ASHORE AT GIBRALTAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23719, 27 July 1940, Page 10 (Supplement)

ASHORE AT GIBRALTAR

By LILLIAN? HEYS

02TCE more-the covetous eyes 'of Britain's enemies are turning toward Gibraltar.- A. recent news. item announced: "Spanish Falangist. (Fascist) leaders and newspapers continue to demand that Spain. should seize Gibraltar, dbseryers' cah see no clash of interests between Germany, Italy, and Spain in this matter. All that Germany and Italy ask of Spain is that .Spain, should increase her own importance by "attacking Gibraltar, j inevitably with the assistance of German artillery, bombers and tech- i nicians."

How adroitly the suggestion is made —th'at Spain should increase her own imp6rtance. And upon what fertile ground-the seed is. sown,, for surely, that proiid sentinel of Britain, impregnably guarding'the entrance to the Mediterranean, must "have been a perpetual thorn in the side of Spaniards for tho last 236, years. ; . Since 1704 when,, during the war of Spanish succession, it was taken from Spain by the allied British and Dutch fleets, Gibraltar has been a British naval base. The last great attempt to rout; the, British occurred in 1779 when combined French and Spanish forces launched an attack that developed into a siege lasting for almost foiir years and ending with the destruction of the Spanish floating batteries by red hot shot from tho British guns. Towering Face of Rock /I? ah all never forget my first sight of Gibraltar. It was early morning as. wo cleared the Straits. Away to starboard stretched the shadowy outlines of Africa, misty with the. haze of morning. Close on our port beam the low square houses of the little Spanish'' town of Algeciras shone with startling whiteness against the deep Mediterranean blue of tho sea. Ahead of us, beautiful, arresting, challenging, rose the towering face of the great, rock, its rugged contours softened by an almost mystical glow of> rose-tinted light which bathed the rock and the little wliito town nestling, at • its' feet.' ■' It was ( an odd, .unearthly moment, one-of those rare and memorable interludes when time ceases to exist and. onlyo'the !• consciouuness off beauty*, remains. So we came to Gibraltar, steam-

A. New Zealanders Impressions

inpr slowly 'as befitted the quiet radiance of the morning and the calm tranquillity of that perfect, little bay. By the - time breakfast was over and the shore-going tenders alongside, the rosy, glow had faded from the rock revealing it in all its grim strength. Chugging across to the landing stage one has a fine view of its stolid bulk rising over 1100 feet and thrusting its pugnacious nose into the sea along its two jnd a-half miles of length. Ashore a medley of voices beseechcd us to drive to, any and every part of the rock. Little Bit of Britain Politely—l hope—but firmly wo elected to walk. Such fascination is not to be hurried through, and there is fascination enough in Gibraltar. Nevertheless, our first sight was a pleasantly familiar one of British Tommies drilling outside their barracks. In tho narrow streets of the little town British uniforms were everywhere and in addition to soldiers and sailors we were delighted to see tho stalwart British policemen. Somehow, even on that perfect golden morning, it was good tq find-them there, a little bit of Britain firmly planted on that isolated peninsula.

Anxious to visit tho old Moorish castls standing high above the town wo inquired the way and started the long climb. Several times we lost our way, arriving unexpectedly into the courtyards of Spanish-looking houses whero darkeyed women stared with bold curiosity and swarthy children ran out to follow us. Murmuring apologies wo won hi withdraw and try again, baffled by tho steep narrow streets, tho many flights of steps, the odd mixture of affluence and squalor, the stares, and the occasional disconcerting slam of a window shutter. Eventually, however, wo encountered a British officer who to our relief gallantly, escorted us to the castle. , Ancient Moorish Apartments : This interesting relic of tho Moorish occupation of Gibraltar was built b.v Tarik,. an Arab corsair, who captured and fortified tho rock in 711 A.D. Constructed of brick and very hard concrete the massive Tower or Homage is the chief remaining building, in tho upper part of which ono may still see the ancient Moorish living apartments. From tho walls wo had a perfect view, looking out over Gibraltar and across the few miles of water to lovely Algeciras, while away to ;the right a white thread of tree-lmed road beckoned us to the Spanish frontier.

i Returning to tho town we hired an ancient venicle and drove out along that road to the v International Gato, which marks tho British frontior. Beyond is a strip of "No Man's Land" and hovond that, La Linea ([The Lines), a Spanish town. Tho Spanish war was in progress at the time and as we jogged along our driver proceeded to describe with lurid detail a battle which ho had watched from the,gato. "Droves of Spaniards try to crowd through into Gib," he went on. "Poor things, they como in looking for food or work but tlioy havo to, be_ across the frontior again before evening. They say," ho added sngely, "that General Franco isn't the. boss over there any more. Ho dances to Mussolini's tune!"

The gate fascinated mo. There was no particular reason why; it should; but I suppose anyone living in the British Isles or the island Dominions must find a certain fascination in an ordinary iron Sate marking the end of British soil. . in tk«i .far side,. resplendent la fcreen

cloaks, stood soldiers of General Franco; 011 our side a British policeman stood talking to the "Tommy" on duty. Back on board iye lingered 011 deck to .watch the changing fare of the great rock as the ship steamed slowly round its three sides. "The whole place is bristling with guns," someone remarked as he wandered past. It was a comforting.thought.-.Comforting too the never-to-be-forgotten sight of that huge natural fortification, its towering upper slopes a riot of tfild flowers and its rugged face softened again to an almost gentle grandeur by the burnished glow of the ovoning sunlight. Unchanged in a changing world Gibraltar remains proudly dominating the Straits, challenging any would-be invader to test if he will its old defiant strength. And if those' threats and rumours should materialise we may bo sure that an evon warmer reception awaits an enemy than the red hot shot of 1783, I