CROSSED BORDER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 121, 24 May 1941, Page 9

CROSSED BORDER

FRENCH COMMANDER

ARRIVAL IN TRANSJORDAN

VICHY DENOUNCED

LONDON, May 23

It is confirmed in Cairo that Colonel Collet, one of the most brilliant of the French commanders in Syria, has joined General de Gaulle's Free French forces. He crossed into Transjordania from Syria and is now on his way to Palestine, accompanied by a number of other Frenchmen. On his arrival in Transjordania he issued a manifesto denouncing the Vichy policy of supplying arms to Irak, and urging his army comrades in Syria not to surrender any territory under their care to the enemy.

The manifesto recalls the first resolve of all French soldiers to defend the Levant. "General Dentz, the Governor of Syria, made a solemn promise as soon as he arrived," the manifesto says, "and we were satisfied that he would stand by his decision. But on May 12, although attempts had been made to conceal what was going on, German aircraft landed on our aerodromes and took on supplies of petrol and munitions. EXPLANATION REJECTED. "Indignant at this, we were assured that it was only a question of forced landings—as if this great lie could appease our country. 'Honour forbids us to take any further action against our former Allies,' Marshal Petain said 'on May 7. Can it be that he forgets so easily, or attaches so little importance to honour?"

The official Vichy news agency admits that Colonel Collet has crossed into Transjordania from Syria, and says that raider the pretext of exercising, the colonel, who was commander of the tribal levies, made the troops under his command carry out a manoeuvre designed to draw them across the frontier to join with the British forces from Transjordania.