ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1940, Page 8

ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

By Telegraph—Press Association.

LADY WILFORD'S STORY U-BOAT ATTACKS SHIP

Auckland, J-.ast iNignt._ By a grubby collier on which six fifth columnists aimed to do their utmost for the enemy and by a troopship, Lady Wilford, widow of , the late Sir Thomas Wilford, former High Commissioner for New Zealand at London, managed to escape from southern France a few days before the German invasion and has now arrived at Auckland. Advised 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. Lost Touch With Convoy. Developing engine trouble the collier put into Port Vendres and thus lost the convoy. After leaving Port Vendres the collier was attacked by a submarine which had received torch sigiials from six fifth columnists on board, and _ it was only througn the captam'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 was 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 passengers were transferred to a troopship which with 1400 civilians and 450 troops arrived safely in England. , _ An Englishwoman who also fled from southern France said five or six Italian planes harassed them on the road from Venice to Cannes.