1940-09-03 — Page 20

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September 3, 1940.

FRANCE was not conquered in 43 days. France

collapsed in 43 days. The French defeated FRANCE COLLAPSED

themselves and they know it.

What happened was the logical consequence of the BECAUSE OF

last ten years of French social and political history and

if there had been less misty-eyed journalism, the world INTERNAL DECAY

would have been better prepared for the shock. There was relatively little Fifth Column activity.

Our definite' impression was gasoline. Not until last Taurs..... The French people essen was appalling. We have not that there has been little hard day did the military finally Wally good, though perhaps too hoard the Germans mentioned fighting since the fall of Faris, order all refugees to stay put, ending most of this senseless civilised, given to too much except with a kind of impersonal. We saw virtually no wounded at traffle which, in some areas, had food, drink and above all talk respect. All one hears is bitter nny time, which was explained paralyzed military operations.

people, the Government and

-had forgotten how to work. recriminations made in an at- by the rapid German advance. Two hours for lunch was still tempt to explain the defent.

Considering the numbers in-

The Government pulled up the governmental rule, right to Troops are fed up with the volved, casualties are probably

Bombing is a suddenly on June 14, heading surprisingly low. officers are apparently looking terrifying instrument, but at for Bordeaux in shameful bed- As one old lady put it, "We after their own skins. Every worst it is child's play compared lam, one feature of which was are responsible for this terrible ono is brokenhearted, angry and with intensive artillery prepara- the spectacle of fat senators thing. France needed a leason, expecting the worst.

the bitter end:

There was no

*

tions and drumfire barrages of with plush cars and lush, women demanding priority in miles-long but this is a very cruel one." All reports agree that the the last war. However, the basic sin for which officers, one of the strong points machine-gunning of the roads refugee queues at the few gas the French are now punished of the French Army, failed their with refugees and only a small pumps. was their long tolerance of men and their country. Cer- amount of bombing for military France was not united before the war and the belief that the stupid, bureaucratic, corrupt, tainly we saw hundreds among purposes.

war had unified it failed to re- slothful, hopelessly ineffective the refugees, evacuating their There were no reports of any

cognise facts. On the contrary, own wives and familles, We German frightfulness, unless

many intelligent Frenchmen The final debacle started June noticed the mingling of refugees one considers attacks on military

thought the war WAS a very 9, the day the Government left and defeated troops all the way roads containing refugeca in

bad idea, preferring a prosper- Tours - soldiers with that category, and these were Paris. The rapidity and the from

ous, if weak, Franco to a vic- extent of disintegration-moral- families, army trucks with civi- confined to northern France.

torious France impoverished by ly, economically and militarily lians.

The idea that the French the efforts of forty million people would fight only when their back to maintain their ascendancy on was to the wall is another lovely the Continent.

leadership.

The First

The second year of the war opens with Hitler savagely un- leashing is air force against Britain, because he is impotent in all other fiehtis. The anniver- sary of our declaration of war Anda Britain in full command of the sea, Hitler deprived of the initiative on land and air and the British Empire far more powerful than it ever has been before in history.

skies.

The

Year

Hongkong Telegraph.

Tuesday, September 3, 1940.

Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 20616

second year with every hope of ultimate success we must not

we

ugo.

myth. Much of the French Army fought hard and well;

These were the men of Munich and they governed France until March There are million of French workers brought up on But the old saw about the Marxism who saw little to fight

and unprepared as we were two thousands of French officers years ago, nay, twelve months were courageous and loyal.

Our Navy remains to us as our first and priceless heri- tage, and we have shown that French Army being the best in for in France. The reaction to on land and in the air we can the work was a pathetic illu- the news of the peace was com- transform ourselves under stern sion. Its personal sloppiness plete, bitter grief. A soldier necessity into the world's fore-

was not, as people have naively said: "We've been led by mon. most military power-not for purposes of aggression, but to insisted, a sign of its democracy, with the hearts of rabbits." extirpate evil and to defend but a sign of its inadequacy. If there was ever a country liberty.

