A FAILURE. THEY THOUGHT HIS CAREER WAS FINISHED. AND THEN SUDDENLY HE FOUND THE PATH THAT WAS TO LEAD HIM TO GLORY
15th General Hospital, where Wingate was a patient after try- ing to kill himself by cutting Sherwok took with
hla that,
a friend from Wingate's earlier days In Palestine, o
by
LEONARD MOSLEY
}
Shertok informed him that, so far us anyone in Cairo knew, Wingate had fallen in his hotel und Injured himself.
Sudan and Ethiopia. He knew had been a correspondent in Germany until the outbreak of war and asked me many ques- tions about conditions in con- centration camps, I told him.
"But why don't they commit suicide?" he asked, and when I replied
that this was not so simple if you had neither belt nor braces, knives nor and were
in
You
he was contemptuous.
don't
kill yourself water weapons to
ho said. Ho
lifted up his arm and brought it
to
his mouth. "All you need to do is bito through your veins and bleed to death" : - -
Now here he was, that most pathetic and pitalably of all characters, a failed suicide. He had botched the most desperate decision of his life and become an object of derision to his cavmies and a figure of doubt lo his friends.
LOST PRESTIGE
WITH
one ill-timed und handled cut of a knife, he had dissipated all the prestige which his campaign in
"Nonsense. It is not true. I took a knife and cut my throat, clumsily I intended to kill myself, and I should be dead now if someone had not heard me
great broken down the dooring and Ethiopia had begun to gather for
of a man I am?
young Haluan Jew named Strel, miserable.
Above the who subsequently parachuted
bandage around his neck the into
fur the Allies and Haly
face was pale and the oyes were died in Dachau.
dull
nearer. looked with despair. He
with little interest, Sherlok and his companion Al Sireni forund Wingate propped up shook hands apathetically with
and In Sherlok, bed,
swathed throat bandages. They were greeted him:-
"Shertok, I don't need to tall hospital by Akavia, Wingate's you about me. You know that Jewish secretary, who had just even though I am British my flown north from Ethiopia,
to the
his
waiting-room
MISERABLE
1n
of the
destby with
your
"I believe
whether
then
said to
#
IN DESPAIR
not
and
of his
THE DRAMA IN A CAIRO HOSPITAL Wingate, pale, apathetic, roused himself to say: "I know that one day you will
to be Commander-in-Chief of the Army of liract."
cash me
Kouning
to do 90.
BRITAIN'S STRANGEST HERO-CHAPTER 6
sald again to Kounine:
Owe
#1300C
in
"Ho.
large
his .measure to your help and Initiative and to our mutual perspicactly."
His determination
share the credit with Kounine, was the typical gesture of a very great min.
So. Orde Wingate emerged from the the worst moments of his life, still alive, still in the Army, still a major..
He spent some time with his wife, and slowly his mental con- dition changed from Knowing misery (or its alternative. panic hysteria) to optimism, God wee suddenly on his sido again. Ho was full of hope and optimism, and began busily contacting his friends in politics and the War Omeo to got him a new job,
Now jobs of the kind, ho visualised, in the rank for which he whe obviously. Afted, vero not so easy to come by in the And then, once circumstances. more, General Wavell-a soldier he did not really admire-come to his rescue.
Wavell had the problemot Burma, about to fall into Japanese hands, on his mind and conseilence. It occurred to him that a man like. Wingate might arrest the flow of the yellow-lide towards India by guerilla methods, and he asked London for him. Almost almul- taneously, a political essage (routed not through Military channels) asked Wavell whelber he could find Wingate a job.
A THREAT
February 28, 1942, a. note
Osaled under my door.
"Am
had
to
East, you know. Do you know
him. He had returned to Cairo soldior whose exploits were, He beckoned Shertok to come ↳
"Do you see what sort so far, unknown and his future I try to kill uncertain. Time, plus the self-
achievements myself and I do not even make evident
have a good job of it. If you still Ethiopian
period,
Would taken care of that, But who want me as the leader of your taket
would continue to employ a man ariny, remember this!"
