THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1959.
This is the last week-end of peace. a mystery envoy
THERE
Goering bets me it won't be war
...
At dawn on September 1, Nazi troops, marchod on Poland Hitler had acted at last. With a romarkable lack of fuss or excitement, Britain wont on a wartime footing....
But though war was now inevitable, there was still time to talk of psychiatry for a cow...and
of glandular treatment for footballers...
RE was a headline in the Sunday Express on August 27, 1939, which matched the mood of that last week-end of peace.
The Ger mans put out a statement saying that their prize Trans-Atlantic passenger ship, the Europa, would make is usual Monday morning call at Plymouth.
IT'S ALL RIGHT UNTIL TOMORROW, ANYWAY, sale the Sunday Express.
But Munday came and the Europa didn't. She made straight for Bremen instead of calling
at Plymouth.
At Southnaription the Following? day, however, the ner Quer May lockert after her strongest ,peace-time journey of all. The great ner wns blacked out and battened clown the topiént klie left New York
Two of her passengers were Stanley Baldwin
Hevin. The
Ermtsk} Ariel
Merals WIN
.
THAT ASTOUNDING AUGUST: Part 3
by LEONARD MOSLEY
The "bombs" were rubber faz.
"Let's shote that bloody
But were we?
warned to leave his pipe behind balls on which he had panded Hitler we're serious at last." and the second his cigars when anti-war sloganın, they went up an deck.
"It was like being back in the jungle," said Al Mar Maureen O'Sullivan, whose activity in these days was bay. Ing inate to Tarzan (Jenny Weissmuller).
There were strange and sinja- in A coset-maker Mosley the votiations going on behind Street, Manchester, put in sign the sceness, and the Guvernment anepal window reading "Just war. making every effort to pres the Press because the world is in and vent the public and hope, there is no need for pou from linding out about them.
and In both Lonton to be the same."
Berlin There were rumours that Yel the silmation was er mystery man was acting British people intermediary Be
between Britain and Germany in an effort to bring about peace.
Only a hatidful of men knew his mine, and they were sworn
In the air
a! well knew it.
You could almost smell danger From all over Germany tow
troop train: In the ni tisal week-end, the Agents of the Irish Republican towards the Polish Army, out' to exploit the erisis The planes of
stopere for their own eeds, Were bombing up for the attack Nazb in Germany, The next be
were on the prowl.
One of them parked a bicycle by the kerb in a busy Coventry street. There was a bomb inside
box at the back. When went off five peyle være killed, Including a young bride-to-be looking at a tray of wedding rings in t nearby jeweller's
shop.
numed
Lawrenet
A few hours later, # crackpot Alfred Hislam, from Peckham, almost got lynched by some Trate wo- men In Downing Street. He gled with the crowd outside Number 10 and then suddenly shouted: THESE ARE BOMBS!"-and- threw Ivo round objects into the rond.
Wonen sereared and flung themselves and their children to the ground. Then, when no explosion came, they climbed arly to their feet, and went for Ristan. The police hadd to go to his rescue.
o Waraw.
Que day he talked with high
was in conference with Prime Neville Chornberkah: and the Foreign Secretary, Land Halifax, in London,
1
TWO GIRLS CALLED JUNE
A
UGUST 11, 1933 was the
day the man-evaɛquilves
of London's children began.
Chah of that giganile opeta sion cute some of the must touching scenes and pictures
of the deskary,
Mit-
Among the 2.000,00 ehi dren who bade tearful (ATP well to their parents before
Britain' leaving threatened trial for the Countes were Hitle June Eityal, aged fasar, and hee brother Tony, aged five, of [ Clerkenwelt ((non Fight),
Walting for the transport that was to take them to Tulon, Teds, June picked up the wrong michel t belouged to a girl called June Dawes
01 tline feat „dayı in Luton, June Mays: We cried all the time al first. We were mferrable And bewlidered. But we grew to love the people we were billeted with It was a terrible wrench leav Ing them at the end of nat stay in Luton."
Today, both June and l'ony
June Brydd...
are married.
Juns contries Arthur l'atto two years ago She Bren as Endpinioneoad, Harringay, and is expecting her flrut baby In December.
And Tony! tto tires m Broamfeld-rond, Chadwell Heath, with the wife be mel at a dance tn London four years ago. fler nams ↑ JUNE DAWES the owner of the Satchel his sister picked up bu mistake 20 years ago
ter were concerned nations on the brink of war all time so far as his relations with through that dramatie werk.
Hi chiel rival for Hitler's Through him, the Nazis hoped. favour was Hhmmler, the cold- to dupe us into standing back uinoded. murderous head of the while they invaded and anni- Gestapo. Himinler wanted war.
A
A party
on
arrives in Britain
Influence with
10
huo great Hitler."
The quiet man in the back- "I round sad nothing except:
I asked someone who he was.
