ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24408, 20 September 1940, Page 6

ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

ATTACK BY SUBMARINE LADY WILFOIUTS EXPERIENCES (PEa United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept. 19. Lady Wilford, widow of Sir Thomas Wilford, former High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, managed to escape from Southern France a few days before the German invasion, and, has now arrived at Auckland. In the course of her journey to ; safety she travelled on a grubby collier, on which six Fifth Columnists aimed to do their utmost for the enemy, and later on a troopship. Lady Wilford was advised by the British Consul at Cannes on June 17 to leave within 12'hours, and, with 700 evacuees, she left the following day for Gibraltar in a small collier. Th” collier developed engine trouble and put into Port Vendres. thus losing the convoy After leaving Port Vendres, the collier was attacked by a submarine, which had received torch signals from the six Fifth Columnists on board, and it was only through the captain’s skill that they were saved from a torpedo and from shells, which fell wide. When the collier’s gun was manned, the submarine dived and was seen no more. The desperate 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 Englishwoman who also fled from Southern France, said that five of six Italian planes which harassed them on the way, from Venice »o Cannes were shot down. Lady Wilford said she was very glad to be back in New Zealand. She left by the limited .express, for Wellington. •