The report from the whose only answer to criticism, in
doctors tempests that were apt to rage enemies to get him either court- martiailed or sacked. To that Was Cairo
that in in his brain. such
en route to a' now Job. antagonism and stupidity was to South Africa, he Was *taken He admired his patient, but end, he enlisted the aid of Would like to talk to you be cut his own throat, inefficiently? ashore
the distinguished colleague. He ask- fore. I proceed." and appeared before a with something less than
ed King He lay there in his bed' at
George VI's doctor, Unked for all time
Downstairs was Wingate. He had which included adulation that other Jews at medical board, the 15th General Hospital, only mental specialists,
Lord Horder, if he would see ART B
Him. people. 1
been urgently, flown His at Pleter- displayed towards
his patient. Horder read Win Cairo on route for India and the Zionist and I believe in Zionism. Muckest period of Wingate's his fallure
the beginning of the too well aware of the extent of IT was
of maritzburg. The report which atitude to Wingate was that of
ho hod East, and not-too- gate's medical record and agreed Far
not the profound these doctors aubsequently wrote a not-too-indulgent.. one day the Jews
Almost as soon changed a bit. will have
inde- life. For the next few months he consequences their Own
of his mistake. the examination took place on adulatory big brother.
Kounine believes it is almost as he saw me he said "They pendent country. I believe that, was to live in the pit of despair, Only a few of his friends, who October 8, 1941] was forwarded
sympathised with
certain that Lord unjustified loyally visited
Horder's still hate me here in the Middle hin each day, to the War Office in London, AKAVIA Was extremely dis-
which your people have to wallowing in
the religious conflicts knew that he was physically at tressed, and repeatedly said: night to get 11, or whether they self-pity at his situation.
And, as Orde Wingate neared blew so gustily through Win- Personal intervention saved the the lowest
what they have done now?, I If only my pisne had been on
to fight to keep it, the It would be an exaggeration
ebb, his enormous home his dilemma was not as gate's mind.
was flown from London as bave this
reserves would time
not
of energy sapped by he had once hoped, to decide that does battle for your to say
It is almost certainly due that many people st
months
of malaria, cold,
Priority One because Wavell "Orde 'NOT ONLY ME... freedom will be led by me, happened."
Middle East Forces, G. H. Q
dam), which vlotorious forces he would his determination that
neods me badly; but Cairo, con- and that, mentally, command next in the war, but Wingate, "I know that one day you will were appalled at his situation. hunger; They spoke briefly to Chap-
that winter of 1041.
trols the priorities from here on it he was in one Commander-in- and there were some to whom or periods, when evil and the urge martialied for wounding himself forth to win fame as a general THE Britain's ask me to be
of his Satanic man-Andrewn (now
whether he would be court- was kept in the Army and sent
they have deliberately HE frst thing that Wingate and umbassador to the
Lebanon), Chief of the Army of Israel. It represented a good excuse for
was still to escape self-destruction
to Priority Three. dropped me further service or
said to him when he met him when I complain they just 'jeer. hadi campaigned who
In Burmo. with is because I know one day you celebration. The upstart soldier for Wingate
In Ethiopia, and had will ask me to undertake this from the bush who had dared to staking, like a beaten but sti invalided from the Army as a
Kounine was determined to was: "You know, Lard Horder, at me". helped to
get him to hospital task that I want you to know all criticise them had proved not hopeful dog, through the dark meatal case in need of psychin- rout the attempts of Wingate's I am not the only great soldier It was true that some
at the about me,
but incompetently alleys of his mind. after the entastrophe
coinmit Exactly what sort only weak. "How Continental Hotel.
