FRENCH POWER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19990, 15 July 1939, Page 5

FRENCH POWER

PARADE IN PARIS ENTHUSIASM OF CROWDS FEVER OF PATRIOTISM UNITY WITH BRITAIN IMAGINATION CAPTURED

(Eloc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. July 15, 10 a.m.) PARIS, July 14.

A million spectators in the Champs Elysees alone, thousands of whom slept on the pavements all night long, witnessed the July 14 military parade, which captured the popular imagination more than any similar display since the war victory march.

The President, M. Lebrun, took the salute in a three-hour march by a 10-mile column-of 1 30,000 troops, and 15,000 cavalry, and 1.000 tanks, armoured cars, and mechanised artillery.

Tlie city was lavishly decorated with British and French colours. Wild enthusiasm was caused by the arrival overnight of a large detachment of British Brigade of Guards and Royal naval units. They had an honoured place at the head of the column, while the crowd went mad with delight.

M. Lebrun was surrounded on the dais by M. Daladier, the Sultan of Morocco, members of the Cabinet, members of tlie French staff, the British War Minister, Mr. L. HoreBelisha, Mr. Winston Churchill, Viscount Gort, Sir Cyril Newell, Admiral Sir Edward Evans, and the attaches of nearly every nation in the world, including the axis Powers.

Before the march, 52 of Britain’s fastest fighters and bombers flew over, failing to drown the roar of cheering. Three-hundred-and-fifty French warplanes followed.

Paris was gripped in a fever of patriotism, hailing the presence of the British as symbolic and AngloFrench unity and renewed strength. Tlie sight of British guardsmen at the head of the parade proved too much for thousands of those present. They broke the cordons and held up the march lor 20 minutes, shouting "Long live England,” and “God bless our friends.” The Guardsmen’ were forced to hold their rifles above their heads 'to avoid injuring the frantically emotional men and women.

M. Lebrun cabled King George praising the “magnificent appearance” of the British participants in tiie parade.