CHOICE OF FRENCHMEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 211, 11 September 1940, Page 7

CHOICE OF FRENCHMEN

CHAD COLONY'S EXAMPLE POSITION OF SYRIA Lying deep in the heart of equatorial Africa, the French, colony of Chad decided to join the forces of General de Gaulle in continuing the war against the Germans, and this example has since been followed by the French Cameroons and French Equatorial Africa. Perhaps more important still. General de Gaulle has hinted that there may be new chapters to add to the story of the French colonial empire's part in the war. What part Chad may be called upon to play remains to be seen. It has potential strategical importance because of its position as n link between Egypt and the Sudan on the one hand and Nigeria on the other. Value of Example. Yet if General de Gaulle has solid reasons for his statements that the example of Chad may be followed by other parts of the French Bin-* pire, it is that very example, the courageous decision. Of. a cluster of French officials in one of the remote corners of the world,, that may be the most important aspect of the new development. For when the armistice with Germany was signed a terrible dilemma faced the governors and military commanders in the French colonies. In their own hearts, to judge by the declarations which most of them made in favour of fighting on, they wished to continus the struggle. Yet in the end mosit of them were unwilling to defy their Government.

A General's Dilemma. The experience of General Mittelhauser is probably typical. After leading the French troops in the illstarred expedition to Norway, he went to Syria to take from the hands of Weygand the reins that general relinquished when summoned to try to repair the military fortunes of the motherland. When the end came in France Mit telhauser proclaimed that he would fight on. Soon he was torn between what he felt to be his duty, and loyalty to his lifelong friend, Weygand. General Mittlehauser resigned his command of the French army in Syria soon after a personal let'|r from Weygand, carried by special aeroplane, decided him after all to obey the Petain Government. Colonel de l'Arminat. But his sympathies were shown by the manner in which he handled his chief" of staff, Colonel de l'Arminat, Avho disagreed witli him stubbornly and refused to submit to Petain. tn accordance with military discipline, the colonel was put under arrest, but this arrest was so lax that it was easy for him to slip away to Palestine, whence he went to Egypt to , join up with General Wavell, commander of the British Army in the Middle East. . ' Also, when Mittelliauser announced his ad,herence to the Petain Government, he informed his unit commanders that if they or their men wished to cross into Palestine they could do so. Thousands of Frencli troops, with their officers and equip ment, made for the frontier, which, according to a Cairo journalist, they intended to cross at night. Genera] Mittelliauser told them it was unnecessary for them to cross at nighl and that, since their departure was no secret, it could be made in broad daynight. In the upshot this leniency on the part of the general was his undoing, because German and Italian pressure on the Petain Government not to allow French units to cross into Palestine. He received these instructions on the morning when the troops on the border had already begun to cross, whereupon he ordered them back. Nevertheless, some units managed to enter Palestine. With the exception of a few units which desired to be demobilised and sent back to France, the bulk of the French army in Syria, including all colonial troops, such as Senegalese and Moroccans and 11 battalions of the Foreign Legion, were clamouring to cross to Palestine to join the British forces. However, the staunch Colonel de l'Arminat has been heard of again. He recently arrived in Etngland to confer with General de Gaulle, and now, as announced a few days ago, has left for an unnamed destination on a mission on behalf of General de Gaulle.