is of a man I am. What kind of weak. Ho had made such a
His wife was, a great comfort to him, and gave him unfailing "You will find him in a very He touched the bandage that, it must be admitted, even
encouragement, but there were his
were: Chapman-Andrews around his neck and pulled at some of friends bax! state,"
even his most IS worst momentin Cairo few people, HIS replied.
contemptuously. "This, for surprised.
fervent admirers, who imagined: came when Akavin was with that Orde Wingate Many times I had talked with He was understating. Wingate instance. What have you been
Wingato about suicide in the aim and a nurse brought in his be anything but had never looked more low and told about this?"
mail. There were letters from: wrock.
army
Colonel Wingate?" they asked. things I am capable of doing." clumsy job of his suicide attempt WORST MOMENT
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tric attention.
would ever
ទ nervous
his wife, which he put aside to "He had
moments when read
when he was alone, and
hc. acted Ilke a gibbering one from G.H.Q., Middle East manjac," said one of his friends, Forces.
"It was henri-breaking to be
Until this moment, despite the with him. He was a wreck of a wound in his neck, he had still man." been Colonel Wingate, the victor of Ethiopia;
but the letter addressed him us Major Win- gate. He was back to his sub- stantive rank, without a word warning, once more; and no prospects in sight.
of
NE
ADMIRATION
man, however, who never Tost faith In Wingate's the eventual emergence from The following day, without
slough of despond was hle any of his friends being in doctor, a middle-aged, stolidly- formed, Major Orde Wingate built Jew ramed Ben Kourine, was taken from hospital and Koumine, a man of profound loaded into an ambulance. A knowlage and a deep-senteri few days later he sailed from interest in his fellowmen, hard Suez in a hospital ship by way known Wingate for a long time, of the Capa for home,
and was well aware of the
LORD HORDER
He sympathised, acted.
day.
to
*
mem- bers of G.H.Q., Middle East,
tried to It is sign of Horder's own were having a schoolboy revenge Wingate he did not im- for past insults from
lack of co-operation, and, in by mediately put down Wingate a one or two cases, open derision
who suicide."
has
stature that
his mind as a
megalomaniac, and wash his hands off him.
and contempt. But was the de lay in his forward flight due to Instead, he talked
(and mything but the oxigencies of listened) to him with attention wartime transport? I could not and sympathy. Subsequently he find out. But certainly, after a consulted with Dr Kounino and non-stop flight from London to together -the two of. them
he had to wait oyen, a Cairo, decided on a course of action.
On December 20, 1941, Horder of the journey; and was told, by fortnight to make the next stage
sent a report on Orde Wingate A high offleor in my presence: to the Director of Medical "And don't try complaining to Services at the War Office. That
We'll just stop
report is, of course, confidential; the Old Man. but it did contain Lord Horder your telegram. assurance of Wingate's mental
fitness,
Wingate
,was
martialled
for
was a
Wingate by this time pale, meek man who looked and he had never ..hot
court sounded, as it
insulted a general in his life. self-inflicted wounds. He was not dismissed His neck was scarred from his the Service as a medical case, suicide attempt, and he He was allowed to carry on as a thin and subdued. serving officer.
"Good. I am glad to hear it,"
said Horder do Kourine.
And later, when Wingate wgn
PROMOTION
was
fame as a general in Burma, he ONLY once did we talk about
Who else besides the cunning Cupid knows HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE
TO FALL IN LOVE?
T'S remarkable - the speed at which the Go Slow brigade moves, into action at the mention of a lightning romance.
romance
years.
