HAD TO LEAVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 136, 10 June 1940, Page 17

HAD TO LEAVE

DUTCH GOVERNMENT

EXODUS TO BRITAIN

THE 'SECRET WEAPON'

(By Air Mail, from "The Post's" London

Representative.)

LONDON, May 17

How the Germans tried to capture the Queen of the Netherlands was revealed by the Dutch Minister in London, Jonkheer Michiels van Verduynen, when discussing the arrival of the Dutch Cabinet.

/'We absolutely had to bring our Government here so that we could continue to carry out our obligations." he said. Emphasising the vital reasons for the Queen of Holland coming to England, he said: "Everything made us realise that there was a very definite move by the German army to develop a big encircling movement so that they could close from all sides on her Majesty and the Government. It was clear that it was their intention, if possible, to capture the Queen herself. That naturally had to be prevented at all costs. The Queen desired, and had been very strongly advised by the Government, to go to Zeeland, which is a strong military area. "But when the Queen and members of the Government were on board ship news was received that already the destination of the Queen seemed to be known to the Germans-—how we do not know—and there was a special bombardment going on and a fear that parachute troops might be dropped. The decision was then taken that the Queen should--avail" herself temporarily of the offer of the King of England. It was very painful to her Majesty to leave her country. She hoped more than anything else to stay with her people, but it was of vital importance that she should continue to do her work from a place outside the fighting area." PEOPLE LISTED TO BE SHOT. The Minister also said a German general, who was apparently intended to be the head of the Gestapo in Holland, was captured. "It seems that he was to have military command of special areas. On him was found a long list of names of people who had to be shot at once. We had taken the strongest measures against fifth column activities, but still out of all sorts of houses came men and women who attacked our soldiers. These people were mostly in the uniform of Dutch, British, or French soldiers. Among others who came down from aeroplanes were some dressed in j women's clothes and as nuns." A party arriving at an east coast port, with many refugees, included Sir Nevile and Lady Bland, the Earl of Chichester, French diplomats at The Hague; Norwegian officials, Mr. St. John Turner, the British Vice-Consul, the wife of a British Attache at The Hague Mrs W. L. Gibson, and members of the Sadler's Wells Ballet. Most of the company's luggage and stage costumes had to be left at The Hague, Members of the ballet saw Nazi para, chutists land in The Hague and they j watched Dutch troops firing on them.! Miss Mary Honer, prima donna of the company, said that when the war spread to Holland the company had j just started a tour of the Netherlands under the auspices of the British Council. Early last week they gave two performances in Dutch towns on the German frontier and they arrived at The Hague on Friday morning at 3.30. "At 4 o'clock the German aeroplanes were over the city," said Miss Honer. "We heard machine-gun fire overhead, and some of the company went out m their night attire into. the square to watch. At 5 o'clock we went on the roof and saw dozens of Heinkels and Dutch fighters engaged in a fierce battle. The German planes dropped leaflets while machine-guns on the hotel roof came into action "At 9 30 we heard the first bomb drop in the square. It dropped on a children's hospital. After that bomb the air-raid sirens started, and we counted 24 warnings that day. It began to get ridiculous when, after the all | clear' for one raid, the warning went j for another before we Jtiad time to come up from the cellar." -ARACHUTISTS IN HUNDREDS. Mr. Frederick Ashton, another member of the company, said: "We were awakened by a terrific buzz of aircraft and gunfire. We went up to the roof and saw parachutists being dropped in hundreds. It was a most terrifying thing. They were in such great numbers that they were very difficult to deal with. Some dropped into farmhouses, locked up the inhabitants, and then fired on Dutch soldiers who tried to surround them." Mr. Ashton said it was remarkable how life went on in the usual way in the Dutch capital. In spite of the raids .street cleaners were on duty at 5 o'clock every morning. Miss Margot Fontaine, principal ballerina, was one who travelled in the hold of a British cargo ship. "We slept on straw, and there were no lights. As we were boarding the ship by a narrow duckboard we were machinegunned and bombed by a German plane,'* she said. Mr. Robert Helpman, principal male dancer, described the parachutists as boys between 16 and 17 years old — members of the Hitler Youth. "The 'fifth column' is Hitler's secret wea-1 pon. People in Britain will not realise, ] until something happens, the power of, the 'fifth column.' It is something almost unbelievable." NO HUMAN FEELINGS. One Dutch refugee, accompanied by j his wife and four children, said: "We crossed in a British warship. At the start a German plane came near us. There was some gunfire, and he made J off. It was an experience that will j never leave me, and I am afraid may I have a lifelong effect on my children. { "The Germans seem to have no human feelings, but just bomb, bomb, bomb, and when they finish that turn to machine-guns." The Earl of Chichester, Press attache at The Hague, and his pretty Dutch bride had to depart hurriedly, with just a few possessions, but without their i wedding presents. Among the party, who numiered 300, was a young girl with a pillow-case stuffed with her belongings. A young man; unshaven and collarless, carried half a dozen filing cabinets belonging to one of the Consulates at The Hague. Mr. Fred Pagnam, former Arsenal footballer, who coached the Haarlem team, and has lived in Holland eight years, said he and his Dutch wife went through fourteen raids before getting away. - Mr. Van Royden referred to the bombers overhead as in closely packed formations. Parachute troops dropped from planes in thick clouds. They were attacking an airfield near Leyden. Dutch soldiers shot them as fast as they could find them. There was the greatest secrecy at St. Pancras when the party arrived. Only a few officials were on the platform, but Sir Robert Clive, of the Foreign Office, welcomed the Dutch Governiment. The Diplomatic Party went to

the Dutch Legation in taxicabs and were given their fare in English money by h secretary.

RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS

Many refugees from Holland and Belgium are being sent to places in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In Middlesex, which will be the chief reception area for London, the Empire Stadium at Wembley and the Alexandra Palace are being prepared to take 2000 persons each daily. The first job for the staff at Wembley has been to cover the ice skating rink and turn one end of it into a sick bay. From reception centres refugees will be distributed to the county's "second line," church halls and institutes or billets in private houses. Furniture, bedding, and cooking utensils have to be requisitioned for halls or empty houses. It is expected that refugees will not be kept at central stations for more than 24 hours. During that time they •will be medically inspected and undergo such examination of their bona fides as is necessary to guard against any suspicion of "fifth column" activities.

Brownsea Island, near Bournemouth, has been requisitoned for use as a distribution centre.

Arrangements have been made to accommodate a number in the city of Westminster, whose Mayor (Major Richard Rigg), in an appeal for help, refers to the refugees' plight as a dreadful one.