WAR ADVENTURES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24302, 17 June 1942, Page 2

WAR ADVENTURES

SOLDIER AND SEAMAN KILLED 17 PARACHUTISTS WOUNDED AT DUNKIRK A thrilling story of high adventure and dangerous living, on the battlefields of France and the high seas, is provided by the wartime experiences of a young Pole of Jewish parentage, who is now known as Geoffrey Maginot, a French equivalent of his real name. This 22-year-okl Pole, who is visiting Auckland, arrived some time ago as an engineer officer in a ship. Maginot, who went to sea when he was 15, was already fluent in four languages—Polish, Yiddish, German and Russian —before his crowded hours really began. Since then he has acquired a knowledge of English, which he speaks admirably, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese.

Maginot's first taste of war came in 1939, ho says, when as a member of the crew of a Greek freighter he was torpedoed off the Irish coast, and for 36 hours was held prisoner in a U-boat. The position of the submarine became dangerous and the prisoners were given lifebelts and told to take their chance in the sea. All were picked up by fishing vessels and in these they landed at an English port. Torpedoed for Second Tims Not vet becoming tired of this sort of life, Maginot sailed on a French ship for Buenos Aires, and for the second time, a fortnight after, the other experience, his ship was sunk by a German submarine off the West African coast. He was in the water for 14 hours before he and other survivors were rescued by a Spanish vessel bound for Dakar.

The young adventurer, who changed his name at this time, then temporarily left the sea and enlisted- in the Sixth Regiment of Artillery in the French Colonial Army. When hostilities began in earnest, he found himself in a little salient on the Franco-Belgian border. One day he observed a Nazi plane circling in the vicinity. It released 17 parachutists. He took cover at the edge of a wood, allowing the Germans to assemble and pass him before he trained a Bren gun on the party. In a few bursts at short range he shot 15, he states, and the remaining two, who drew revolvers, he killed with the bayonet, but not before he was struck in the arm. Decorated by Gamelin For this act he was cited and in a field hospital 50 miles behind_ the line he, with several others, received personally from Marshal Gamelin the Croix de Guerre with palms. On the same day he received his discharge. Maginot once again went to sea and he took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. where he was wounded. After discharge from hospital he again secured a post on a steamer.

LOCAL AM) GENERAL Arrival of the Ironside After a voyage from London lasting 110 days, the ship Ironside arrived in Auckland on June 17, 1867. An iron clipper, the Ironside carried 52 passengers. The Murchison Earthquake The Murchison earthquake, when great damage was done, took place 13 years to-day. Other areas affected were Nelson, Westport and Greymouth. Both North and South' Islands experienced heavy quakes. The total death roll was 17. Explosions Under University Blasting taking place in the tunnels under Princes Street, can be heard clearly in the University College. Lecturers on the ground floor of the college building have had some difficulty in making themselves heard above the noise of the underground explosions. Air Training Corps Under the new system members of the Air Training Corps who have reached the age of 18J vears are being accepted at stations for aerodrome defence instead of going into the Army. This alternative has been availed of by a large number. Those who have not reached the required age are now taking an extensive course in navigation. Hammering Operates Fire Alarm Vibration caused by hammering set in operation a delicately adjusted fire alarm system and summoned a fire engine to the National Gallery in Wellington. Workmen inadvertently caused the sensitive points of the system to make contact, thus sounding the alarm at the fire station unknown to anyone in the gallery. First Miss in 45 Years An attendance record which probably lias few equals, that of Mr. Eustace -Russell, a member of the council of the Southland Acclimatisation Society, was brought to light at a meeting of the society last week. In apologising for non-attendance, Mr. Russell said that it was the first time in 45 years that lie had missed attending the annual meeting. Supplies of Fruit Quality dessert apples were scare* at the City Markets yesterday and the fixed prices have been raised accordingly. Better supplies of dessert pears came forward and met with a good demaud. Values for hothouse grapes eased slightly, but hothouse tomatoes, which wore in short supply, brought high prices. There was a keen inquiry for quality passionfruit and tree tomatoes. A Practicable Method A practical and sensible method of getting warm was adopted by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P. for Waitomo, while waiting for a train on the Te Awamutu railway station on a recent frosty morning. He removed his coat and hat, and put in a strenuous 20 minutes shovelling coal from a railway truck to a lorry. He succeeded in getting warm, and doing a good service for the lorry driver. Blackout from the Sea "The announcement which I made recently about the stricter enforcement of the blacking-out of buildings facing the sea or the harbour seems to have been misunderstood by some people," | said the Mavor and Chief Warden, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, yesterday. "I should like to make it clear that there is no change in the rules; they will only be more closely applied—that is all. Where there is any doubt whether windows and doorways are visible from the sea or the harbour, I suggest that occupiers take the conservative view and black them out."-