RHINELAND EVACUATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 287, 3 December 1929, Page 7

RHINELAND EVACUATION

FRENCH SOLDIERS DEPART . GERMAN CHUBCH BELLS PEAL [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] COLOGNE, Nov. 30. The twelve yard tricolour, which had flown at Ehrenbreitstein, near Coblenz, since the Americans handed over the district to the French in 1922, was slowly run down at mid-day, amid the strains of the Marseillaise, heralding the end of the French occupation of the second zone. Within a few minuses every French soldier had departed. There were similar scenes at Aix-la-Chapelle, whence the Belgians depart ed. The Germans have prepared numerous official festivities in celebration of the evacuation, for which excursions are being run from all parts of Germany. The demonstrations will begin at midnight, the church bells pealing after three minutes’ silence. There will be torchlight processions in the towns, and the banks of the Rhine will also be illuminated . Special thanksgiving services will be held to-morrow. The burgomasters, in view of the economic position, have asked the inhabitants not to participate in ostentatious and expensive celebrations. REMOVAL OF BRITISH TROOPS [ British Official Wireless ] RUGBY, Nov. 29. The final stage of the withdrawal of the British troops front Rhineland begins to-day and units and detachments of the Royal Army Service Corps and details will reach their allotted stations at Home to-day and to-morrow. The evacuation will be completed early ia December. BONFIRES ABLAZE GERMAN DEAD REMEMBERED Received Dec. 2, 9 p.m. MARSEILLES, Dec. 2. A message from Coblence states that night-long celebrations marked t%e completion of the French evacuation of the second Rhineland zone. Special trains brought visitors from all over west Germany and bonfires were lighted on the river heights. An impressive feature was a three-minutes silence in the midst of the festivities in memory of the German dead.