FREE FRANCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 253, 23 September 1940, Page 2

FREE FRANCE

RALLYING OF COLONIES.

.WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT,

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 22. The following communique lias been issued from General d©< Gaulle’s general headquarters :—“The rallying to ‘free’ Trance of more and more colonies—the Chad Territory, the Cameroons, French Equatorial Africa, and French possessions in India and the-Pacific--corresponds throughout the whole world to the magnificent ment in favour of the ‘free’ French forces. This rallying has been carried out by the enthusiasm of the colonial people, who do not want the French Empire to be disintegrated, “This movement has manifested it self in several ways—first of all by the enlistment under the flag of France and the emblem of the Cross of Lorraine of Frenchmen of far-off countries who have placed themselves at the disposal of General de Gaulle after long and often hazardous journeys. “Some in particular have recently arrived from Morocco, from French West Africa, from South America, or from the Pacific. Latterly, a great number of them, whose ship had been set on fire by a bomb off the English coast, presented themselves as soon as they arrived at general headquarters dressed in borrowed clothes, ragged but resolute, and ready to serve immediately in the army, navy, or enforce of the ‘free French forces.’ CRUSADE FOR LIBERTY.

“This rallying has also manifested itself by the activities of- groups of free Frenchmen throughout the whole world—groups which have formed themselves spontaneously, and which, from the United States to Shanghai and from the Argentine Republic to Egypt, have answered General de Gaulle’s appeal and are trying to increase tlio movement of resistance which has already saved the honour of Frenchmen and which will assure the eventual freedom of their'country. “Thus upon the general headquarters of General de Gaulle there have been showered the most varied manifestations in favour of this crusade for liberty. This movement in favour of the eventual freedom of Franco and Europe has in a few weeks taken on such magnitude and obtained such results that Free France can already assure her allies of efficacious support in the coming fight. In Egypt in particular troops of the free French forces and French airmen have already taken part in the fight against the Italian forces.. The ‘free’ French forces grouped around General de Gaulle salute these fighters who, under the Tricolour, have taken up the struggle for the ultimate victory of tho Allies.” NEW CALEDONIA. The following message has been sent to General de Gaulle by M. Sautot, appointed by him High Commissioner for all the French possessions in the Pacific: “On this historic day when New Caledonia has rallied to free "France, an event which I proclaimed this afternoon to a crowd vibrating with enthusiasm and which had come from all the corners of the island, I have great joy in telling you of the feeling of confidence which the population of New Caledonia has and of its wish to take part in the war till fiinn.l victory at the side of its British allies.”