TROOPS' DESTINATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 45, 21 August 1941, Page 9

TROOPS' DESTINATION

CHANGE OF ORDERS

BREACH OF GUARANTEE BY

VICHY

. RUGBY, August 19. ! Vichy's dishonesty and subservience j to Germany are illustrated by the' treatment of troops in Syria, which is described by the Free French headquarters in London. In order to discourage these troops from: joining the Free French forces, Vichy. guaranteed to repatriate those who so desired I direct to North Africa. While the troops who had chosen this course were embarking, however,, orders were received from Vichy that they were, to go to Marseilles. The only exception was in favour of a Senegalese contingent and a Madagascar detachment, but these had already embarked. The French admiral informed Vichy that a serious disturbance was inevitable if the engagement to them was not fulfilled. The Free French leader, General de Gaulle, on August 17 visited the last Syrian town of Deir-ez-Zor, on the Euphrates, accompanied by General Catroux and Colonel, Collet. They were welcomed by the British military authorities and the Free French delegate for the Jezireh region, of which Deir-ez-Zor is the* capital, and also by the native authorities. General de Gaulle inspected a unit composed of [troops who have recently joined the I Free French movement, and also Spahis and the Camel Corps. In a speech General de Gaulle said: "France carries on in Syria* As soon as the situation is normal again the people will see the first results of the promises which have been made. Syria forms a whole, both from the political and the economic points of view, and Jezireh is an agricultural region neces* sary for Syria to become an economic whole. General Catroux, who is France in Syria, will take the necessary steps to put this into effect."—

8.0. W.