1941-09-09 — Page 23

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 9, 1941

THE GREER INCIDENT.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

THE THREAT FROM VICHY

"

Shrouded by a familiar smoke screen of rumour, the men of Vichy are moving toward fateful de- cisions. The precise form which these decisions will assume cannot, of course, be known; it is doubtful, indeed, that the Vichy Cabinet itself is certain of its course, if the tales of dissension in its ranks are true. But the extent of the demands which Hitler and the Hitler-minded of France are making upon Marshal Petain may be judged with some accur- acy from the Paris press, and the willingness of the Vichy government to meet those demands seems to be reflected in recent statements by prominent members of the regime. Should the shadows cast against the sky by these twin portents be trans- lated into reality, there can be no question but that the United States will be faced by the gray- est problem yet to arise from the European con- flict.

Gates

LESS TALK THE BETTER

A Bomber Short

IT is strange how regrettable a Reports from abroad clear sky can be when one is suggest several reasons waiting for R.A.F. bomber aircraft engaged on a daylight raid to re- for Hitler's present man- turn to their station. One be- oeuvres in Vichy. He is comes imaginative and projects one's mind across the Channel to believed to be seeking in

enemy territory. creased industrial aid from France because of the strain of the Russian war; a diplomatic victory, too, would be helpful in restoring some of the prestige which the Reich

I, too, have flown over Bethune, and the picture of our. Blenheims approaching their target develops in my mind. I can hear the crack of anti-aircraft defences, and the "ping" and whistle as little black puffs of smoke appear all round

the aircraft, and fragments of bursting shell tear through the air.

Suddenly the formation swings

you see anything of him?"

would be a more accurate wordi "He was with us till we came At the same time it staggers up- out over Dunkirk," answers one wards, trying to get into the air of the observers. "They put up again. Something has gone a devil of a packet from there wrong and the pilot is trying to and I saw J go down in a gentle snatch a second attempt." He is glide. He didn't appear to be in going to hit the hangars. much trouble, but he must have We wait for the impact. He been, because he broke formation, has missed them and disappeared I didn't see him after he started over the roof. to go down."

No one medo any comment, but we must all have a vision of three of those laughing boys crashing

By RICHARD HAESTIER

The drama is repeated. But something has gone wrong again. This time it looks as if the Blen

heim is going to charge us, and, without a word, the crowd on the

armac turn. and run, ducking; as: they go. But the Blenheim has missed us and the hangars again."} For the third time it comes in; sinks lower and lower. First feet three, two ... Will it never stop hovering and: land?

has lost upon the eastern and swoops. The bomb aimers are plains. But for America prone on their stomachs. their eyes glued to the sights. A band the most dangerous aspect

reaches out, A lever is pulled. of the current negotia-Death goes sailing down, and

There is a-gasp from the ground and then a spontaneous cheer tions in Vichy is that flashes, followed by heaving deb- ris and clouds. of smoke, tell

and handclapping. The pilot has which relates to. the where the bombs have landed.

waters of the put his wounded craft down French colonies. The press back?"

"What time will the boys be English Channel. Perhaps they with magnificent skills....

I asked the Intelligence are floating there now, hoping to Like a relay race we all start. of Paris, which has so Officer.

"Four o'clock," he replied, with_

faithfully reflected the out hesitation. These raids are

:

❤

✡

into the dancing

be rescued.

*

*

across the aerodromo, The Sta tion Commander is there first;

But relief that is anti-cllimak smiling men climb out unaided

"Everyone all right?" asks the Station Commander

.

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question the crews when there is a commotion. The word goes round tary collaboration be-

It seems a long way to four that the missing aircraft is safo tween France and Ger- o'clock, possibly because no one and the whole station seems to

"Fine!" says the pilot, while many to "protect" Dakar here at the station knows what rush out to the tarmac lining the the other two grin their reassur

is happening, in the interval. aerodrome. First, among them is ance. and, apparently, the Radio, silence is always maintain- the Station Commander in his

ed during daylight raids. Signals car. The fire engine has also ar But before we realise what has French possessions in the might give information to the rived and is waiting while the happened the one good engine has Western Hemisphere from enemy,

crew climb into their asbestos started to smoke. But the fire the "Anglo-Saxons. The tension, will be over We shall

In a quarter of an hour now the fire-fighting, suits.

men are too quick to allow a The medical officer is doubling mishap now. Two thick streams example of Indo-China is know the best and the worst, up from his quarters, and the of white foam are pouring from THESE FACTS MAKE not reassuring in this re-trol tower, where, the Duty Pilot

I am allowed to climb the con- ambulance is there.

hoses into the engine cowling. Meanwhile, the missing Biên-) Dodging the spray, we examine gard, and, clearly, Vichy's stands looking out to the south heim has approached the aora the engine. It has caught, a attempt to distinguish heathrow's nest of a ship. Now eyes are turned toward it, as in "It was all right going out,

searching the sky as a sailor, drome, at about 2,000, feet. "All "packet," tween the position of the and then he puts his binoculars in answer to,, our gaze, the rear guess," says the pilot, a young Far Eastern portions of to his eyes.

gunner fires a distress signal. American. "It was cloudy all And then "Here they are!" Back goes the answering signal the way after we got over the the French Empire and Far, over the horizon some tiny from the Duty Pilot, and we all Channel. I thought we should: those in other parts of the specks can be seen, shimmering strain our eyes to see evidence never be able to find the target

dully as they catch the sun. The of damage. The bomber comes Then, by luck, someone had made world has failed to satisfy Duty Pilot strains hi eyes to lower, in a gentle circle, and a hole for the job. It exactlys the State Department count the home comers.

great jogged tear can be seen in framed the target and. we plonked he exclaims. "One the side of the: fuselago, t everything through it. Moreover, the hint which missing. Blhut the

The¦ ̈· Almost, immediately, it can be "But coming back, out over emerged from Vichy to breeze bears the end of the senseen from the way the pilot is Dunkirk they were popping stuff manoeuvring, that he cannot get up like mad. The stuff I got was the effect that Germany

his landing gear down. He will meant for the leading formation; would be granted port The crews are now climbing have to use all his skill to land but they missed it and I went in- into the tender that will take the aircraft on its belly, It's a to it. I immediately went down facilities and transport them back to the interrogation tricky business, and if the pilot is to sea level to get out of it. privileges in the French hangar I go ith

Approaching Ramsgate -- the Presently, when about only port, pron disappeared and the ssessions has an unin the station - commander." "Did 500 feet up the bomber tales front of the engine fell out." ous ring

wider, sweep,

|_*“Why didn't you put down: at: In in, in it comes-lower low- Manston?" asked the Wing Com-HONG er, lower, Will the pilot by bad mander.

tence away,

“What happened.

wounded

ingke

luck, hit a sm over? The Ims, oft my hands "I took the thing up" from there

* If these "port facilities marines, at Dakar, the

and turn "Well," drawled the American- and transport, privileges? Nazi menace to the West- include, as well they may, ern Hemisphere will im- become, damp. The aparat is and I guess I was going to put it facilities and privileges to mediately become stern nearly down. No more than two down hero again. Can

und→ BuddenlyHe grinned. That is the wa German planes and sub- actuality.

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