1940-11-02 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 2, 1940

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TO BRITAIN RAF RESTORES

WHEN LONDON had its greatest raid Czecho slovakia pilots in their Hurricanes brought down five of the enemy. This was far from being the first news we have had of successes won in the air by these valuable allies since their escape from France.

Two years ago, on the eve of Munich, Czecho- slovakia had an Air Force of more than a thousand aircraft, bombers and fighters, 1,300 first-class pilots, and the necessary complement of trained gunners, observers, and wireless operators.

Apart from its admitted technical quality Czech aviation had an uncommonly wide basis of popular interest and support.

The

air many

to pageants, were directly attached organised all over the coun- Czechoslovak Army.. try by the Masaryk Flying; League were true popular festi- vals, attracting many thousands

Heavy Duties

the

of peasants, workers, children, The duties of these men were people of all classes, who gathered not light; France had no surplus for them as they had gathered for of pilots, and when Germany made fairs and pilgrimages in former her attack in the early summer days. Gliding was a sport of it often happened that the Czecho- schoolboys and schoolgirls.

slovak pilots were on duty from three in the morning until eleven at night and were in the air three. times in a day. They shot down

Escape From Nazi Rule

On

Government

BLIND MAN'S SIGHT

The Swedish Press reports that during a British raid on Wes- tern Germany a blind man was frightened and fell over, knock- ing the back of his head.

-When he recovered in the morning he found that his sight had been restored.

TYPHOON

AT WAKE ISLAND

Machines turned out by the Czechoslovak factories of Avia, Letov, Aero, Walter, and C.K.D. achieved in the hands of Czech about a hundred German aircraft, and Slovak pilots world records, June 1 the French

and many were decorated.

Explaining the recent lengthy some of which still stand. (One agreed with the Czech leaders on delay in the arrival of the Clipper of the pilots who set up these re- the formation of an independent at Hong Kong, Captain J. Chase, cords is now-Military Attache at

Czechoslovak Air Force, which commanding the "California Clip- the Czechoslovak Legation in

was to work under its own com-er" which arrived in Hong Kong London.)

mand and to meet the Germans in yesterday afternoon, gave a vivid account of the destruction and aircraft bearing the Czechoslo- vak, markings. But the collapse cent typhoon at the Pan American severe damage caused by the re- of French resistance was already Airways base on Wake Island. It was then a strong and healthy on the way.

Captain Chase's plane remained growth that the Nazi' machine

The first that the Czechoslovak in Honolulu for six days waiting was able, to interrupt. Among the airmen knew of the armistice was for the storm to abate. However, first objectives of the Nazi inva that their machines were locked after it had caused havoc at Wake sion on March 15, 1939, were the in the hangars by the French the storm curved by eastward and airfields; one of the first orders commands. Again, hardly any passed over the Pan American base given out by the invaders was, were able to fly their machines at Midway Island. "No one must take the air." Only away; a few did manage to bring But by this time it had for- a few of the Czech airmen were their machines to England, while tunately lost its previous intensity able to fly their machines out of others reached North Africa, and and the Midway Island damage the country. But in the follow-one bomber was heard of that flew was less severe, although all ducks ing months Czechoslovak airmen across the breadth of Italy and and floating equipment at Mid- trickled persistently across the landed in a Balkan country. For way were last in the sea. frontiers into Poland and Hungary the majority, however, the ques- Captain Chase said that Wake and began a series of astonishing tion was how the men themselves Island reported steady winds of journeys which took many of could get away. Naturally the 100 miles per hour velocity for a.. them across Yugo-Slavia, Italy Czech authorities in London were period of three hours with gusts Greece, Turkey, and Syria; finally doing what they could. On June up to 150 miles per hour. All they arrived in France or the 17 the British Air Ministry took barges, floats, and mooring equip- French North African possessions, over responsibility for the Czech ment for the Clippers were com- joined the Foreign Legion, and

airmen, and a message went "out pletely lost. waited until the outbreak of war from President Benes, through the Even one-half of a concrete gave them the opportunity to fly B.B.C.'s Czech broadcasts, telling dock was torn away. Most of the again. One of them has described, them to make their way as best Pan American Airways buildings in a letter to a friend, what hap- they could to England.

