THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 28, 1941.
Page
FREED BRITONS! MORRIS
WERE PREPARING
ESCAPE
(From A Special Correspondent)
THE FIRST OF THE released British prisoners to arrive in Asmara from Adi Ugri, 35 miles south of Asmara, told me how, if they had not been freed by Sudanese armoured cars, they would have escaped in a fortnight's time through a 40-yard un- derground tunnel they had been excavating from a prison barracks.
The prisoners in Adi Ugri, which since last December has been a single Italian camp for cap- tives from the entire East African theatre of war, numbered 34 officers, 62 N.C.O.s and 60 Africans and Indians.
The tunnel by which]|
escape was planned start- SHIP WAS
ed under the floor of the
officers' tin hut-the SAVED BY
N.C.O.'s had begun on Boxing Day.
The holes were covered with circular pieces of wood shaped with a claspknife and painted to resemble the concrete floor. Dig- ging was done with a piece of iron
bedsteud.
The excavated earth was carried out of the building in a vast cook- ing pot and deposited about the prison gardens.
The guards' suspicions of the constant carrying of these burdens were allayed by the fact that the prisoners had been allowed to con- Struct an earth stove in the kit- chen and to lay out the earth on a Rugby football ground where they played with a cushion as a
ball.
The guards failed to notice that far more earth was leaving
the building than ever came into it.
Ingenious Air Shaft
The tunnel was about 4ft. in diameter, and progressed about a
LONG VIGIL
A ship's captain who refused to admit defeat even after he had found it necessary to give the order to abandon ship has brought his ship safely back to port.
M.P. WANTS MOTHERS TO
LEAVE LONDON
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore (Cons., Ayr Burghs) is to ask the Minister of Health "If he will consider the compul- sory evacuation from London of all mothers and children not re- quired for the prosecu- tion of the war; and whether similar ac- tion will be considered for invalids."
STUDENTS'
NEW GRUB
IS GRASS
The Franche-Comte was tor- pedoed without warning at night, burst into flames. and Captain Church had no option but 10 order his men to the boats. When he and his men were picked up "Pass the Grass" is the by a destroyer, he at once made his way to the bridge, telling the request now made at stud- captain that he had no intention ents' parties in Cam- of leaving his ship until she had sunk.
bridge.
The destroyer had to rejoin the convoy and hunt for the U-boat, As a food for human beings, but Captain Church and a num-grass has been introduced to them ber of volunteers from his crew by an old Cambridge man who in re-entered a lifeboat and pushed his undergraduate days was cap- foot a day. Ventilation was pro-off into the night. Owing to heavy tain of the First Trinity Boat Club vided by a tube made of sewn-up seas they had to wait, and watch and a spare man in the University sheets lineā with jam tins with
their burning ship.
crew for the boat race, Mr. J. R. B. the ends removed, through which
Branston. air was blown with improvised bellows.
The prisoners had also provid- ed for the danger of being over looked should British forces enter the town before the tunnel was
When another escort vessel arrived they asked for a Low, which was readily given.
He has brought As dawn broke, Captain Churchgrass as a food and the volunteers reboarded the to the notice of the Franche-Comte.
tain of the Trinity The cult is spreading,
The fire had been put out by
the virtues of for undergrads present cap- Boat Club. and grass
completed. With a sheet painted the seas, and within one and a for food is now on sale in the with blue ink and red lead used half hours
sage.
the engineers had town.
in coloured tiles they had improv-steam in the boilers, and the ised a Union Jack to fly over the ship was proceeding on her pas- barrack roof. For on more than one occasion they had heard the guns of a British force fighting it FASHIONS ON TOUR way down the Arrezza road,
miles away.
15
The first consignment, it is understood, was cut on the grounds of a suburban golf
course.
Mr. Branston's views are endorsed by a scientific opinion. Britain's 18 mannequins have; The School of Agriculture, where The night of April 15, when arrived in Rio de Janeiro. They they have the greatest respect for the moon was favourable, was
are showing London fashions in young grass, is at one with him. fixed for the attempt. Once
four South American cities. While Mr. Branston asserts that this is outside the camp the prisoners in New York the girls displayed the "food of the gods," and the intended to make off in small
British models supplied by de- Ministry of Food is surely con- groups.
partment stores.
tent!
