BRITISH TROOPS IN PARIS

Southland Times, Issue 23921, 13 September 1939, Page 7

BRITISH TROOPS IN PARIS

RECEPTION RECALLS SCENES OF 1914

“TIPPERARY” HEARD ONCE MORE

EXPEDITION DESPATCHED IN GREAT SECRECY

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 12, 8.40 p.m.) • LONDON, September 12. According to The Daily Mail British troops have already participated in advances in German territory. The transport of the British expeditionary force took several days; it was carried out in great secrecy and without mishap. The troops received a tremendous ovation in France, recalling 1914 scenes. The Paris correspondent of The Daily Mail says that men and women wept with joy at the sight of the soldiers, marching with swinging stride along the cobbled streets, and cried: “Voila les Tommies! Voila les Anglais!”

Once again history repeated itself. The troops sang “Old Faithful” and “Tipperary,” the echoes of which were caught up by throngs hurrying, half running, beside the/ marching columns, and singing the refrain in a broken jingle half English and half F ench. Laughing, chattering girls sought souvenirs.

All the famous scenes when the Old Contemptibles landed in France were re-enacted.

The British Ministry of Information acknowledges that British troops are in France but does not give details. Another message from London says that the British are fighting beside the French on the Western Front, and the Royal Air Force has also arrived.

The British Press has hailed the announcement that Tommies are on German soil, after complaints of too much censorship. Secrecy was maintained until the troops had landed to reduce the danger of submarine attack.

Successful operations are reported by Royal Air Force aeroplanes, which reconnoitred the West Wall in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire.

SWEDISH SYMPATHY WITH ALLIES SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES FEAR FOR NEUTRALITY (Received September 12, 11.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 11. The Stockholm correspondent of The New York Herald-Tribune says that the Scandinavian countries are apprehensive of their ability to preserve their neutrality. Swedish sympathy is almost entirely with the Allies and the country fears becoming involved not from choice, but by compulsion. ■ ■ i GERMAN RESIDENTS LEAVE EIRE TRIP ACROSS ENGLAND IN SEALED TRAIN (Received September 12, 11.45 p.m.) DUBLIN, September 12. As the result of an agreement between Britain and Eire 50 German residents have left for Germany. They will travel across England in a sealed train. MAKESHIFT GAS MASKS IN WARSAW ATTEMPT BY MOTHERS TO SAVE CHILDREN AMSIERDAM, September 11. Warsaw is virtually without gas masks, but I olish mothers have taken up needles and thread in an ingenious attempt to save their children from poison gas, according tc' a British photographer, Mr Eric Calcraft, who has' just arrived from Warsaw. The women sewed elastic bands to big pieces of cotton or gauze hung around their children’s necks and tolr the children to pull them up over their noses and mouths at the first gas alarm. It is doubtful whether the masks are of any use, but it is the best the mothers can do and they must do something. LITHUANIA’S DEFENCE MEASURES (Received September 12, 7.30 p.m.) RIGA, September 12. Three classes of reservists are being mobilized and defensive measures are being carried out on the Polish-Lithuan-ian frontier. HOME DEFENCE FOR SOUTH AFRICA CAPE TOWN, September 11. “Neutrality would have been dishonourable,” said the Prime Minister (General Jan Smuts) today. “South African troops will be used only for home defence. The fight for Danzig is only the eve of the fight for South-West Africa.”