FRIENDLY FRENCHMEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20624, 27 November 1941, Page 9

FRIENDLY FRENCHMEN

CARE FOR FUGITIVE BRITISH SEAMAN’S ESCAPE LONDON, Nov. 16 How the German .invaders have succeeded in making millions of friends for Britain in European countries, was illustrated in a broadcast from London by a seaman, Gerald ' Riley™ who “escaped ~ from detention in France after his merchant ship had been mercilessly shelled by broadsides from the German battleship Admiral Scheer.

“As sure as dark clouds on the weather bow mean dirty weather ahead,” said Riley, “so I believe there are millions of true French people ready even to sacrifice there lives to help such as I was. During those weary months in France I never met one French man, woman or child who did not hate the Hun, and I met plenty of French people.

“One French family after another helped me on my way while I was escaping, and while sitting in their houses I listened to broadcasts from London. In one village the whole of the 50 to 60 inhabitants came silently and carefully at night to see me snatching very much needed rest in a hay loft before I continued my journey. When I awoke there was quite a party of them —keeping watch, I guess. “They had a request for me—would I sing ‘God Save the King’? They did not know the words, but they knew the tune, and we sang together. I don’t think the National Anthem was ever sung with more feeling.”