THE BELGIAN ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24825, 27 January 1942, Page 6

THE BELGIAN ARMY

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—My attention has been drawn to the review of the book published by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affaires which appeared in the Otago Daily Times of November 29, 1941, over the signature “A. L. F.” The opinion which is given in that article is fair and conducive to contributing to a belated withdrawal of the most wrongful charges that have etjer been laid at the feet of a ruler, of his army, and of his people. May I. however, point out a few 7 errors which your reviewer has, no doubt, overlooked? He whites; “ The capitulation of Belgium, which was one of the unfortunate preludss to the capitulation of France and the British evacuation, occurred in the heat of battle.’’

(1) Belgium has neyer capitulated. France has. Not Belgium. The Belgian Army, in the words of Mr Anthony Eden, was obliged to yield to superior force, through no fault of its own. but Belgium represented by its Government: did not capitulate. (2) The “ capitulation ” of the Belgian Army was not a prelude to the British evacuation. Quite the contrary. Lord Gort’s despatches show that he received these instructions on May 26 and that the plan of evacuation was already contemplated as early as May 18. In the words «f Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes. British liaison officer with King Leopold, “Although King Leopold did not know at that time, and no message to this effect ever reached him, Lord Gort had already received orders to withdraw' to the coast and was preparing to do so.” Meanwhile, the Belgians were fighting to protect the withdrawal of their British and French allies to one of the ports, Dunkirk,, of embarkation which had been allotted to the Belgians by' the Allied High Command as their base on May 20, but which they were no longer allowed to use as from the 23rd.

The manner in which the Belgian Army acquitted itself of this heroic and very hard task is illustrated by the following example among many others:—“ The Belgian 7th Chasseurs on foot of the 7th Infantry Division were ordered on May 25, at 1 p.m., to relieve the Ist Belgian Grenadiers at Balgerhoeck (due north between Ghent and Bruges). Its effective was then 2000 strong. It fought stubbornly and without respite under the most - terrific artillery and air attacks from the 25th at night until the evening of the 27th defending the terrain foot by foot. At dawn on the 27th the C.O. of the regiment, Lieut.colonel Doneux, gathered the remains of his unit. There remained altogether 208 men and 13 officers. In some of the companies three officers out of four had been killed, and altogether 577 wooden crosses over the graves of men of the 7th Belgian Chasseurs on foot, in the cemeteries of Eecloo, Adegem, and Maldegem, confirm the valour of the Belgian Army.” —I am, etc.. Armand Nihotte, Consul-general of Belgium. Wellington, January 22.