SHOT AT DAWN

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15235, 28 December 1942, Page 3

SHOT AT DAWN

DARLAN’S ASSASSIN DIES NAME NOT DISCLOSED. AMERICAN TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Oouvright. LONDON, Dec. 26. Admiral Dari an’s assassin, who was court-martialled on Friday antf sentenced to death, was executed by a - firing squad at dawn today. He was tried hv a French court-martial. His name is being kept secret for reasons of military security. He made a full confession, insisting that he acted without an accomplice. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says the assassin was of French nationality. His mother is an Italian, now living in Italy. Letters exchanged hv them were seized, hut threw no light on the crime. Th© Associated Press of Great Britain says the assassin spent most of his 4if e in France and Italy, and (tain© to Algiers a year ago when he entered the university. Allied military leaders attended the burial of Dari ail at Algiers. The Algiers public was permitted to- file past Darlan’s body, which is lying in state with a guard of honour Morocco radio reports that Dat* lan died on the operating table in. hospital. The last Sacrament was administered by a military priest Axis radios are putting ©ut contradictory theories about Darlan’s death. It is generally asserted that Mr Churchill had Darlan killed to thwart American plans for an African hegemony. Berlin radio claimed that the assassin was a Frenchman, carrying out a French court-mar-tial’s sentence. Renewed bojie of French unity is understood to be felt in Fighting French quarters in. London. Though the assassination of Dari a n is condemned as an unjustified method of political action, the problem of French unity is considered to have taken on a new aspect now that Darla.n is no longer head of tli© temporary regime in North Africa. It is thought to he more urgent than ever to prepare all Frenchmen op a basis of honour, dignity and determination to liberate the nation. I'll© American Secretary of State, j Mr Cordell Hull, described Darlan’s assassination as “an odious and cowardly act.” “The all-important consideration is that wc should not he diverted for a moment from our supreme objective, which is control of the African continent and the Mediterranean.” lie said. “The battles are still a.t a crucial and critical stage. General Eisenhower and his associates need the fullest measure of unified support. Of Admiral Dalian it may he repeated that the part he played in North Africa related primarily to the military situation r.nd was of incalculable aid to th© Allies in the battle still raging.”