French Mission,

Levin Daily Chronicle, 14 September 1918, Page 3

French Mission,

TO VISIT AUCKLAND. Auckland is shortly to be visited by General Pau, head of the French Mission. to Australia, advice to that effect having been received by M. Leon Hippeau., Consul for France. The mission, it will be remembered, was headed by M. Metin, formerly Minister of Labour', in Franco, who was well known in Aus- 1 tralia. The latter, howeveir, died at Vancouver, and General Pau became the head of the mission. General Pau has seen a great deal of service, not only in the present war, but in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Only a boy at that time, he was badly wounded j three times at the battle of Woerth, and lost his right hand. Heading that Bourbaki was organising an army to fight on after France was defeated, though his arm was barely healed, he insisted on rejoining the lighting with this army on the Swiss frontier. When Bourbaki's army was forced into Switzerland Pau refused to cross the .border, and with a party of his men made his | way by night through the German lines back to Franeei His service during the next 40 years was principally with the I French colonies, and finally he was ap- j pointed to a position oh the Superior War Council of France. It was General Pau who realised the danger and menace of the steadily increasing German armies and insisted on the law of three years' service in the French army. In spite of the unpopularity of the measure he insisted that it was nceessary, and the, law was passed. The result was -the savitlg of France. The general had retired at the outbreak of war, but was asked to rejoin the army, and was instrumental in. driving back the Germans in Alsace. Subsequently he brought the Belgian army down from Antwerp to the French border. Latterly h-e has •been tm important missions to Switzerland and Russia.