A GREEK’S RESOURCE

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 49, 26 February 1941, Page 8

A GREEK’S RESOURCE

Action of Gendarm; The London policeman is apparently matched by the Greek gendarme for resource and efficiency. In a letter to a friend, a New Zealand engineer officer in Greece states he was anxious to ascertain the location of a trig station In order to t bearings with h»* theodolite. When he attempted to obtain the information in a village ctreet. he was immediately surrounded bv * rapidly growing crowd whose lack of knowledge of the English language was as complete as hi« ignorance of Greek. Matters were at a deadlock when a gendarme appeared. He clearly under•rood -only Greek, .and he ignored any attempts to promote an understanding. Instead, he took charge of the theodolite and field note book and bundled the New Zealander into a taxi. The New Zealander was persuaded that he was under arrest as a spy. and this idea appeared to be correct when the taxi •topped outside a police station and he was taken inside. The gendarme went to a telephone, •ml after a brief conversation called Ihe New Zealander to the instrument. An English voice came over the wire: *T understand, old chap, you want to know the whereabouts of the trig station. The gendarme grasped what you wanted to know, but didn’t feel competent to make you understand his directions, and in any case he thought you’d be happier if he took ytm clear of the attentions of the crowd.* The gendarme knew his countrymen when he took the course he did lo get me the information," added the New Zealand officer in his letter. "On other occasions, attempts by me to get information in the streets have been followed by small riots. Passers-by haw scuffled among themselves for the apparent honour of taking charge of and directing a British soldier, and f haven fc always relished being in the •ectre of the affrays,”