THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1955.
DOING PARIS IN THE LAZY SEASON
P
By KAY CAMPBELL
men's Jackets belted clumsily at the waist and apparently cut out of blanket cloth,
payment
The eating habits of Paris
טאת
Paris. Here you cun buy mckly, you wi hout anyone demanding ARIS in this season is highly-coloured sweets or gaudy American-style ties and curious a city deserted. Any one who can do so escapes to the Riviera, and the tourist arriving from But the real ca market is oversens is often disappoint- tucked away behind these stalls In a huge courtyard of cobble- ed to find the sturk message stones. It is a little town of "Fermeture Annuelle" pin- primitive shacks, huusing ned on the shut doors of her curiosities of every kind from favourite antique shops and all over the world. boutiques,
It is not the best time to ent cheaply in Paris, either. [riteries and The little
restaurants on
the
Yel there me advantages In
Paris Caring lingering it
the da-bionable season. You can
Hidden Away
people are changing noticeably. The currently smart place for
is aflenco refreshment longer the comer cafe, but o the most Salon de The, and
one of all is popular
WIL Smith's English Tea-rooms the Rue de Rivoli. There are thronged with well-to-do French
and the
two homesick English.
Gone are the leisurely meals, choich after long discourse, with a choice bottle of wine und much conversation. Instead, "le Swick- hot-dkg bars and Snack" are springing up every-
even the where, and rants are becoming
are
restau- **self-
One stall hins nothing but
Items of
clothing Left ancient Bank of the Seine, which yellowed ivory fans, salin slip pers with iver buckles and Victorian gowns. You serve the city workers and
mavy
to you students, also close their can fummage
heart's service." through # box
contain
Today you
swept p2it hospitable doors, and the content
Ing scrúpa of Alencon and laden counters in a Gellis frelizy, streets remain deserted.
Bruzesła Ince, Intermingled with graping what disht:
you can. pieces BE jel. old necklaces and At the same time you try to rosaries
Hidden away in the understand the cashier as her shadow-, watching you but thrill
ery of "Quatre cent aways Ret yourstit a taxi- never pressing you to buy, is francs" is drowned by the ping |
the owner of the stall, an old of the each register, you are prepared to be hurrica
woman who smokes a pipe. from one end of the elty to -another at a hair-rising pare, You can to get a seat in the Metio, surely the noisest under
in the world. ground railway
Conscious of the all-pervading scent of garlte,, the Metro nu- thonilles did try u make it Mole palatable by spraying each station with
per- a different fume, but even that seems to trive been suspended for the summer.
Dog Wear
an in
What, then, can you Paris durity the Fermeture Annulle?
are huge
in
Other sills specialise kitchen utenells. Here you can a 19th pick up for about 1 century Jelly-mould in copper, fushioned inl
the shape of some fantastiu castle. There
"fron
Indle, inlik measures ani pewter platters. too. Another stall only sells suits of armour, but most stock nid furniture, pictures and de- corative pleecs. You can spend hours wandering around, lost In the past, and find some knick- knack to remind you of your visil,
If you tire of the flea market, you can follow the French eus- tom of a ride to Robinson, on the Ligne de Sceaux. Robinson incurious wooded resort in almost the suburbs of Paris which has
You can wander through the big stores, which are
deserted except for Americans built up its reputation on the
story of Robinson Crusoe ship-
darting from counter to counter wrecked on a desert island. looking for souvenirs. Ur you
wander along Ruc
Honore and
"The
SL
into the Win- Baze
dows of specialty shops,
My favourite one unnounces that it sells out pour le chien”
1 and, indeed
the whole of windows are devoted to Bems of dog wear. There are rubber boots for dogs of all sizes from miniature poodle to Aisatian; embroidered saun in dog beds with covers; and rubber toys Shapert and coloured succulent lami
like chops. There are all kinds of collars, including one in
surf look like a designed to white dress collar and bow tie; there are even bottles of per fumme for "nos amis les chiens."
kid
Eating Habits
It has a statue of "le. Vieux Robincu” and, around it, a collection of res- curious taurants, cafe bars and dance halls, some carved out of rock like caves, others perched prx- varionasly in the trees.
