Page
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, AUGUST : 20, . .1957.
Suddenly from dry history: The Estoril Story
there builds up a story that reads like an Eric Ambler thriller.
but with
a real ex-King, a real Prime Minister, real Foreign Ministers as the chief characters.
It is a plot by Adolf Hitler to win over Britain's Duke of Windsor and put him on the throne of a conquered Britain that has been revealed with the publication of wartime German Foreign Office documents.
in his determination to take up his official post as Governor of the Bahamas on the date agreed.
much-tainted HIS Is the Estoril story. This is the story of
"The German records are necessarily a
Thecords are nocence which they provide Terromaniacs and megalomaniacs who, thought they
The cloak-and-dagger drama took place at Estoril, the
luxury resort in neutral Portugal, in 1940 between The June, whon the Duke and Duchess fled from falling France, and August, when the Duke became Governor of the Bahamas. Says the British Government, in publishing the documents: "The Duke was subjected to heavy pressure from many quarters to stay In Europe, where the Germans hoped that he would exert his influences against the policy of the British Government,
"He never wavered in his loyalty to the British cause or
He
source.
is of what the Germans were trying to do in this could seduco the loyalty of an ex-King of England. matter, and of how completely they failed to do it.” How they set about solemnly to "nobble the Duke" documents say that on July 12 Hitler's Foreign is now revealed in official German documents and my Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, disclosed the whole word, the technique would shame an Eric Ambler novel! basis of the German plan in a telegram to Ebergard For the Germans of the Second World War were the von Stohrer, German envoy in Madrid.
corniost intriguers of all time. They were, at every wrote: "Germany is determined to force England to stage, the duper duped.
peace by every means of power, and upon this happen. ing would be prepared to accommodate any desiro expressed by the Duke, especially with a view to the assumption of the English Throne by the Duke, and Duchess."
DEFENCE SHAPE
OF MODEL BRITANNIA Sandy's Measurements
En Sizes Survey
CONTESTAMA DE
I¥༤༥་ཧྭ" *
STRIKING NUCLEAR
FORCE
MOBILE
FORCE
SHE MAY NOT LOOK MUCH BUT SHE'S ALL OURS"
Losdun Eigrein Servtor
The Omega Seamaster Made for a Life of Action
Omega Marks
A Quarter Century
of Olympic Timing
At the Olympic Games, the results
must be spelled out with the
mimaut precision. Since 1932, therefore, the organizges have entrusted Omega
with the task of timing the Games. At Beltink), Omega was awarded the Olymple Cross för its existanding contribution to the Games.
Seals out Water Scals in Accuracy
Omega Seamaster, ulfwinding, waterproof, back-protected, antimagmatic
The Seamaster was designed to share with you the rest of high adventure and the stresses and strains that go with it. In any climate... aloft, ashore and afloat... under the surface, too, you can count on the Seamaster's extra stamina and extra precision.
Wear it daily, and you never, never, need to wind this automatic precision watch.
Developed from the watches we designed for Britain's Armed Forces, today's Seamaster is a favorite with pilots and navigators, golfers and skin-divers. Whatever your profession or sport; with the Seamaster on your wrist you experience the pride of wearing a famous. precision watch especially groomed for the active life... for your roughest, toughest day.
Ω
OMEGA Seamaster
HONG KONG
(Samen Hiked in alphabetical order) Artland Watch Company****
28 Des Voeux Road, Central Broadway Watch Company
178 Den Vasús Road, Centesi
Undean Company
106 Queen's Rand, Crakıl
China Emporium, Ltd. -
CLA Queen's Road, Central
Inganski's
185 Des Verux Road, Central
The Watch the World has Learned to Trust
Lam Yuan Fong Watch Company
170 Des Voeux Road, Central Law in Kas Watch Dealer
9 Boshan Strand, East
Lee On Watch Company.
234 Queen's Road, Canterl
35 Qusen's Road, Cerical
Roue D'Or Watch Company
Shul Hwa Watch Company
77 Queen's Road, Central,
Tal Sing Watch Company
11 Dee Young Road, Gautent
KOWLOON
Kung Bros. & Campany
Coppright in
Countr
134 Nathan Road Uirensar Arendia)
La Suisse Watch Company
* Nathan Road, (Shaw's Bulbéing)
Tal Wak Watch Company
K.L.L. 579 Nathan Rost
Société Suisse Pour l'Industrie Horlogère Sud. Geneva, Switzerland.
Solo Agents: OMTIS LTD.
OMEGA ★ 7/3 320 dfencester Duliding
for the
29
Recall now the setting of
"The Duke intends to post- those days, 17 tummers ago. Parls had gone; and the Duko and Duchess of Windsor had pose his departure been living in Patis, On June Bahama Islands as long
posible, at least until the be 18, 1940, as the Germans famed
ginning of August, in hope of out across France, the Windsors
a turn of events favourable to beaded for their villa at Cap
him. d'Antibes and called a con= ference of personal advisers.
