DARING WORK IN FRANCE

Southland Times, Issue 25483, 2 October 1944, Page 5

DARING WORK IN FRANCE

British Officers With Maquis

(Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) FRANCE, Sept. 30. British Army officers who, with Americans and Frenchmen, were dropped by parachute among the i Maquis and helped them organize i themselves, have carried out some of the most daring work for the liberation of France. They were dropped in small parties with a short-wave radio and with this they passed messages in code to England, giving information and making requests for arms. I have just met two British officers who, with an American officer, did this work with the Maquis. One British officer landed in Brittany three days after D Day; the other “dropped” at Gotedszur two days after the’ landing in southern France. They have stories which are more thrilling than fiction. One man in each party carried a radio set with both receiver and transmitter; it weighed 581 b. It was completely collapsible and could be packed in four different sacks which were strapped to the man, and with which he could jump easily., All the men in this special force were volunteers, and their only distinction in dress the wearing of “SF” in the centre of their parachute wings. The Germans published notices stating that they were regarded as spies and would be shot immediately if found. GERMAN AGENTS EXECUTED A British major who landed in the forest of Douault, near St Briaeuc, shortly after D Day, had help in establishing a base. Local French people took great interest in their work and, like country folk, donned theii’ best clothes on Sunday and walked out to see them. Among them were two German agents, a man and a woman, who were detected. There was little delay in their execution. That night the woman was shot and the man stabbed to death. The base was later knocked out by the Germans. A German officer who was interrogating a young Maquis was shot and wounded, but he and a companion managed to escape and next day about 800 Germans arrived. Although the base had to be given up, force withdrew and continued to work in another locality. They were assisted at one time by five schoolmistresses, just young girls who cycled as much as 60 to 70 kilometres daily carrying messages. One, named Aide Richards was outstanding. She had been at a conference which discussed signals which would be given for supplies expected by air that night. While she was visiting friends Germans surrounded the Maquis, post, but most of them managed to get away, one holding a Mills bomb for two seconds before throwing it among the Germans and escaping in the confusion. SUPPLIES DROPPED The Germans set fire to a farmhouse and Aide Richards, seeing the flames from a mile or so away, immediately got a boy of 16 and a girl of 17 and went to the spot where the planes were expected. There were six of them, but she knew she could not handle the supplies from all, so she let five pass, then signalled the sixth, which dropped supplies, all of which she saw were safely delivered. Another time she was carrying a transformer in a Joaf of bread when a German asked her to show her papers. She unhesitatingly asked him to hold the loaf while she took out her papers from a bag. The majority of the Maquis were very young, but became so well organized that in one pitched fight they lost only seven killed and 17 wounded, while accounting for 500 Germans. The otHer British major, who landed in Gotedazur, received a great wel-

come, the Maquis taking him to a village where everyone came to meet him and his party. A bottle of burgundy, which for long had been hidden away from the Germans in the garden, was dug up to celebrate the occasion. They moved about the countryside instructing youths in the use of weapons and sending an average of one wireless message to England daily. They had several available wave-lengths, including an emergency wave-length to which a post in England listened throughout 24 hours. They also listened in to' England at set times, receiving advice and instructions. The major, who had trained rigorously for hard living and tough fighting, found that the Maquis insisted that he and his party were so valuable that they must be guarded day and night and given more food than they ever had in England. GERMAN CRUELTY The Maquis specialized in ambushes, at which they excelled, and no mercy was shown either by them or by the Germans. Here, as elsewhere, the Germans were bestial in their cruelty. For instance, one man aged 50, who refused to give information, had his hands plunged into petrol and then set on fire. The Maquis, or F.F.1., are composed of many nationalities. In addition to French there are also Dutch, Poles, Chinese, Czechs, White Russians and Maltese. Some of their leaders were priests. They carried intelligence reports in their prayer books and a pistol in each pocket. Two priests, after assisting Maquis forces to link up, carried on with their services at a church next day as though nothing unusual had happened. The major finally worked in the Dijon area. He said the majority of the Maquis were ardent de Gaulleists, and as soon as there was no further need for their activity they joined the French Army. One group, for instance, supplied enough men for a battalion.

BOMBING OF RAIL CENTRES

Fortresses And Liberators

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 30. Rail centres at Munster, Hamm and Bielefeld in western Germany and an ordnance depot at Bielefeld were attacked by strong forces of Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the Bth Air Force, escorted by a strong force of Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Lightnings.

The bombing of the marshalling yards at Munster and Hamm was done through cloud by means of instruments. Some formations at Bielefeld were bombed visually through breaks in the clouds. A strong force of Halifaxes and Lancasters with a fighter cover. of Spitfires and Mustangs attacked synthetic oil plants in the Ruhr, at Bottrop and Sterkrade. One of our bombers is missing. Royal Air Force Mosquitoes attacked Karlsruhe last night, states the Air Ministry. Visibility was good and the bombing was well concentrated. Other aircraft laid mines in enemy waters. None of our aircraft is missing. A direct hit on the bridge of a heavily-laden ferryboat was scored by a Mosquito searching for movement in the Schedlt area, during the night. The aircraft was one of a small force of R.A.F. Mosquitoes which, despite bad weather, also strafed six barges against intense opposition from light flak positions,