A pawn
to hope you will lose."
did
Jilat Poland, And through Goering believed that Germany turned em an electrically con- is taken." (A case of champagne negoliations with Germany for sira the British Government could scoure all she wanted troiled
in the Amstel the table under a spotlight arrived for me
enjullon of the Dundig made a last desperate attempt without having to fight Britain when yeni pressed a switch, Hotel, Amsterdam, in October problem. Dahlerus toid Hallfax: to persuade Hitler, even at that and France if only he could
Crowly of guests gathered 1939. With do name on it. But I urge you to take the request final hour, not to go to war, bamboozle Britain into starling around Gooring as he talked, with no till attached to R, zeriously and deal with Gocring.
when the attack
either.) He was
self-appointed aside
but one man stood nside, very were rolling
apostle of fronter,
prace named Birger Poland began,
much in Ure background, Dahlerus. He was a Swedish
saying. The Luftwaffe to secrecy.
businea man.
He was gay and self-confident "War?" Goering won
"There won't be any war. ne the parly. The usual crowd of starlets had been brought in give you my personal guarantee that Britain and Germany will his from Berlin In Britain Bhat delested old Minister
to entertai
"Oh, he's Just one of Hyman'a The British Government dome Doru was hack in circulas
ruests. Champagne flowed be at peace a year from stue,"
Swedish friends" I was told not know, for Dahlerus did not den, meaning that the Gavern
Groups of guests squattel on the
An old friend of Hermann's even know it himself, that the Telnvoked the In one week he had travelled
lies! wife. In those last days of August floor and played with Goering's
No one important." a claborate
even know his Swede wre, being used Defence of the Realin Art. between Croydon and Tempel 1939 I met Birger Dahlerus for favourite loy,
And then he said directly to They did not
pawn in the Nazi game to con- my model railway, Now They could nut unly hot, the Berlin airport, six the first and only time in
me tell you what. I'It
fuse the British at the last hind been invited by close thes pubes
will; times. Yet no whisper of his life. 1 #1
Others wandered into the wager a case of champagne, Yet thant same night the moment. He was dealt with an they could also cancel trains comings and Boings had Leen Hermann Goering, chiet of the memorial building he had built Herr Mosley, that there won't be Swođe,, Birger Dahlerus, left an all-important emicsury.
British German Air Force, 10 a party in the grounis in пeniory of any war between Brital and in Hall for Britain with t stop traffic on the road, call up allowed to resch
to service, people. Puw people will recog- at his country house, Karin Hall, his first wife, a lovely Swede Germany in 1939."
Neville special message
And that last Augunt werk- for Chamberlain from Goering. In end, when he once more flew athon food and petrol. requisite his name event today. tion houses
Yet he played a dramatie rote Gouring was known to be bust of Karin-she died aud- "I hope I love," I said, "but it Goering urgently asked the back to Berlin, he curtled a in the negotiations between two walking a tight-rope at that denly st on carly age which I don't believe I will. The bet British to open up renewed
(Continued on Page 7)
meni
had
men and
WIRDETI
Welcomed
The Fleet was being mobilised. The last reserves were being Mummoned to the three Services..
Yet all the signs were, that the people welcomed this atmo- sphere of impending war rather than resented 11. "it's about: Inų” you could hear folks pay-
14
outside Berlin.
Hamed Karin. Inside it was
OVER 2,000 DIED WHEN THE COLONY'S
He paid
namic.
MOST DISASTROUS TYPHOON STRUCK...
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14
From Rebund the World
DEQ.
11
ST. OFORGE'S BLOG, -7 CONNAUGHT RD. - HONG KONG,
W
WEDNESDAY, September 23, 1874, was long- remembered by Hongkong residents as "Black Wednesday." On that day eighty-five years ago,
All business in the Colony stopped for two days while the damage was estimated, debris cleared and bodies removed.
shme.
By
ANDREW SLOAN
As she
With the
roofed, verandahs blown off, and trees were strewn all over the roada,
Early In its report of the effects of the storm, the Daly a typhoon ripped through the Colony leaving over
Press commented that the Chin 2,000 dead and 45 shipwrecks in its wake.
ese floating population had as usual anticipated the storm. Not a single ship in the harbour escaped The once-proud Conton Whart
exception of the They sought refuge, In vain, at damage. More than half of them were sunk, the was completely
"As Al disintegrated. chancel, the altar stood amidst. Stonecutters Island. remainder were either wrecked beyond repair, or Firstly the British barque, a conglomeration of masonry, Junks and sampons sought to received minor damage.
Mindanao had been caught in a stained glass, broken benches fuge there. the love of life is purticularly vicious gust, swept and the wreek of the organ, feared to be very gmat. Hun- from her mooring towards the
dreds of boats were wrecked, In the lat after the big blow, washed ashore or sunk during group of little chEdren found the night."
way, through the wreek-
Although the Colony was back age and began to play with the
to normal about two weeks after organ-pipes.
the visitation of the typhoon, it The lowering chimney of the was much longer before talk of Hongkong Sugar Company was personal experiences, or Indivi- con- huwa down.
