THE BOOKMAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 107, 1 November 1941, Page 15

THE BOOKMAN

IN NAZI HANDS

ADVENTURE IN FRANCE

It was on June 8, 1940, that Bessy Myers, an English ambulance driver in an International Red Cross unit, received orders to proceed to the front line in the Marne sector in France. When they got to their appointed destination, they found the column making preparations for evacuation, and at 3 a.m. there- was a fresh move to Pavon. What happened after that she details in "Captured," published by Harrap.

It was summer and there was time for a swim in the Marne, but before this was over orders came through for the total evacuation of Pavon. Back to her unit went Bessy with her pal Darby. There were two nights and days of conveying wounded along roads jammed with exhausted soldiers, some even minus rifles, sheep, cows, carts, refugees, and military vehicles of every kind. Then, early in the morning, they were surrounded by German troops. With an engine missing on two cylinders, escape was impossible, and they were made prisoners of war. For a time they then worked in a military hospital at Spissons, where, according to the narrator, conditions were appalling, there being filth, a scarcity of water, and neglect of the wounded on the part of apathetic French doctors. The baker and Henri, the interpreter, however, made i life bearable.

Then suddenly they were thrown into prison cells and underwent a peiod of solitary confinement. They discovered subsequently that a French doctor had denounced them as spies, hence the treatment meted out to them. Eventually they were released, but had to remain in Paris under German domination. But escape was made into unoccupied France, and at Vichy they were very kindly treated. But even then their troubles were not at an end. In spite of permits and visas, two attempts were necessary to cross the frontier to reach Lisbon and finally England.

"Captured" gives a very graphic picture of those hectic days, and is a war book written from an unusual angle.

ONE WHO ESCAPED,

A similar type of book is "Escape From France," written by someone calling herself "Claire," and published by Hale. But it hardly rings true. The author was c young girl only just married who was in Franc*e when the Nazis came. According to her own narrative she was one of "roughly 10,000,000 refugees of all creeds and nationalities fleeing along the roads from the dreaded Boche. The Germans were only a quarter of an hour to twenty minutes (sometimes only a few seconds) behind me the whole way from Paris down to the borders of Spain." Yet in high-heeled shoes she was able to walk quickly enough to keep away from them. She claims to have definitely been the very last English person to leave Paris after the German, occupation, and to have finally reached England from Lisbon on a British warship, in company with King Zog of Albania, who was anxiously hanging on to a million pounds in cash. Incidentally, this warship was hit by torpedoes three times during the voyage, "but the torpedoes not being quite accurate she withstood the shock and did not sink." Claire was obviously in luck, and her luck held when she found a publisher willing to accept her artificially naive narrative.

BIT BY BIT

Until June, 1940. when Italy declared war on collapsing France and President Roosevelt made his famous "stab in the back" speech, the majority of Americans were strongly isolationist— if not with a capital I, at least their main concern was to keep out of the "phoney" European war. In July, 1941, critics within that country were raising loud voices against the time-lag in war production and against the alleged slowness in delivery of war materials to Britain: American naval forces had occupied Iceland. In the short space of twelve months the thinking of one hundred and thirty million people had swung over from passive negation to active help for Britain. Events assisted the speeding up of this amazing change of opinion, but the policy of a great leader, who was himself not afraid to change from Isolationism to a broader conception of America's destiny and duty, can be seen through it all.

"America Chooses!" published by Harrap, contains the speeches of President Roosevelt during those twelve months. They show how a great nation finally made up its mind. Roughly each month throughout. the year, President Roosevelt delivered an important speech to the nation or sent an important message to Congress. Each speech or message reveals America a little further along the path. of antiAxis activity. Gordon Beckles presents these words of the President, together with his own comments and explanations as to what was happening in the United States, in order that the reader can visualise continuously the background of the American domestic scene so essential for the understanding of the people's reactions.

Twelve famous novels, rewritten in shortened form by Mr. Winston Churchill some years ago, are to be issued in "Moon" type by the National Institute for the Blind. They include "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "The Moonstone," "Ben Hur," "Westward Ho!" and "Vice Versa." The "Moon" system of embossed type is based on the Roman capitals. It can be "read" by fingers less sensitive than those needed for the delicate dots of Braille, and is largely used by those who lose their sight late in life.

"The Voice of Britain: An Anthology of Great Speeches," compiled by S. R. Littlewood, is announced by Hutchinson. Designed as the complete expression of British aims find ideals, with a message from the past as well as a call to the future, it includes speeches by the King, Mr. Winston Churchill, Lord Lothian, and representatives of all parties and denominations. *