All agreed that their biggest thrill was when Sudan armoured cars drove up to the barracks on Tuesday evening and confirmed the rumours current for 48 hours of the Italian collapse.
Tables Turned
When Italian officers handed over their arms to the prisoner's the latter went out into the little town, disarming the Italian troops.
The re cased captives had only to walt until transport was provided
to take them to Asmara.
FRENCH BUY SHARES IN BRITISH CONCERNS
FRENCHMEN WITH ANY capital left are hastening to invest in foreign securities. They fear that the financial ruin of their country, now with- The most remarkable story of Out a budget or foreign trade and faced with astro- the captives is that of a South nomical costs of the Nazi occupation, will result in African Air Force pilot who was in Addis Ababa on Christmas Day the complete collapse of the franc.. and was made a guest of the Ita- The few foreign securities avail lian air force mess. He left un-able are in such demand that they hindered, walked through the are now frequently unquotable on city's streets and reached the aero- the Lyons Bourse because there drome, where he had actually are no sellers. climbed -into the cock-pitt of a Among the most sought after safeguard against possible cur- CR 42 fighter and started the en-are South African mining shares, rency dapreciațion.......... gine before he was rearrested..
BLACK-OUT ACCIDENT CLAIM APPEAL
Euch as De Beers, East Rand...
Mortgage Bonds of the great Skoda munition works in Czechoslovakia. When these bonds were issued in- vestors received a guarantee of redemption at the gold value, as a
Crown. Mines Brakpan and Char- Nazis
have, however, obtained tered, all of which are British the Vichy Government's sanction concerns. Another security for to set aside this guarantee and to which buyers far outnumber sel- repay in paper francs. The re- ers is Wyoming, the French hold- demption operation is being car- ing company for American Stan-ried out in occupied and unoccu- dard Oll shares.
pied zones alikte, Meanwhile investments such as The Germans are thus enabled Suez Canal capital shares and to buy out foreign holdings of the Credit Foncier Egyptien continue Skoda works for no more than to appreciate. This is, the surest the cost of running a paper money Mrs. Elsie Margaret Jelley, of indication of French confidence in printing maching. Woodford-avenue, Ilford, who a complete British victory in injured an eye when she walked North Africa. into the sandbag baffle wall of a sud
Important quest'ons in regard to liability for black-out" acci- dents will be decided in the High Court of Appeal shortly
local air-raid shelter during the Skoda Bonds Swindle black-out, has appealed against
a Judgment in the King's Bench The Germans announce that
The force of obtaining Vichy's permission will, they hope, enable them to keep their gains, whatever the peace settlement. If this rob- bery is challenged they will be able to claim that the bonds were
Division dismissing her claim for they will redeem with paper legally redeemed with the "sanc- damages.
francs the French Six Per Cont. Ition of the French Government.
Universal
When considering the purchase
of a new car MORRIS stands out
as
the
the best proposition advantage of Universal Spare Parts Service and repair facilities by trained men at our Hongkong and Kowloon Service Stations assure you of economical and trouble-free motoring.
SERVICE STATIONS!
SHOWROOMS:
PARTS DEPOT
5. RUSSELL ST.. HONGKONG. Tal 24873 55. NATHAN RD., KOWLOON, Tel. 58772 ICE HOUSE ST., HONGKONG. Tei, 32302 5. RUSSELL ST., MONCKONG TH. 25957
"PREST-O-LITE”
YOUR NEXT
BATTERY
NO BETTER ASSURANCE OF
RELIABLE
SERVICE
S
R
V
E
MORRIS
THAN THE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION
HONG
OF CAR OWNERS
TYPES AVAILABLE
(Dry uncharged)
6 VOLTS 13 & 15 PLATES
day
12 VOLTS 7 PLATES
For further particulars apply
KONG HOTEL GARAGE
PHONE 27778-9
STUBBS ROAD
KIWI
THOROUGHLY WATERPROOF
Boot Polish
BOO
BLA
AUSTRALIA
BOO
MADE
THE FIR
POLISHES PROTECTS.
PRESERVES YOUR
SHOES
BLACK TANS WHITE CLEANER SHOE CREAMS Obtainable at all compradores and shoe stores Sole Agents: W. R. LOXLEY 4 Co. (China), Ltd.
FFEE SCM 1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.