I'
GILES
"Leaving tactics for a moment-1 thought you might like to see a close-up of the gentleman who was calling you 'Big-Head,
'Fairy-feet and so forth all
had never
known what cocoa was for. until then..
Through Saturday's match."
London Express Service
BISCAY CRUISE
My friends upoke 118 though he Wus keen for some action, so I hoped that the trip would at least be productive for the visiting fireman us well as for my story for the BBC war re- port.
As dusk closed down, we came abreast of the shadows On the western horizon that, the commander told the islands of me, were Jersey and Guernsey,
and
the
Did it Happen?
Is this hectic day in the life of a British destroyer in wartime FACI
or FICTION? That is your problem.
Tomorrow the answer will be published.
smoke screen the shore line
and
a
crippled ship, and the stabs of ilame of her nalvoes bit up Into the carly
The evening sun, Polish destroyer too, tore in
great wide circle past the Gur- man ship, and let go hor- for- pedoes. There was a terrifie spout of water neat her bow, and then we heard the duli boom of the explosion.
Meanwhile, the cruiser had found the range and pounded the German unmercifully, Through binoculars I could see her crew clambering around and trying to launch her boats. There was по fre returned from the stricken ship. She setlled slow- ly by the bow, stood up on her nose and slid under the littered Bay of Biscay.
Alerted
were manned by German ly ordered the skipper to come we could see a salvo of flashes batteries of some sort. The on board. He came with some which we knew came from the T was just before the On her grey hull was a gun crews must have been trepidation, and with no shoes cruiser, and then she was un-
on. Up on the bridge we full of Cherbourg number, but on the fore- saying their evening "Pro- tried him out with our slight der way too, with the Polish that the Admiralty front of her bridge was the sits." for we sailed by in smattering of French and much destroyer racing past her
waving
the making a heavy cloud of smoke We now resumed our course told me to report to name Onslow, and I knew the dusk without any wae place of cur missing vocabulary; to blanket the cruiser.
of arms, to take
and steamed south as night fell, flashes from those
By 11 p.m. that night the radar the captain of a destroyer that I was consorting with ing
"Les Allemands, est-ce qu'ils at Portsmouth.
avoient one of the famous among shadows on the horizon.
des
des
Our zig-zag course in the boys were reporting enemy air- anti-somewhere around, and the greyhounds of the war-
continued unit the lookouts avere alerted. I did accustomed yourself
canons per taph・・ to the screech of the jazz band
Being one of the BBC's time seas.
We steamed round I made my num-
was just
not know where she came from, The Breien looked at us, first bumpeter nad the high price of
war reporting unit, I was her with the captain, who Cherbourg peninsula during at one and then at brother and shadow on the horizon, but the for I hadn't heard her engines, refetchment (wo lemon anxious for anything that was a breezy young com- the night, and in the morn- shrugged his shoulders.
batteries Then shore ten shillings), you can sit
kept fring, but out of the darkness from в heavy bomber came nowhere, He, When this is happening to you, in low, dropped a bomb which the tables under the trees or would give me a lead as to mandor who always seemed ing, sure enough, there was Number One took
to the dhore, then it's strange what 3 pleasant missed us, and raked us from up in them if you wish, shaded the possible
when in a hurry to get said what our cruiser, grey and beauti- pointed
of the pointed down to the loan scouts sight each high waterspout is stem do stern with her machine from the afternoon sun, and Cherbourg_might fall. On he had to say. The words ful in the blast watch the Paris teenagers arrival at Portsmouth, and tumbled out of his mouth.
of the destroyer's forward turret Each one means a miss. They guns, eastern sunrise, and running which was now swing around, were all misses. by. You can ride on the swings
and trained on fea sund roundabouts,
through the frankly face grow
shore, and ters and, having tired of it ali
knee climb to public park on the hilltop
relax where you can and gaze at the country below
Also well worth white visit- ing at any season is the famous Marche aux Puces, or market. You buy a Metro ticket to Porte de Clingmancourt and the train takes you to the fringe of the city and a long road set out with market stalls.
"POLAROUTER **· timing every S.A.S. (Scandinavian Airlines System) Royal Viking flight.
