“GREAT PEOPLE”

Evening Star, Issue 23745, 28 November 1940, Page 15

“GREAT PEOPLE”

OPINION DF THE ENGLISH DUNEDin SOLDIER'S LETTER “ Great people, these English folk, and Hitler can’t put the wind up thorn with a few bombs.” writes a New Zealand soldier in England to his people in Dunedin “ The Londoners especially are great, as they have had a severe buffetting, but carry on as usual. Nothing seems tp worry them. “ The police are very severe on anyone trying to spread panic, and 1 noticed where a man was gaoled for running around singing out that the air alarm had sounded when it hadn’t. 1 ittn columnist,’ no doubt, and they were a verv effective weapon in France. Stories of some of their doings in France go to show how these people, dressed as mins, priests, anything at all, spread panic among the French population. “ A Tommy told mo how one dressed as a nun ran along the street in 1* ranee crying out * tho Germans are here. This threw the French people into a panic, and consequently they would stream out on to the road and seriously hamper the forces coming up to engage Fritz. This was what the German wanted—to get the people into a state of panic, fleeing along all the roads and stopping traffic while he was still miles away. France was full of ‘ fifth columnists,’ and they played the biggest part in. her defeat.

“ In England it is different, as it will take something to shift these people. There will be very little chance of spreading panic, as the recent raids on London show. Still, one can imagine how easy it was to put the emotional French people in flight and hold up all traffic. The same thing happened in the French Army, Huns using French uniforms and getting among the troops, with the same results. He is a very wary bird, this Hitler. _ To date he hasn’t lost a hand, but bis troubles are only beginning. Now ho is overdue, “ So far we have had no encounter with Jerry, except, of course, his air force. We see plenty of action up above, and we never get tired of watching an air dud. or dog-fight, as it is called. Since I wrote last we have moved nearer the coast, all in preparation for Hitler’s invasion, but, judging by the accounts of the severe lashing the R.A.F. has given the invasion ports, I doubt if he will ‘ have us on,’ though we know he will attempt anything, as his soldiers’ lives mean nothing to him. “ In Kent there are wonderful gardens—it is called the Garden of England—and there are acres and acres of hops. Nearly every little farm has its hop gardens. I saw my first gipsies in England about a fortnight ago. _ They were all camped alongside a big hop field. Probably they were engaged in hop picking. 1 visited the city of Canterbury—a city of spires. The famous Canterbury Cathedral is a marvellous place, and two of us were fortunate enough to see through it. “ I drew on my allotment in New Zealand ready for leave. I sent for £l2 10a, but by the time the exchange was taken off I received only £9 10s. We all reckon that is ‘ mighty tough. ’ taking exchange off a soldier.”