Preparations were inadequate, ripe for revolution, it is France

the flrst-line troops

·

claim military priority in the

In this second year of war. material was inadequate, leader- to-day. The rich French refu- The decision of this war will

the train to Lisbon. be attained through the instru. disguise from ourselves that the the Empire must bend all its ship was inadequate, morale gees on mentality of the British Navy, road to victory must still be energy and resources to the one in

was hoped the Germans would occupy and it will depend in the main long and painful. The task great and paramount task of upon the outcome of the Battle which lies before the British beating Hitlerism. In Hongkong actually high, but once a great the entire country to prevent Officers trying to of Britain now raging in the people must be judged, not by we must do our share by the army starts to crumble nothing disorder.

calculations of the extent from only method at present available will stop the process. The first year has witnessed which can free ourselves to us, by subscribing to the War

I don't believe the complete gasoline queues last week were triumph after triumph for Hit from the threat of bondage, but Fund for the purchase of aero-

The Hum total the rout of Corap's Ninth Army is summarily pushed out of line by ler, but the collapse of France by a steady contemplation of planes. was and will remain his last, the wide areas of Europe from people of this Colony can offer typical. Five months ago Ninth the embittered civilians. When, the Army permissionnairen were in the little village of Branne,. unless he decides apon further which the Germans and their is nothing compared to

expenditure which talking about discipline diff- outside of Bordeaux, a group of conquest against weak neigh Judas-ally Italy have still to be "normous bours int the Balkans.

culties. When The dislodged. All but half a dozen must be incurred by the Mother-

it broke, the officerless, hungy, exhausted. land in the prosecution of the obliteration of France is the last European countries are

under and most striking of Hitler's the heel of the conqueror and War.

But our contribullon, add. officers went home to evacuate troops turned up just out of the ed to those from the other their families. The men just line, the villagers tried to gouge achievements. But he has not they all look to us for freedom. Colonies, Is like the grain of kept walking. Six hundred were them on the few bottles of wine. defeated the spirit of many of

to build the picked up later in Paris cafes, they could afford, but then re- the people of France, just a Our greatest task yet lies be- sand that goes

We have learned much mountain. More particularly, the spirit of the peoples of Nor- fore us. way, Belgium and the Nether- from the first twelve months of the spirit animating the Colony's An unconfirmed report says one fused to feed them because they We finally fed the contribution is ever-important, out of six was shot, along with couldn't pay. lands demand that the war be warfare. If Britain and

ourselves When last heard them. fought to successful conclusion. British people have to make for, in donating whatever small many officers. Our powerful armies in Egypt yet heavier sacrifices and to sum we can afford, we are volun- of. Corap was in Paris writing canned-goods reserve.

not face further grievous losses, we tarily casting back into Hitler's are meant to remain motionless for have always found salvation as teeth the pre-war boast that the his memoirs, but presumably, time those soldiers are hungry. an Empire in this war of wars. Empire would disintegrate the along with a number of other they'll take what they want and

similar characters, he was no nonsense. Yet though we enter the We are no longer unsuspecting moment Britain went to war.

Levacuated in the paddy wagon.

bide their time, but

ever.

TRAWLER

NIGHT PATROL

At a word spoken through By Second Officer

megaphone the skipper brings

his vessel alongside the battle- their faces the while with filthy ship, and down a rope-ladder sweat-rags.

come a lieutenant and a handful

Alone in the bows, the look-

the

1 wheel-house to join the look-out

man,

"What do you make of it?" "It's a ship, sir, so far as I can make out."

Suddenly the Heutenant yells turn- that his voice may corry. "Hard-a-starboord.

The trawler swings round in nns-

of men. Each man is heavily clad in oilskins, sou-wester and jout man stores into the gloom,ing his head aft so seaboots, and carries his food for constantly dodging behind the night. Slipping her ropes, little canvas screen erected for the trawler moves away into the his protection. On through the gathering dusk.

night the trawler keeps her vigil,

Outside the harbour the sea is choppy; white horses shine in the gloom, and a waft of hazy smoke blows over the starboard quarter. The forepart of the funnel is soon covered with white coating of brine.

*

*

a moment he thinks he sees a blob

*

out of our The next

*

Civil disintegration was first In Bayonne, on June 21, it evident in the north where was clear that one shot would workers in some industrial

have touched off a ghastly towns awoke to find that civil bloody mess. The city was full authorities, factory manage of French and foreign fat cats, ment and the best families had with big cars and expensive fled in the night.

women, just ripe for paving One of the village authorities, bricka. panicked, commandecred' a train

French troops rescued from wer to her helm. Out of the dark-aboard, chuffed off for Paris, haggard and hungry.

and put the entire population Cherbourg had just landed, ness comes a ship, beating down

When a only to be told to go back,' go terrific thunderstorm came up, upon the trawler.

"Signalman Challenge!" yells the to work.

these troops threw themselves flat in the mud at the first Suddenly the look-out stiffens. For lieutenant.

The headlong evacuation of thunderclap, which made them of blackness a little more black than boat are the bows of a cruiser, hér

Towering high above the patrol Paris began on June 9. What look foolish and, therefore, surrounding night.

R.A.F. con- was needed was: (1), clear, con, sorer than ever. protruding ram cutting through - the often has he imagined queer shapes water at slow speed; The blurred stant radio directions as to who tingenta were pouring into the like ships and submarines during the outline of the bridge comes into should go, where to go and how which looked like more British city for evacuation to England, past forty-five minutes! He watches view, with the faint indication of to get there; and (2) efficient rattling. Inside the wheelhouse are and waita.

funnels abaft it.

The Portuguese con- three figures. In the middle is In the wheel-house the three men cruiser's deckt, She is a friend, mak-

A light Bashes downward from the road policing. There was nei-sulate was literally besieged, re- the helmsman, energetically sense something unnatural. For a ing for harbour, and timing her arri ther. When the French radio quiring five men with rifles to spinning the wheel; on his star- tense moment all words cease. Then-val to coincide with the first streaks should have been going con- hold the door. It took two sol- board side, jammed into the foremost corner, is the skipper, ahead of us, skipper," says the and a little later again makes contact this incredible population move- rifle for pushing us too fast. "Seems to me as if there's a ship of dawn. Presently the trawler stantly in an effort to control diers to get four of us in and.

alters course to return to harbour,

one of them got clubbed with a a hardy old seadog, while to port lieutenant.

"Ayc, seems

The with the ship that nourly ran is the lieutenant, Between them

lier ment, much of it entirely un- Altogether, the effect was 1 down, Next they keep the boat on her course, moment he speaks into the voice-morning come towering funnels and music or repeating over and bably not fully realised in

skippor repilés doubtfully.

Out of the grey mists of early necessary, it was playing dance most dreadful atmosphere, pro- keep each other company, and pipe in front of him. keep a sharp look-out, Oc "Stand-by, below,"

masts. Ship after ship pisses, until casionally they stamp numbed The uncertain shadow grows and whole squadron in lae bas steamed over stale communiques.

dackens. Then comes the look-out's by feet.

The lieutenant glances at hall, his voice compelling, yet not over raised, Ship

dhead, sir." "Right ahead!"

*

・

the

But

how

to me #0."

...

the

old man. We were right in

The America. result was utterly demoralising Upon the funnel casing in the

and went on days and days with Man Of 72 Dives In skippent must have been a near half of France fleeing, the other lee of the wheelhouse are gather-

thing

To Save Boy Evacuee ed the handful of naval ratings, “Right ahend, alr.".

amongst that lot, and must have half watching fascinated. Final- When a boy evacuee from "Acton," save for one man who is on look A moment before a group of sleepy missed them by a narrow marginly the virus of flight would w., fell from landing steps into the

en were huddled together. Now "Sure," replies the skipper, shrug- out duty in the bows, They men

could not swim held on to a rope huddle together for warmth, everyone is tense, the algalming, ging his shoulders, wo certainly do infect watchers and they too river at Totnes, Devon, a man who

lamp on hand, ready to flash those life Below in the stokehold, the challenge, the crew of the 12-pounder Presently the fruwler again draws would pack and take to the road, jumped to save him, and trawler's own stokers keep their are hurriedly removing a canvas alongsidetise battleship. A hard, not really Imowing where they He could not reach the hoy, so seventy-two-year-old MiryTho. cover, while two torpedo men stand Grand-shake passes between the wore going or why. These Kent, a salenjist, dlved and rescued, watch appearing at intervals

Boulerjant), and the skipper, The by a torpedo. officer and his bandful of men climb hordes stripped the countryside the boy went home, Laut Mr. Kent abové dock level to snatch a "Bring the gun to the ready" cries the rano ladder files down to them of food and, more important, is in hospital recovering Wreath wand

nir mopping | the

Toulant, Jumping from the Another patrols overa

boy.

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