MARY HAMPSON By
his suicide attempt. We had both, by coincidence, bemi rend- ing. Huxley's recently published "Grey Eminence," the biography of Father Joseph, the mystic who sat at the right hand of Cardinal Richelleu, Father Joseph was much concerned with death, and used to walk the roads of France saying Ito himself: "Die, dio, die," hop |ing to drop dead as an not of
contrition.
saw him. He was sitting behind
"It is the nogation of my.own an enomous desk, looking official. He had lovely wavy philosophy," Wingate sud,"I hair, and I thought: 'I'd love to belleve in the Semitic attitude go.behind that desk and ruffle and I say to God: Let me Live, years, she still that hair. I don't think he was live, live. And it is only when Nonsense, you say? I wouldn't After thirty
very interested in me. But he Satan, not God, tempts me that They were quick off the say it too loudly when Ursula thinks it was a fair exchange."
he'd take me out I wish to die." And what about Commander promised
I mildly told him that, as mark when Orlando Sirola, Bloom's around....Miss Bloom
cost. He didn't know what an man who prided Himself as the Italian tennis star, mar has been dispensing fictional Robinson, the man she marriedt when I'd made my first broad-
for hundreds and He remembers the first time he incentive it was! Soon after a master of all sciences, and ried Corise Phillips, the 21- thousands of words. Sho's been saw his wife because
he fell
* broadcast and we went out crafts, he had learned the art of year-old London girl he met lving u real-life romance for 30 for her with a splash!
dinner. A fortnight after that suleido badly. "I know," he “She didn't know it, but the we were engaged, and
six said, "No one told me that three weeks before.
to your "They must be mad," they "I meant to marry the man first time I saw her was on the months later we were married" when you put a knifé
throat and begin to;<
cint, the bald. What can they know of who became my husband the end of Margate pler. I saw this
muscles tense upage wi beautiful thing and stepped back each other in so short a time?” first time we met, I did marry
Francis Lederer told his wife There was a note m my box saw to have another look, and fell What does love, ever know him the twelfth time
right into the sea. It could have eight hours after he met her from him wier He had flown or need to know? I once heard him.
Don't worry. been awkward you know, there You know, I'm going to marry away: "Goodbye,
day." They
were I shall be a general yet.—Malor you one
and Orde C. Wingate." "He was an officer on board was a bit of a swell on at
married six months later, Cung Anloguing the charms of the the Royal Oak, and
when wome?"
Six weeks Inter Wavell had Some women are most the wedding was fifteen years than in her life:
"When you were introduced thought: 'Oh, endearingly honest, I find. They young last month.
Ho know why you love him you my gosh, that's for mo
Geoff Duke' is speed mor don't mind admitting that if don't"
Which could be bores looned so nice, you see, My they don't do the charing, they chant on and off his motor bike. dom lashing cut, but could bo husband im a very handsome, walk a little faster!
Ho proposed to pretty Pat Red man. "It cost me thousands. to Jill Manners, singing star of the wook after he met her and a long time since the marry him£200,000 to be stage, and television, married married her barely two months poet sang: "I did but see her exvel, I was a widow, and the her agent, I'm not telling you after that. He must have held passing by, yet will I love her money was dependent upon my how long ago. But I was 17. the record for lightning romance Lill I ale
remaining one,"
I remember the first time I/before Sirola won it? :
By Lee Falk: and Phil Davis
--SO WILLING SO QUIET--BE LIKES TO HEAR WOMEN TALKJ SO OBLIGING--AND" SO HANDSOME AND
Hmmm INTERESTING **
somebody say to
infatuated woman who was
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
MANDRARE NEVER TAKES ME OUT |-~HE THINKS WOMEN SHOULD
SLAVE ALL DAY CONTINUES NARDA.
WHEN YOU FINÍCH HERE, SCRUB THE
SIDEWALK.
A
"HE THINKS WOMEN TÁLK TOO MUCH SOMETIMES HE FREEZES ME WITH HYPNOSIS YOU KNOW.
SILENCE/
WOMEN TALK TOO I WON'T MUCHT THE IDEAƒ¦) DISCUSS THAY DIONS--EVER BUT THEN I HIT: YOU!!
MET GURN
THAT SWEET MAN--
the
mado film a brigadier.
(WORLD COPYRIGHT)*
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