FREE FRENCH FORCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 17 May 1941, Page 6

FREE FRENCH FORCES

FRESH ACT OF TREASON APPEAL TO FRENCH PEOPLE (British Official Wireless! • (Rec. 10.55 a.m.) Rugby, May 16. - A communique issued by the Free 1 French headquarters in London states: f “In allowing Syrian aerodromes to be - used by German planes the abettors of t the June capitulation have been guilty 1 of a fresh act of treason. How could - Marshal Petain. revoking the promise he f so recently made, publicly associate himself with a move against the allies ! and the French? “Frenchmen who joined General De l Gaulle in order to continue the » struggle see with the deepest sorrow i the sad end of a French military leader, ; now the mere toy of a small group of s careerists who have gone over to the ? enemy. - “The Free French have never held i the Vichy Government, which was formed without consulting the French people, as entitled to speak on behalf of the nation. They have always maintained that f the action taken by Vichy defies the , wishes of the immense majority of the 5 people. Faced with this fresh infamy on the part of Admiral Darlan and his accomplices the Free French wish to state before the whole world that the • Vichy Government does not represent - France and that the French people f must not in any way be involved in - that Government’s dishonour.”