In all stainless steel or with
14 Kt.gold shell top, Black' and gold or all. white dial.
walk
date
following my further instructions, I found myself slithering over # narrow gangway to arrive on board of one of HM destroyers.
The watch
that times S. A.S. Royal Viking flights across the Pole:
“POLAROUTER,
TIMING EVERY SAS ROYAL VIKING FLIGHT
was designed specially for S. A. S. pilots. Its construction is the result
of technical study based on scientific facts. Its structure allows it to withstand any climate in all latitudes, from the pole to the equator. Its water-resistance is assured by three basic elements : a rigid-crystal, a tension ring, a curved dial, The combination of these three features assures an absolute tightness. The "POLAROUTER" ₺ fitted with the UNIVERSAL-GENÈVE automatic movement, 17-jeweled, shock-absorbing, anti-magnetic, high-precision. This is a. Universal-Genève exclusive, and fias been patented.
Steely eyes
This three-ringer RN was, I should say, around 35 or
interfer-
hand.
A little Welshman beside
ence for her by STANLEY het downs As we slowed down, half an where I was standing, swung his
*
like
good bird-dog, was the- Polish destroyer.
up
I had come
on
the and
bridge, Number One was
just
and
on
נס
hour later, out of
MAXTED and exploded a range, one of the lookouts re- craft, but, we could hear her
STANLEY MAXTED cerformly took part in the Arnhem glider operation, Thei was most memorabla dai/gament as a BBC nat The question randers of exportar. this story must decide is whether ha also went with the Navy to elicoy. Maxted was born at Fölkerton In 1895, educated to Toraslo and served in the 1914-18 was with the Conadion Army. Apart from broad- costing, he has since the war figured In time and plays. He is married, has four children, and Ilegs in Enjoń Squara
Oerlikon turret and fired alter Arouble's her.
We couldn't see the air-
his ported shell with
yellow streaks in the engines now as she circled back arms as though water, The commander leaned and we knew. wo were for it it came from
over the side of the bridge and again. the shore over navigated to follow the destroyer. He knew that
and burst.
orange streaks could only be swing round and be rendy panto- mimo was so made by someone in trouble.
good, that the
Breton under
right
his
eye. pooded
head
л
vigorous-
We
the streak.
Into The captain yelled
the thoso bright loudhailer for the gunners to to meet her, and sure enough, in came the great black shadow again, but my little Welshuman, being the most forward gun,
Orange trail
fired a great stream into hec the tracer seeming to travel far
A
| 36, and had a habit as he went about his ship of tak- ing everything in from the corners of his eyes. Never a detail out of place escaped these stoely blue eyes with finishing his the wrinkles at the corners watch. He -wrinkles acquired, I sup- was dark and pose, from Icoking long dis- lean tances for lengthy periods young. He ut sea.
He told me his had a muffler round his orders were sealed, but that
neck and he would put me, as he call- most of him ed it, "in the picture" later
was about 22 years old, I should say
tower his parted that the signat
We have to alongside and When I came up on deck,
and eyes,
were was calling us, and sure enough, helped them abound, and, as is the ship's company were much older. As I and my #blue-bladed light carne crack the custom, took them up on to the top of the the bridge to the commander. ling out fran busy making ready to put to young Canadian naval friend tower ashore.
The yeoman Neither of them was more than Rea, and pretty soon we were arrived up on the bridge, signaller mumbled to himself as 21, and both were in their bare gliding in that slightly
one of the signalmen ap- he read, then vicious way that destroyers peared with a tray contain- making: What is the name of brightly and the weather warm. whistles, have smoothly out towards ing mugs of cocoa and gave your ship?', sir."
stood away, end A light camo into
Twenty minutes more, and the too slowly. Но His lookout reported, "Unidentiñed
There was little lick of object, ahead, sir," and sure dame from the incoming shadow enough, there, far ahead, was a
then a big lick of flame, and ly, which
tiny spot which rapidly Look
Brew
she veered like a paper dart In to mean
Intu that the shore bigger and resolved itself
a circle to the right and down- two very wet RAF boys in Mac ward. She never batteries
got another were Wests, and paddling a rubber bomb away, but dived with her manned.
raft. The orange trail had come engines going full and flaming. Just then, a from them.
