LONG SILENCE BROKEN

Chronicle (Levin), 19 October 1949, Page 5

LONG SILENCE BROKEN

(N.Z.P.A

.. — Reuter.

Leopold Blames Britain For Belgian Surrender

Copyright)

rteceivea ruesaav, / p.m. LONDON, Oct. 18. Belgium's exiled King Leopold, to dav accused Britain of abandoning tluh fight against Germanv on the Continenl in 1940, without warning the Belgian command. Leopold, who is now living in Switzerland, broke a nine-vear selfimposed silence to give the first coni plete explanation of the Belgian Armv's capitulation to Germanv. In a detailed memorandum he gavo an account of the militar.v . openationa of May 1940 after the German invasion of the Lowlands and leading np to his capitulation as Belgian Army Com-mander-in-Chief on May 28. Leopold 's statement followed his weelt-end talks with the Belgiali Premier, M. Evskens, about the proposed plebiscite to decide whether the King should return to the throne. Leopold said it was the British who failed to inform the Belgian High Command of plans to abandon the fight.

"On the night of May 25 and 26, the British forces had already evacuaied their positions. The vacuum thus ereated on the Belgians' right, was unknown to the Belgian command despite the constant Vomings and goings of liaison officers. ' A continuation of the struggle eould only lead to chaos and massacre. " Leopold added that before giving up the struggle which had become impossilde, he tnok the last possible measure of protectiou in faVour of the AngloPrench armies. An emissary was sent to the Germans on May 27. The French nud British missions had been dulv warned. Leopold iusisted in the statement that the Allied plans after the German break-through, had always anticipated the risk nf haviug to leave the Belgians tranped iu uorthern Belgium. On May 30 he called Brifaiu's attention to "the grave risk entailed in a counteroff ensive. ' '