FAITH IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 190, 11 May 1942, Page 5

FAITH IN BRITAIN

Spirit Of Revolt In Occupied Lands HOSTILITY TO NAZIS

(British Official Wireless.) (Received May 10, 8.45 p.m.) RUGBY, May 9.

The Belgian Foreign Minister, M. Spaak, broadcasting on the occasion of the second anniversary of the German invasion of 'Belgium, said: “My countrymen have lived through a terrible winter. They have suffered from cold and hunger, and the schools have had to close through lack of coftl. “The poorer classes, whose rations are quite inadequate, have lost what remained of their health, and are dying. Patriots are arrested and concentration camps and prisons are full to overflowing. “But all Germany’s efforts are without avail. The greater the misery, the greater is the people’s heroism. The more fierce and cruel the Germans become the more the Belgian shows his hostility and contempt. Among my countrymen, never has faith in Great Britain been greater. They

are awaiting victory and freedom with unfailing confidence.

“They approve of us, the free Belgians, because we have put in the common cause all that is left of our strength. "We are proud of our airmen, sailors and soldiers who are fighting and training in company with those who tomorrow will expel the Germans from the occupied lands.” Suggested Crusade In France.

According to Vichy reports, General Giraud is understood to have signed a pledge of fidelity to Marshal Petain, declaring that he will not rally to General de Gaulle, but refusing to pledge that he will not take up arms against the Germans. General Giraud has received thousands of letters from the reserve of French officers agreeing to follow his leadership if he begins a crusade for France’s liberation.

The reports add that General Giraud offered to return to Koeningstein. if the Germans released all married French prisoners, hut Herr Abetz, Nazi representative in occupied France, refused. Vichy announces that the R.A.F. dropped caged pigeons over occupied France. Each had a capsule attached to its leg, containing a message, inviting Frenchmen to answer questions regarding the disposition of German troops. Frenchmen were asked to put a message back in the capsule and release the pigeons.

The Germans announced that five French hostages were executed in Paris and 50 others sentenced to death for an attack on a German soldier on May 2. The Germans threatened to send 500 hostages to a work camp in eastern Germany if the attackers were not discovered. “V” Army’s Plans. In a farewell broadcast to the “V” Army, Colonel Britton said: “I have been speaking weekly for nearly a year. I will not speak again till the moment comes to indicate the particular line of action which is needed, but I cannot tell what that line .will be. Till the right moment comes I will be working with my’ colleagues on the plans. At the moment, I do not wish to say more about plans for the “V” Army’s offensive.” A Norwegian ship with her crew and cargo was recently kidnapped by a group of young Norwegians and brought safely to a British port. The captors operated a carefully-prepared plan and boarded the vessel as passengers, one or two at a time, at various ports of all. Then they overpowered the crew at the point of the revolver and navigated according to a previously’ worked-out course. A British reconnaissance machine later spotted the trawler and guided her through minefields to a British port, which she reached on March 17.

The Norwegian telegraph agency says that several hundred Norwegians have been arrested for aiding 03 Russian prisoners of war to escape from a train. The Germans threaten to impose <i war tax on frontier areas if the persons aiding the Russians are not surrendered.