FRENCH PATRIOTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 24 August 1944, Page 7

FRENCH PATRIOTS

MEN OF THE MAQUIS ALL CLASSES REPRESENTED Sydney, Aug. 21. ! The world spotlight falls on the AlI lied armies in France as the German ! grip on that country weakens after ] four years. Because of its nature, we get only fleeting glimpses of the other struggle against the invader, the relentless war waged by the “Men of the Maquis." writes the “Sydney Morning Herald's” military correspondent I Maquis is a French term roughly t corresponding to “bush” in Australia. | The maquisards are those who “went bush” to escape the German forced labour dragnet; later, as they organised and acquired arms, they hit back at the oppressors. The term “maquis” belongs origin- ' ally to Corsica. “Prendre le maquis” | was the phrase used to describe the I outlaw who took to the scrub of ! Napoleon’s island. The name, happy ; in its popular and romantic appeal has j been transformed in the years of GerI man domination ! In forests and mountains, growing i bands of tough Frenchmen have kept ! the flame of French liberty alight for more than four years. “A REAL ARMY” One of the first direct accounts wa* given by a niaquisard to a Swiss newspaper in 1943. He said: “We constitute a real army, disposing of modern equipment, and commanded by experienced officers, who know their profes- ! sion. Acts of initiative, executions, or e I Requisition . . are the result ot jl J obedience to strict, clear, and precise j We are not only again at war |( ] with Germany, but we are obliged to . conduct this war under the most diffi- . cult conditions. “Executions of Frenchmen are most ‘ painful to us. but they are necessary. We must defend ourselves against those who fight against us. We know that one u day w’e sha’l have to answer for our ■° acts before France." I The years have been hard and hazn|ardous in the maquis. Living through h the winters in barns and rough shack* Df has been the stiffest test of spirit and ?s stamina. a * COMMUNIST AND CAPITALIST m The Germans increasingly resorted ie to savagery to suppress the maquisc- ; ards and their civilian sympathiser* ?s and supporters. The evil aura of the e Gestapo thickened over France, but t s the armed patriots kept on increasing. n They include representatives 'of all ’ classes —rich and poor, Communist and capitalist. ■ n Vichy's turn-coat Frenchmen assistIX ’ ed the Germans in their drives to ' e eliminate the maquisards. but still the raids and sabotage mounted. To pour 1- the blood of Frenchmen on fires of ie this sort was like trying to drown a r- flame in petrol. ss The maquisards were the active res- sistance group, and most of the bombas throwings and train derailments were their work. They ran their own uiv,y derground press, but also collaborated s, with other groups in laying plans for D-Day and after, which are now go,n ing into effect. Between them, the re- . sistance groups form a network throughout France to fight and spy on the Germans.

Hitler’s vaunted “Fifth Column” ha* come back like a boomerang.