The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1941. A ROMANTIC WAR.

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 10

The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1941. A ROMANTIC WAR.

In his speech on the war that is being waged on a front of 2,500 miles in the Middle East and Africa, Lord Croft (Joint Under-Socrctary for War) drew attention this week to the amazing variety of the forces that are fighting on Freedom’s side. British, Australians, Now Zealanders, South Africans, Rhodesians, Indians, Sudanese, men from tho’Gold Coast all have their part in the conflict, which threatens an early end to Mussolini’s Empire built on duplicity and force. The capture of Keren, in Eritrea, which is likely to be the next item of news, may not mean tho end of that Empire, but its end is not far off. Italy cannot supply or reinforce its defenders, and, in the face of a superior sea power, Germany is unable to help. Lord Croft has called tho forces that are opposing tho Axis in these wide regions the most romantic fraternity in arms that the world lias ever witnessed, and the description would not seem to be exaggerated. Truly Freedom is a great bond. It will be interesting to see how strong the ties will prove that hold the Gormans, Italians, and Japanese (objects of the ex-Kaiser’s former scorn) together when the war goes more against the totalitarian Powers.

Resentment of oppression and injustice is also a great spur to action and) a groat bond. The cables have told a thrilling story.of the British military mission whose work has been to fan the embers of revolt among the natives of Abyssinia and also pave the way for the British advance into Eritrea. The natives did not need much inducement to rise; a great many of them had never submitted to the Italian yoke. What they needed was modern equipment and training, which have been given to them. The cables have mentioned a “ smallish, bespectacled, baldheaded ” British colonel, of the type made familiar in romantic stories, as the leader of this enterprise, hut such missions have a rare call to volunteers. A writer in the Sydney ‘ Morning Herald ’ records how Australia has been represented in this field of warfare and from an early time. Captain Arnold Wienholt, D. 5.0., M.C., F.R.G.S., would have delighted Rider Haggard. He went to school with Winston Churchill, sat in the Queensland Parliament both before and after the Great War, in which he fought—in the East African campaign. Before his parliamentary experiences began he had fought in the South African W r ar, raising a company of horse at his own expense, and) hunted lions among the Maquengo bushmen, whose name for him was Sirumatauw, “ the man whom the lion bit.” A few years ago he was fighting for Haile Selassie, and when that war was lost he went to London to protest against the recognition by Britain of the Italians’ conquest. Ho knew Haile Selassie well. The Abyssinians, ho insisted, never were conquered. They have been fighting from that day to this.

Captain Wieuholt never deserted their cause. First he made plans with Abyssinian under-chiefs whom ho mot at Aden to get one of the ex-Empcror’s sons to the stricken kingdom so that its people would have a supreme leader who would be able to unite them in their revolt. When this war began he hurried back at once to Aden to be ready for the time when the Italians would take up their part in it, as he was sure they would do. He was sixtytwo years old, when Australian friends last heard from him recently, but the fires had not grown cold. “ A brave race,” he wrote, “ has got its second wind, and is coming again. These are no harried brigands, scattered in out-of-the-way districts, but- a very formidable, growing, national resistance, which has yet to be beaten.” His letter concludes: “ I think it wonderful to live in Armada days and times. I often wondered how they felt when ‘ that great fleet invincible 1 was preparing. I believe all this had to come—-it is best for us (and in Australia, too) that it did. We shall overcome our enemies, if we deserve to, and regain a new national lease, I believe, of courage and power, and a better sense of proportion all round.” Recently ho was reported as missing somewhere in Abyssinia or British Somaliland, but men like Wionliolt may he missing many times before their end. At least ho will not have laboured in vain in Abyssinia.