There, For example, was Major Gray Philips, tho Duke's secretary, who sold: "I want to keep out of this, but I think it's a pity that the documents are published at this time."
Decision then to go to neutral Spalt, then Lisbon, then home to England.
Sinister
'Good thing'
is convinced that if he had 11 remained on the throne wor would have been avoided, and he charactertaes himself as a. im supporter of a peaceful arrangement with Germany,
"The Duke deânitely belleves that continued bombings would make England ready for peace."
But the baron, the supposed author of all this, admitted TWO day's after France and that he had never spoken to the for an armistice the party Duke or even met ham, although made off in a Bulck, heading the Duke hud by now reached for the frontier.
Lisbon.
Now
Ribbentrop cabled Juu am" bassador in Spain--
"We are especially interested in having the Duke return to Spain.
The Duko's cor was driven by George Ladbrook, new 64, who said resectively at South- end: "The atmosphere on the Spanish border was sinister....
After much effort the party-- "A1 a suitable occasion in leading B convoy of Spain the Duke must be in- wants trontier, formed that Germany refugees-crossed the headed for Barcelona, swung peace with the English people, south for Madrid, and put up that the Churchill clique stands at the Ritz Hotel,
in the way of it, and that it. Thus, on June 23, 1940, would be a good thing it the according to the official German Duke would hold himself ready. documents, Eberhard you Stohrer, German Ambassador in Madrid who died some years ngo, writes to Foreign Minister
Ribbentrop:-
more
"You will, at the proper time, receive ma detailed instruc- tions In the matter. The following .will also serve to orient you personally:--
"The Spanish Foreign Minis-
") The Duke, according to ter requests advice with regard unformation from Lisbon, L to the treatment of the Duke living at the home of a Portu- and Duchess of Windsor who
guese banker, who is reported were to arrive in Madrid today to be friendly to Germany. apparently in order to return to
(2) A report has reached ur England by way of Lisbon.
Swiss informat 1uday from The Foreign Minister who has for
many years hud assumes from certain impres- close
with the connections" sieng that we might perhaps be English Secret Service to the interested in detaining the Duke effect that it is the plan of the of Windsor here and possibly in English Secret Service, by send- establishing contact with him."
There,
at the lart, is the ing the Duke to the Bahamas, to get him into English power presumption and the tone of all in order to do away with him at that follows; the stupid accep- the first opportunity:" tance that the Duke was ripa for defection, that he would aid
his country's enemies, that of
all people he would act traitor,
See how how the excitement mounted in the German Chan-
Delay.
A laugh
THE DUKE OF WINDSOR, sean during a recent visit to London.
CHURCHILL, THE AGA KHAN
AND BEAVERBROOK
THE WEB of intriguo spread out to involve personnuties.
the names of many The following extracts are taken from a letter from Frince Senior Counsel Max Hohenlohe to Walther Hawel,
Hitter's personal staff. Date: July 25, 1940:-
одо
of
T the hotel where for years I have been spending A te thotel white fond, as I been same. During my last stay there I fell to talking with him. He asked me to convey to you his best regards and to tell you that he, and also his wife, are delighted to recall the days in Germany and that he will always remain grateful for the consideration accorded to him in general and especially on your part.
pause there for a ccllery; how, I almost Bald We can
moment to have a goud
Ho asked me to convey to gutturally, the plot thickened... laugh ut this last discescá
You the following with a re- Jantasy--but to confirm that the Windsors were staying at quest that you relay it to the Fuhrer, The Khedive of EgypĻ the Estoril home of Dr Ricardo who is also there, had agreed de Espirito Santo Silva, a Lisbon with bim that on the day when VON RIBBEN- banker who may wall have JOACHIM
the Fuhrer puts up for the TROP, ex-champagne sales been friendly to the Germans, right in Windsor, they would man and ex-Ambassador to He died two years ago. Britain, who was to be hanged The explanation of how the drink a bottle of champagne
Silva
was!
Dulco
given
together.
NONSENSE says Aly Khan
IN PARIS the late Aga Khan's ΣΟΥ Aly Khan
-op
Ecribed as "nonsensical" the Gorman allegations that his father was sympathetic to Germany
during the Taat
He added: "Ha fought all his life for England."
War,
at the end of 1 all, replies; Windsors come to be staying
Dr "Is it possible in the first with
He knew that the King of pluce to detain the Duke and by Sir Walford Selby, British Egypt would do likewise with to Portugal at the thêm, if he were present, 1 Duchess of Windsor for a couple Ambassador cf weeks in Spain before they time:--
Germany or Italy were thinking It are granted an exit visa?
