FRENCH GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1940, Page 3

FRENCH GENERAL

CAPTURED BY DISGUISED OFFICER. FIFTH COLUMN METHODS. The true story of the capture of General Giraud and the Headquarters Staff of the French Ninth Army near Sedan reveals another example of German ‘'fifth column" methods. General Giraud was taken from the French Seventh Army in the north to replace General Corap. commanding the Ninth Army opposing the Germans in the break-through at Sedan.

So scattered were the units forming the army, and so overrun was the country by German motorised forces that General Giraud made the journey to his new headquarters in a tank. He arrived safely and started to reorganise the army. A few days later a man in the uniform of a French officer, his appearance untidy and dishevelled, as though he had arrived after a hard journey, presented himself at the gates of the chateau forming the army’s headquarters and asked the sentry: "Is this the army headquarters of the Ninth Army?"

The sentry refused to answer and summoned the N'.C.O. in charge of the guard. To him the 'man repeated the question and was finally taken before a staff officer. He said he had come with an important message from the 20th Division, whose communications had been cut and again asked: “Am 1 at the headquarters of the French Ninth Army?" He was told, “Yes." Then, after giving a message asking for urgent reinforcements, he departed. ostensibly to return to his division. Within an hour. 12 German tanks appeared outside the chateau and the General and all his officers were captured after a brief resistance. It then became clear that the alleged officer was, in fact, a German in disguise who. speaking perfect French, had accepted and successfully carried out his desperate mission.