Part of the wall dual sets of bravery, wern jest in damaging huge quantities of change the facts of the British damaged, and water rushed as poilies in Europe began lo
outlook in the East.. All the houses in Jardines Bazaar, facing Causeway Any. were blown down. Throughout the Colony, houses were
paralel to the Prayn.
through the had curecred water the wind changed, pushing lier along their
According to "The Daily When dawe broke over the The first obstruction she en- Press," which recorded the Colony on Wednesday, and re- countered was the Canton Wharf. storm, "Hongkong was visited by sidents left their homes, or what Bow first, she sliced com- The most awful Typhoon which was left of them, they were met pletely through it, and bu ever been recorded in the by scenes of devastation.
linued on her wild journey until history of the Colony.”
An oppressive silence reigned the Pacife Whart loomed out of During Tuesday afternoon the over the Colony.
the lashing sheets of rain. This barometer began fall, and by Gradually people began to time the Mindanao met ker Bo'clock in the evening, the move about wherever they match. Alter the Inevitable wind had risen to gale force. At could. In the harbour only one collision, she sink. 2 a.m. on Wednesday the typhoon ship was moving. She had been struck. For the next four hours lucky, as' when the storm bruke
the full fury of the storm ahe had been swept out to sca.
but
I whipped the sens into gigantic The steamer had been disasted
waves, hurled massive blocks of and taken a lot of water, gninite tens of yards, tore into, was otherwise seaworthy. houses and gonerally devastated
the Colony.
The "Daily Press" were for- tuale in Anding an eye-witness
to the proceedings as the typhoon
began its terrible work.
thus:
Massive
As the light grew stronger,
and debris and rocks,
The wreck
High winds and see secount-
cd for the wreck of the Canton Wharf, lifting it clear out of its It foundation, and throwing Deross the rond, completely blocking it.
EUROT.
Bix
Un-
NEXT WEEK: The Great Storm
• BY THE WAY
by Beachcomber
.
TIKE a man who expects
ng.
a
L crocodile to emerge from A
During Wednesday and Thurs→ |
were doy, heartrending scenes
bodica washed the effect of dhe typhoon became witnessed as In the quaint and colourful more abvious.
ashore were found and identuled;
AM asked why a penny dated ceress from his house impossiblos style of the day, the eye-wit All along the Prays, there by friends or relatives.
1033 (a year in which only Is he entitled to clambor over ness, a European, told his story were massive amounts of timber One ship the Spanish steam-
were pornies
minted) the roofs of cars, in order toj silent er, Albay, engulfed by the huge should be worth £30,000. make his way out of the street? "As I was retuming home at testimony to the violence of the waves, lost 00 of its 300 passen-| about 11 p.m. I decided to
The simplest answer is that I seeins to be an impasse, go kale.
gera. Another Spanish steamer
tha, contortionist sald when he was the Leonor, got into auficulties there must be somene some tried to thrust both legs into down to the Praya. I have been At that time the Praya
whore who is willing to pay In Hongkong for over 14 years composed of a wall of hugo near the Englue House, and of
£30,000 for a penny. It is one shirt sleeve..... and seen many typhoons but I granite blocks linked together by the 47 souls on board, 36 were do not know of any which has large steel couplings. A string sved due to the gallant efforts answer that leaves one marvel. In darkast Ahahaland caused so much injury to the of five of these blocks, & one of an official in the Engine ling at the rich variety of Ble. Colony and so much less of life."
point along the waterfront, had House who took a smilt beat out I doubt if any bibilolaler would been mapped tree and hurled in the height of the gale, row offer as much for a first edition
ed single-handed six times th of "Romiola" with a misplaced righi perds the road.
Suli further down the road, the steamer, taking the people comma on page 174. what had once been a whart, back to share.
Jutac Later, the When he reached the Prays he solidly constructed of
two ships men- An Englishman's home poetically described the situa- timber Joga, had disappeared. tioned above, broke anchor and Bah tion: The waves broke bright The timbers had Illerally been collided close to the shoreA MAN who lived in a London panoply. I expected hits to say.:
The body of the Looner's castreot excessively with phosphorescent light and reduced to matchwood, and they
were strewn along the tain was unexpectedly found with traffle complains that he "Um Ba," or words to that effect, prosented a striking and awful too
un up
ailey near ads it dimicult to distinguish Dut. he said, "Tell Charles I've tight"
the cars parked outside, his gone to the fancy dress ball.” Later, the same, eye-witness Every single shop utong the Queen's Road.
those, that are "Chief Gurgling Water him `nờ One of the worst Bit build- house. from Bald he had to grope his way Prayn was either damaged or
on the Island, was a making the necheary contribu gaze kwopence," I replied, mak- along the waterfront, imee-deep flooded in three feet of water. Ings
amoke signal with... ng 3 water, as "tiles and bricks. Even aliops quito a. distance, Catholic Church, then situated on to a prolonged fam. As the ing a worn foliing everywhere from away from the agatront were near what is mow Caine, Road. parseroach on more and telgarettes AZ FELT A T
more of the pavement, he finds
Chondon Express Berušče). It was reduced, to, a' ruin. buldings."
Flooded.
Poetic
waterfront.
halfway
swamp in the jungle, and is sure! prised by a ferret, I stood and stared upbellovingly. Out of u West-country solicitor's ofco: саме д Red Indian in war
popular as they do on the Aims: