ADMIRAL'S STORY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 200, 25 August 1942, Page 4

ADMIRAL'S STORY

HOPE FOR FRANCE

VISIT TO CENOTAPH

This morning Fighting France paid its tribute to the fallen of this and the Great War. Rear-Admiral Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu. High Commissioner for Fighting France and delegate of the French National committee in the Pacific, laid a wreath of laurel leaves on the Cenotaph in Auckland. It was a simple ceremony, carried out in the presence only of the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, of the delegate for Fighting France in New Zealand. M. Anthoine de la Tribouille, and of members of the Admiral's staff and three representatives of the Auckland R.S.A. It was none the less symbolic and im pressive.

The Admiral, whose dual identity as both a member of the Carmelite

Order of monks and as a fighting sailor, makes him one of the most colourful of the Allied commanders, had an interesting story to tell afterwards of the activity of Fighting France in the present struggle. St. Xazaire Suffered He had recently received information from General de Gaulle in London concerning the effect on the population of the occupied zone in France, of the recent Commando raid on St. Nazaire. He told how the people of that French seaport had imagined that a British invasion had started. They had taken

their concealed arms and joined in the street fighting.

The Germans were also of that opinion and before the onslaught of the Commandos and of the residents had retreated into the country. The fighting had been carried on for four days, and in that time the French civilians had given heroic service. When the Germans realised that they had retired in the face of a Commando attack and not of an invading force commencing a second front, they had returned to the town. 'I neir reprisals against the residents began immediately. Now, practically the whole of the population of that town had been transferred to Germany to forced labour.

That, said the admiral, was the background of the action taken by the British in the latest raid on Dieppe, in broadcasting to the people continuously informing them that it was merely a Commando raid and warning thein not to join in. If the residents were to take up arms prior to being instructed to do so, they were likely to damage the Allied cause. The forces outside France wanted as many Frenchmen as possible to be in a position to give assistance when the right time came. If they had already been subjected to reprisals by the Germans they would not be in that position.

The admiral referred to the recent change in the title of organised French resistence for Free France to Fighting France. The change had been made by General de Gaulle in order to give recognition to the fact that the French National Committee represented now not only General de Gaulle's movement, but the whole of France itself, including those who were not free, but were working hard for the Allied cause inside France itself.

"General de Gaulle himself is an inspiration to the whole fighting French movement. He is to the people of France a symbol of hope and of salvation," said the admiral. "He is the modern Jean D'Arc Asked whether or not it was possible that ships of Fighting France might be transferred to the Pacific to join those already in action here Admiral Argenlieu said that it was quite possible.

Darlan's Last Trump Card

The French Navy is Admiral Darlans last trump card," said the Admiral. "He holds it so—"

The Admiral smiled grimly and extended his hand, closing the fingers tightly.

In recent months there had not been any defections from the French Fleet to the naval forces of Fighting France, he said, but that was because it was impossible for the ships to get away. In his personal opinion any attempt made by Admiral Darlan to hand the fleet over to the Germans would not work, "especially," he added, "if it were to be 1 used to fight against Americans." Vichy France had used early actions taken by the British to prevent the fleet falling into German hands to build up resentment against Britain, but even that attempt had not been greatly successful. There was nothing that Admiral Darlan could use to create any feeling against the United States.

Rear-Admiral d'Argenlieu, who came to the Pacific in November last, prior to the outbreak of war with Japan, has been spending his time in organising French resistance in this part of the world. He expressed himself as well satisfied with the progress made. The defences of New Caledonia were strong.

French Pacific Heroes

Before the Japanese joined in the war a battalion of Free French had been recruited from New Caledonia and Oceania and had sailed to the Middle East in May, 1941. They had fcrmed part of the French force who had held out against the Italians and Germans at Bir Hakeim for fifteen days, thus all< -.ving the Allied troops to retreat to new positions.

In that action they had suffered fairly heavy casualties, and their commander, Colonel Broche, had been killed at the head of his troops. The battalion had been mentioned in dispatches by both General Auchinleck and General de Gaulle.

The admiral said he did not think that that battalion would be withdrawn from the Middle East theatre of war to the Pacific. Many other volunteers had come forward in New Caledonia and Oceania since that battalion went away. Home Guards had been organised in Tahiti and New Caledonia.

At the ceremony at the Cenotaph this morning Rear-Admiral d'Argenliu, accompanied by his chief of staff. Captain G. E. J. Cabanier, D.5.0., and his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant F. de Vesins.

After his visit to New Zealand Rear-Admiral d'Argenlieu will go to Australia.