VERY GRAVE EVENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 May 1940, Page 5

VERY GRAVE EVENT

M. REYNAUD’S ANNOUNCEMENT ' Road to Dunkirk Opened to Enemy Divisions FRENCH AND BRITISH ARMIES ALONE OPPOSING ENEMY DECLARATION OF UNSHAKEN RESOLVE (By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright.) LONDON, May 28. THE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, M. REYNAUD, IN A BROADCAST THJvS MORNING FROM PARIS, TOLD THE FRENCH PEOPLE THAT A VERY GRAVE EVENT HAD HAPPENED DURING LAST NIGHT. THE KING OF THE BELGIANS HAD LAID DOWN ARMS, AND FRANCE COULD NO LONGER RELY ON THE HELP OF BELGIUM. ‘ ‘ The Belgian Army have laid down their arms by the order of their King,” M. Reynaud said. ‘‘The same king - who appealed to the Allies to come to his help, the same king who last year refused staff talks with the Allies, the same king - who till May 10 professed equal faith in the word of Germany as in the word of the Allies—this same king, without a word of gratitude or admiration for the Allied soldiers, has now handed over the Belgian Army to the invader. ‘‘Since 4- o’clock this morning the French and British Armies alone are opposing the enemy. • ‘ ‘ Our armies have been divided into two groups, ’ ’ M. Reynaud continued, ‘‘The French army is fighting on the Somme. The other group consisted of the Belgian army, the British Expeditionary Force and some French divisions under the command of General Blanchard. Without consideration, without a word to the French or British soldiers, King Leopold has given up the fight. This is an event unprecedented in history. ‘‘The Belgian Government has informed me that the kingtook the decision against the unanimous advice of his Ministers. His decision was.taken in strict contradiction to the feeling of his country and of his soldiers, ■ who had been fighting magnificently. ’ ’

M. Reynaud, describing the position in the north .before the Belgian capitulation, said that the group of three Allied armies was provisioned through tbe port of Dunkirk. The British and French armies defended Dunkirk in the south and west and the Belgian army defended it in the north. ‘‘Now the Belgian army, under the order of its king, has suddenly and unconditionally capitulated in the midst of the battle, opening the road to Dunkirk to the German divisions,” M. Reynaud said.

HE CONCLUDED FERVENTLY: “MISFORTUNE HAS EVER MADE FRANCE GREATER. ON THE NEW LINE WHICH OUR GREAT LEADER, GENERAL WEYGAND, IN ACCORD WITH MARSHAL PETAIN, HAS ESTABLISHED ON THE SOMME AND AISNE RIVERS WE SHALL HOLD OUT AND CONQUER.” HE ADDED THAT THE FRENCH WERE HOLDING SUCCESSFULLY THE LINES ON THE SOMME AND AISNE AND ALSO THE MAGINOT LINE.

M. Reynaud made his statement in under five minutes. He paid a tribute to the ‘‘young - French generals who are just succeeding - their seniors and who already have covered themselves with glory.” The Belgian Premier, M. Pierlot, will broadcast from Paris at 12.30 p.m.