"I was naturally ready to of taking over fadio, he would
tho 10 would be necessary at all events extend
and place himself at our disposal. to to be sure that it did not ap- Duchess the hospitality of our help in organising the country:
but owing to the he was pear in any way that the sug- embassy, gestion came from Gerinany." presence
And Spain's Foreign Minister fugoes swarming through: Lisbon on several young maharajas. and if he were to go with these "promised to everything the embassy was in a state of He asked expressly possible to detain the Duke." confusion.
But on July 2, Ambassador Stohrer to Ribbentrop:-
do
counting for that on of thousands of Te- his well-known following anif
be transmitted.
★ ★
"1 went to the Palacio Hotel " at Estoril and discussed the. "The Foreign Minister in parition with the manager and formed me that the Duke of sald
wanted comfortable I Windsor is traveling to Perlu accommodation,
."About two days afterwards gal today or tomorrow to confor there with the Duke of Kent... the manager said he had a
"Windsor told the Foreign villa available. When the Duke yet be Minister that he would return und Duchess
1s
that this ideka
Churchill to England would lock him up, despite his
high
rank in England and
India.
He the Aga] reverted to our In his opinion the Fuhrer talk at the time of the accession would attack England directly, to power of the Fuhrer, when I
thought it would be
arrived I took easier and require less of an was in England on Invitation in German troops, from the then Prince of Wales to England only hla wife them out to the vilin-thinking effort
and fewer losses to and the Aga Khan came to were recognised member it was an arrangement of the material,
for an dinner. of the Royal Fundly and it he hotel's to find Ricardo and his conquer Egypt than were appointed to a military, or wife waiting to greet them as attack on England proper. civilian position of influence. hostal
He had seen Windsor ng Inte Trade in the Mediterranean "The of these condi-
said in her The fuinument
Duchess
made secure and as in April and the latter was tions was practically out of the memoirs that I placed them into could be question.
the hands of Ricardo Sliva, I now that the Weygand Army thinking just as he was and was intended therefore to didn't feel disposed to put out no longer existed, the individual on close terms
nations on the eastward march brook. " return to Spain where they correction. Spanish Government had "There is no doubt about it would shake off the allen yoke, offered him the Palace of the that Silva was looking out for
Russia should be given overy Duke and
Duchess of satisfaction, even with surrender Caliph at Ronda as a residence the
grasped period. Windsor
this of Istanbul and certain parts of and
Silva Windsor has expressed himself opportunity.
A WOG
India, Ja that way the oll would be shut off also.
for
"Ho
on
indefinite
to the Foreign Minister and ferride thruster," other acquaintances in strong
terms
against Churchill and against this war."
As
this
nonacnco
WAD
exchanged, the British Govern- ment announced-on July 9- that the Duke had been appointed Bahamas Governon
'Arrest*
Intrigue.
Referring to England hereelt, he said that America's matoriai war old should not be over- estimated, since England was lacking in trained manpower for the alreraft, cic., furnished,
TUS, in July 1940, we leave the Duke and Duchess in- nocently in the hands of a man
England could soon be largely friezaily to the enemy; with Ger.
cut off from vital supplies. The many curtainly plotting to re- tain thezn; but with the boat struggle against England was the strugglo against to the Bot o calling to take them Bahamas
English people, but against the July 11 Ribbentrop tells of
Madrid Ambassador Jews, alleged report from his glohrer is as busy as can bo
seeing Franco's men..........
There Isn't the Zalatest
Minister In Lisbon, Barom Dewald von Hoyninge-Huene, who still lives on the Eater chance that the Duke will pay Churchill had been for years strip of coast outside the sllest attention to Esis in their pay and the King was
"As Spantarda from among von Broheim atmosphere of too weak and limited. those around the Duke of Windsor have informed aafdentially... the designa-
Intrigue.
US
But Ribbentrop will not give
shall soo to
Lon of the Duke sa Governor. UP As wo of the Bahama Islands is morrow. On this page. Intended to keep him far, away from England, since his return would bring with it very strong encouragement to English friends of peaco, so that he Instance of bis arrest at the opponents would be expected,
The Estoril Story Edited By
John S. Mather
Lord Beaverbrook was tho enly man who had the courage, power, and standing to bring about a change in England, -oven against Churchill, since the. latter had for a long time been in his pay,
with Beaver-
The documents give this footnote to the above letters Prince Hohunlohe forwarded information to Howel about an Interview with the Aga Khan on December 9, 1940, but Hewel responded, on January 23. 1941, that while the Aga Khan's vlows were* of interest, bis financial interests were "o bound up with the interests of Britain that he could hardly be used as. a Gering "contacty
TOMORROW:
What the Man on the Spot,
Lord Templewood,
THEN
BIRDS BAMUEL AM- HOARE, OUR
DASBADOR IN, MADRID,
He [the Ags] himself thought.
-had\'always.
advise against
war, but now it was too late,