GETTING OUT OF FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2271, 3 October 1914, Page 7

GETTING OUT OF FRANCE

THE WAR-TIME RUSH

YOUNG AUSTRALIAN'S EXCITING

ADVENTURES

Tie following oxtraote from ■ tetters received by relatives in Australia from members of- a family party of young Australians who wero travelling in France when war was declared, were published in tho Sydney "Sun": "On hearing how serious things were fre decided on August 1 to leave Versailles and to go by tho 6 o'clock train to inns next morning, thence homo We wero all ready to leave at 6 o'clock but could not find a cab anywhere to take our boxes to the station, so one or the boarders went out and managed to secure a butchor's cart, for which he charged seven feancs. When we got to Paris our troubles began, for the station was packed with a ninss'of pooplo, all struggling to get away. We managed to procure tickets, and Kenneth went off to book the luggage, but was told that no luggage, undor any consideration, was to be taken. People wore all clamouring about it, but that had no effect, and nearly everyone simply had to leave their things behind. In many cases people lost their motor-cars, which were seized by the Government. "The only persons we knew was a clergyman. So Kenneth had to go to the church and wait until tho service was over. The clergyman said he could [lot take the' luggage as he was leaving homo, but ho could loavo it in the vei* try. if we carod to risk. it.. Arrested as a Spy. "So off Kenneth went, but outside took out his pocket-book and wrote down the namo of the street. Instantly a hand was on his wrist. He was arrested as a German spy I He was marched olong to the police station. \VJion Jie got there no one knew English. So he was marched off again ifl nnd a man who knew English and recognised it. Kenneth was overwhelmed with apologies and taken off by threo of thorn for a drink,-and they shouted "Viva la France" and "Vive 1 Angleterro " "Meanwhile when we others got to the platform where the train was, we tcund it already packed and hundreds of people on the .station who couldn't get in. The block" was bo awful 1* we became overcome with exhaustion and sat down on our handbaes, toa weary to fight. b "At this moment a , man came up. asked if we were alone, and were goina by the train. We replied ,"Yes, but it is too full." He instantly took all our bags and said, "You must go by this." Ho took us to a carriage and" bundled us in, amidst protestations. Wo were the last to get in. People screamed and fought' to get in, and had to be dragged away. The man disappeared? quickly as he came. "When we go£ on board ship after standing two hours on the wharf amidst scenes of people fainting and being' injured, minus hats, etc., we were without a penny for food, as wo had been unable to cash our cheques. Her© a girl about 19 came up, asked if we were alone, and said she was, and wanted to be with someone. She Jiad to leave her school in Paris and rush home. She, lent us money, and waited on us all hand and foot, as we were dead beat. ■ . '"A* ] as *i rfter beiag nearly squeezed to death, we arrived in Victoria Station at 1.30 a.m. The station was packed ■with refugees wheeling their own W"s about and trying to get taxis, of which offered L to tako us if wo had a home to go .to. Most of the.people had to sleep on the station. He said they had been driving round London with people who only had French money, and all the hotels were full.

At 2 o'clock we reached home, whitefaced • and speechless—the girl with us. Her home was in Yorkshire, and her father had gone off with his regiment. Father.took her home next day. A State of War. "War was declared with ' Germany, last night, and by now troops are in Belgium It is awful to be in a country in a state of war. Loudon is silent. All the- motors and horses are gone and scarcely any 'buses are -funking. We aro begged to' be economical 'witk fcod, in which case, even if food supplies stop, wo have ■ enough for six months. "Mr. Shelkhear,. a .well-known. Sydney man and now chief inspecting engineer for New South Wales in London, was in Germany when war wae declared. He was in Hamburg, and had, t<) get to Motz. The line was fortified all along, and whea he got to Metz afc last, at 7 p.m., he was not allowed to cross tile frontier. Another gentleman, a captain in the English Army, was with him. 'They did not know what on earth to do, and were afraid they, might be kept there. However, the only thing was to go back to Cologne and cut across to Belgium. It took ten. hours to got to Cologne, and then on to a small village in Belgium, where they had to walk a mile to another train. "There were about 400 people walk; ing to it with their luggage. Mr. Shellshear ran to secure a carriage for himself and friend, and they were hardly seated when, without any warning, the train moved > off, waiting for. no one, all tho people except Mr. Sholl3hear and one or two others being left behind. They were afraid of the train being seized by Germans. ; "The boat ho came across in was crowded with refugees. The state of. chaos and confusion was unthinkable—. niens , hearts failing theni for fear, soldiers everywhere, women weeping l , men calling out news in the streets, and .business almost paralysed. "Nearly overyono's bag was searched when leaving Germany. Fortunately Mr. Shellshear's was missecl. Had it been searched ho would have in all probability been shot instantly as a spy, iov in his bag were tiorman plans o5 ho had procured io further eomo engineering improvements, not military. But ho would not have been believed. , '