There was a Bash and a big rignalman
explosion, and then patches of burning on the sea,
on.
the Nab.
except those
stin
A target
ΤΟΥ
I couldn't tell what it his feet. looked in
Both were cold, Even
burning, but if there were any the code-book and said: "They are though
was-shining survivors, they didn't use their and DR the flames were a target to be seen us each one. I had never
They were the crow of a miles around, the destroyer flat- known what cocoa was for, The captain wrote in block Beaufighter of Coastal Com tened her tall down and got to mand who had attacked what away from the spot as fast as Strange funnel until then. If you have lotters and handed the slip
WES of siguals, who, they thought
o German she could. been perplexed, too- just the yeoman
freighter. This ship was a Speer- brechera Gorman Q-boat that
That night
1 learned try it at sea, in the early stony faced, clapped it out
the bridge signal lamp. what our mission was: it morning on a destroyer seemed that the Admiralty but it must be hot. wished to know whether the
on
By this time we had reached
looks like a cargo ship, but car- well south along the Biseny rles more armament than a fort shore, and in fact, had accom- It was an unprintable
comin ment in German, and the last in the Maginot line. The boys re- plished our mission, clank had hardly come from the ported a hit on her and the fact the shore batteries
that they saw
fire on board manned, lamp when a flash and a belch from one of their bombs. of smoke on shore, followed by manned by the Germans. The day glared up hot, clear another one just like it, gave The commander was to sell and beautiful, and Onslow
coastal guns along the Bay
of Biscay were still being
·.
Suicide
nd on
to
0
We know Wero etill and from the cruiser
order to go ahead north again.
.camo an
about
They didn't got a very good By daylight It could be seen look at it, however, because the that all three of us were going German ship brought them all out for home, but my in company with an eight started to make inshore a little. warning of what was You'd have thought the com- come. It wasn't long either.
down. They were able to gilde Candian friend still. gun cruiser, and a Polish mander was trying to commit
a couple of miles before ditch- mow that a weird chapter of destroyer with a strange suicide. He was not. He now Vanished ing, and had been paddling for events had been his lot. He still funnel which everybody in exactly what he was doing.
two and a half hours since then, thinks it happened that way They were able to give the have known triod, to find out from the navi- Pompey must
every day. gator where we were,
rough position of, the during the war, and coax the his charts just opposite our by another, and a great spout of German ship at that time, and
There was a shriek, followed tain the
WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED coastal batteries into show gotted course, I could see the water went up inshore, and then after a signal to the cruiser, ing their hand.
conventional pigns for a signal another one just beyond us. away we went, flat out,
DID IT REALLY HAPPEN? atstico, a redar. station and They had the ship bracicated "Fine thing." I thought, shore batteries. "here we go being guinea- Between us and the shore, ished, pigs agnin" I had obtain- there must have been a couple bering on to his own craft. The Beatifighter's bombs must
boats,
have done more ed permission before we of dozen Breton dahing
damage than bocrimed. They made, a fine, friend
RAF loft, to have a
boys thought, for of
commander ordered "full the sight
with their soils, belahan da mino, a young naval lieut- bus, bright red, yow, white, aboad both-hard e-starboard along about teatime we sighted Closer to make smoke.” The slim steel a haze Blob ahead. onant from the. Canadian rust
coloured
there
ship looked like a gray goose this was the shape of the Ger Navy, come along for the lay in the sea like an uneven coming in to land, as the lean man ship with a smoking fire
mirror
their reflected ploture ed over and sped away.
admewhere, astern ride. He was a PRO from coming towards me dei ripples. ; Canadian Naval HQ in Lon Baki öld don..
UNIVERSAL
GENEVE
drat time. Somehow or offer, the Breton Asherman had van- and we saw him clam-
Smoking astern
The commander drew along. There was a thinder" from 1 spotted the ruleria: lurreta side one at thecs and cataboptie- the west, and through the smoke awinging in the direction of the
YES NO
• Put you, Uck in the specu‹übera and keep this poñel! by you with reimsscrew"
awother story, in this dociền bỹ
LOUIS GOLDING
1