AUSTRALIANS IN FRANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 199, 22 August 1929, Page 3

AUSTRALIANS IN FRANCE

BEHAVIOUR OF A MAYOR ALLEGED DISCOURTESY The Australian war pilgrims lately in France decided, according to a cable message lately received in Sydney, to confer with the High Commissioner for Australia, Sir Granville Ryrie, with the object of emphatically protesting against the discourtesy of the Mayor of Villers-Bretonneaux, Australia’s adopted city. It appears that, during the pilgrims’ visit -to the Somme area, Captain Oswald endeavoured to make an appointment with the Mayor to visit the cemetery near the town, but the Mayor hung up the receiver while Captain Oswald was speaking. Captain Vurphy, of the War Graves Commission, also failed to make an appointment after two attempts.

Finally the Mayor declared that it would be more practical if, instead of presenting a wreath, which had been sent by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, the pilgrims sent money. However, a deputation from the party made a detour from the Australian cemetery to the Mayor’s house, where they were coldly received. The pilgrims intended to request Sir Granville Ryrie to protest officially on behalf of the Australian ex-servicemen.

The Consul-General for France in Australia, M. expressed incredulity regarding the cabled report. It was unbelievable, he said, that the incident was due to ill-feeling. There had always been an excellent feeling between the ‘ 4 diggers the French peasants, who appreciated to the full th e efforts of the Australians in the war. Possibly the Mayor did not understand English properly, or the pilgrims did not fully understand the French language. It seemed to him that the incident could not have been regarded as very serious, because no action was being taken by the pilgrims. The position of Mayor of Villers-Bretonneaux was not a very important one. If action, such as had been reported, had been taken by the Mayor of Rouen or the Mayor of Paris it would have to be regarded seriously.