SPIRIT STILL LIVES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 138, 13 May 1941, Page 6

SPIRIT STILL LIVES

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 10. Broadcast speeches were made this evening by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg and the Belgian Prime Minister (M. Pierlot) on the-oecasion of the anniversary of the German invasion of Holland, Luxemburg and Belgium. Queen Wilhelmina said the Dutch Empire maintained its effort to overthrow aggression and from Curacao to New Guinea Dutch ships left port laden with war materials for the Allied cause and people. Her people in Europe could only offer active assistance through those of its forces that had escaped from the power of the aggressor, but the East Indies freely continued to strengthen its army, navy and air force.

“In the Netherlands,” the Queen said, “my people have found other ways of hampering tlie invader—ways of which 1 cannot tell yon here but of which daily 1 have fresh evidence. Herr Hitler succeeded in invading Dutch territory. He has never succeeded in invading the Dutch spirit. In occupied and unoccupied territory there is but one conviction—that our resistance must be absolute.

A note of determination, courage and unwavering belief in British victory and the liberation of her country characterised the speech of the Ducliess of Luxemburg. Recalling that this day last year marked the second time in a quarter of a century on which Germany had ruthlessly invaded Belgium, M. Pierlot said that to-day, as in 1914, Belgians refused <o submit “to the rule of foreign bullies,” whom they despised. “Wc have united the considerable assets we had abroad to those of the British Empire and all the resources of the Belgian Congo arc at the service of our common cause,” he said. “Our colonial army is taking its part in the brilliant campaign of the Empire forces in Abvssinia,” he added.

Standing amid /the ruins of the Dutch church destroyed in a Nazi raid last Deeeml>er, Queen Wilhelmina joined Dutch men and women exiles from their own country in a service in commemoration. Over their heads flic flag of the Netherlands flew at half mast while all present stood in silence in honour of those who had given their lives for Holland’s salvation and others suffering for their patriotism' in prison and concentration camps. The flag was then run to the masthead and the Dutch national anthem sung. The anniycrsaiy of the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands was celebrated throughout the- Dutch East Indies by impressive military parades and displays of air force strength. American-built Hudson aircraft presented by the Dutch people overseas were used by the Boval Dutch Naval Air Service when they co-operated with the Coastal Command last night in an attack on enemy aerodromes at Ivristiansu.nd and Manda] in Southern Norway.