were de-roofed, many collapsed, pened to him and to his com-

and. all radio towers, beacons, panions:-

and poles were blown far over the Pacific. One-third of the Pan American Airways Hotel was de- roofed, exposing the rooms over-

In Africa

+

From France To England

The outbreak of war and the How they came is a story as night. French mobilisation found. some strange as that of their original. In spite of the intensity of the of us in Africa, in the First Regi- escape from the Protectorate.storm, which incidentally is the to mar the usual ment of the. Foreign Legion, sta-Thirty-eight pilots came..to Eng- first storm

Wake tioned at Sidi-bel-Ades. We had land in one British bomber, which peaceful atmosphere at been serving as infantry; now we brought across the Channel a load since the establishment of the Airways -base were ordered to join the French of fifty men; the remainder were Pan American Air Force. Everywhere there were French and British. Some joined almost six years

ago, and the that Army in its great damage

this storm crowds of people, and a lot of the Czechoslovak weeping. Fathers, husbands, lovers embarkation from the South of caused, none of the Pan American are leaving. We watch the good- France. Many took ship to the personnel were injured. byes and the weeping. We see North African ports which they

Story Of A Mattress everybody's tears except those of had left as Foreign Legionaries, the Arab women. Under their veils, went on to Gibraltar, and camé All Clippers flying to Wake now no doubt, they are weeping, too. to England in British naval con- are carrying scores of technicians, And we stand there on the rail-voy. At Bordeaux two Czech carpenters, and repair men from way station and wait for the train. air officers managed to charter a Guam, Midway, and Honolulu to A few for Tunis, others for Mo- French ship, a cargo vessel usual-reconstruct the Wake buildings. rocco, Oran, Sidl-al-Bel, Casa y salling between Bordeaux and Captain Chase related one amus- blanca, various air bases. No one Saigon; 270 Czechoslovak sold-ing incident in which Larec Pan has come to say good-bye to us. fers and, airmen sailed in that American Airways. men were We are without homeland, par-ship, ignoring German bombing huddled in one of the buildings ents,, sweethearts. It is all so attacks, the minefield with which at Wake for protection when the strange. As my train moves off German aircraft tried to block the roof was completely term oftTM by we say good-bye to one another. mouth of the Gironde, and the the wind. A foreign legionary standing on threat of submarines. With them The walls of the building began the platform waves to us.

were 126 Czechoslovak women to: shake and the men sought a

So the nucleus of the new and other civilian refugees and a hasty exit via the window. There Czechoslovak, Air Force began Polish artillery officers school that was a heavy rodden mattress to form on French soil. Old fly- had been established in: France. which the men decided to throw ing comrades were reunited; new- When they were at sea an order out of the window to break their comers joined them, some escape was sent out to all French ships fall. The mattress was so heavy. ing from the Protectorate and to return to home ports, but the that it took all three men to lift some even crossing the Atlantic captain and crew decided-not it and force it out the window, to take part in the fight: (More without influence from their pas- yet as soon as the mattress was than 1,500,000 Czechs and Slovaks sengers to join, General de clear, on the other sider it went are settled in North America.) Gaulle, sailed to Gibraltar, and sailing through the air- over the They were incorporated in the joined a British convoy, tops of nearby trees. French squadrons, wearing French Since then the Czechoslovak Pan: American's Chlef Meteoro- uniform, operating with strange airman; have been re-training and logist in Manila. Lester Fennell and too often out-of-date mach-re-equipping in this country. The also arrived in Hong Kong on the ines. As early as the end of Oc-help that their skill, experience, "California Clipper" on an in- tober the first. Czechoslovak and determination can bring to spection trip. He stated that the pilots appeared on the Western the Royal Air Force is not to be atorm was one of the severest to Front. After a little time" the under-estimated. Even greater is be recorded on the Pan American Czechs and Slovaks formed be the significance for their fellow-weather maps. for some time. This tween a sixth and a third of fif- countrymen at home of their 'par-storm is believed to be the same teen French squadrons, in addi- ticipation in the struggle against one that gave the "President tion to thờ"Czech'air units. which | Nazi Germany,

Coolidge" such a difficult time.