THE CHINA MAIL,
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1957,
THE LAST WORD ON THE SACK
•
by GILES
OVER the Top
to
Freedom
THA
Auzat, PyrenLES,
HAT was a night to remember, the night of August 28, 1943; when 25 people set out by smugglers' track from this mountain village on the last lap to freedom,
Silently a group of R.A.F. men stood watching the sun go down on the 9,500ft. peaks which lay before them. If all went well by sunrise tomorrow they would be eleaf of German pursuit, and if their fuck hell they would soon be home in England,
But the stiffest part of the R.A.P.
eseape chain
through Occupied Frainer was still, before them," a mere ten miles in a straight line to the frontier.
And what a ten mules? Ja. A one long scramble up the amoun- tains ant the hours more walking down the other side of the Pyrenees, with Barcelona as the next destination,
INSTRUCTIONS
end British,
The 25, French were given their post in trans tion Krep thr buds down when walking as the face is the easiest thing for spret il mght. and uber their three quiries without avesi man
Nalls were hammered into the airacu's shoes to give a better grip on the rocks, and the Kuldes shouldered their sporting guns, ready as a last resort if a German patrol put
dog on their trail,
A very mixed company this, thrown together by the chann of war
The French colonel front the big ar base at tetros Wis 1103 in a good temper.
He and the R.A.F. man kari been brought up the valley in un ohl ery delivering chavessal. As the laris bamped along the
GREAT ESCAPES
No. 3 in the series by
FRANK TOLE
4
charcoal spread eland black dust over the inside nf the lorry, and
the cfadesin passengers got out koking like a troupe of coloured coons arriving at senside pavilion.
DON'T LAUGH
•DU!
TILER
M. GASTON JAUZE still teaches in the school house . at Auzat where he and his wife hid a total of 1,200 escapers. Feeding them was a big problem-so was the washing-up. Madame Jauze had to do it in sccrct so as not to arouse suspicion.
So I hapsend that in German-oertipien town a Fien navor married an I.A.F. pilot to
Rouen girt.............
a
A guy and carefer euple they were When they real Aurat on the way . England. The goides looked doubtfully at the bride wearsig her light new shoes and her summer slacks, but hadn't the ham to suitable was hardly
BOLU. crossing tha
THE R.A.F. men toolt sme look say that
at
ench
aler
As
lisey Wear for
climbed out of the lorry and tins.
August 28.
Alter
a few
hooted with laughter, but the They regretted their silvers French colonel was not anused, when the conway did sets at on and said so forcibly,
down whil He was calmed they walked toward the bridge over the river at Auzst, garded day and night by the Germme
miles va dir rough tracks the bride's she were in shreds, and for the rest 10 an 8.00USI, of the wrapp pussir had to be carried' by er usband and the guides be
THE VILLAGERS HAD THEIR OWN WAY OF DEAL tu ING WITH THIS SITUATION,
It was a hot day, and the Germaht on the bridgd kooked letizingly at the puts where the locals drank their beer,ly signs the villagers Invited them, in for a druik,
ONE CAUGHT
THE
French colonet,
mucit more subdued now, also had to be helped, for there was no
After all, it was a woste of lingering on the nountain, red time to march up and down in a they could 1:01 risk enving place
where nothing ever stragglers behind.
seemei 10 happen...So DOC drink led to a lot more drinks.
HONEYMOON
Once 11 Polish plot who twisted his ankle was told
10
hkle until the guides could re- turn for him, but he disobe, vor! instructions ant to maye euch was caught.
By, daylight there was no risk of pursuit, and by
the of there lunch-time
party bad
FOR Andre Menigoz, a galde more
who took a 10
scape convoys over the moun reached an Actorran village.
tains, this was the time to get the alrmen across the bridge
twą by two, with a tiny slog- Jag acecompaniment by The enemy in the pub.
,
HELP 300
Hand in hand went your Ichard Boing
IN case you think it was n! after all,
Taly
Claude Belval, a Free French just try to pictire one pilot and his 20-year-old haired NAF. boy who Hride on the oddest of bapey- wearily town at the table with 170009,
his hend in his hands,
Delvil had haled out when his plane was shot dowi Over and turned up in the Rouen middle of the night at his own
Just as they began to serve the nical fir could keep wake no longer and his face fell into a plate of hot soup. "Convoy passed safely** Was
home there, walking in at the the signal sent by the rides to door to say: "Here I am." to hig resistance hero Ernest Goize, astonished parents.
Bringing his total of escaped There he hid while frionds girmen to more than 300. got him identity papera, prid Four months Inter the Geg- thare he was reunited with the tapo sent him to the notorkus} sweetheart he bad' lett kichini Dăru cump. When he camo
home again in May, 1985, he was a "walking skeleton" after aa- lile ing .. and had to stret afresh, as he had neither home
or business leit.
Fon
FEED 1,200
On him, as for schoolteacher Gaston Jaze and his silver- Jair d wife, there WHE thought of danger.
PICK
The Jauze family', Eving in the vehicol henne at Auzat, "hid
ih
total of 1200 people - you 1200-because lot et other people as well as girmen went over the mountain to safety Jom the entaw.
Madame Jauze would have nativ as 15 people at a time for food--"and, oh, what a problem i get them enough to sal
She had to be specially care- ful about the washing-up. Br maid, who sent out, might have asped if there was too much left over in the morning.
Next Week
Abbe Armand Blanchebarbe
ARTIE.
· •
PAR SACK
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