ESCAPE FROM FRANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 251, 20 September 1940, Page 6

ESCAPE FROM FRANCE.

LADY WILFORD’S EXPERIENCE

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Sept. 19. By a grubby collier, oil which six Fifth Columnists aimed to do their utmost for the enemy, and by troopship, Lady Wilford, widow of the late Sir Thomas Wilford, former High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, managed to escape from southern France a few clays before the German invasion, and has now arrived at Auckland.

Adyised by the British Consul at Cannes on June 17 to leave within 12 hours, Lady Wilford, with 700 evacuees, left the following day for Gibraltar in a small collier.

Developing engine trouble, the collier put into Port Vendres, and thus lost the convoy. After leaving Port Vendres, tho collier was attacked by a submarine, which had received torch signals from six Fifth Columnists on board. And it was only through the captain’s skill that they were saved from a torpedo which missed and shells, which fell wide. When the collier’s gun was manned the submarine dived and wag seen no more.

Desperate, the six enemy agents then attempted to seize the ship, but were overpowered and placed in irons. Lady Wilford was in the aft hold during the trouble. On reaching Gibraltar, the evacuees were transferred to a troopship, which, with 1400 evacuees and 450 troops, arrived safely at England. An English woman, who also fled from southern France, said five or six Italian planes which harassed them on the road to Cannes were shot down.

Lady Wilford said 6he was very glad to be back in New Zealand.