EXCITING SCENES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1940, Page 8

EXCITING SCENES

IN EQUATORIAL AFRICA

ADHESION TO FREE FRANCE HIGH OFFICIALS ARRESTED. ACTION BY GROUP OF OFFICERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day. 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, August 30. Ths Elisabethvllle and Leopoldville radio stations (in the Belgian Congo) narrated exciting events preceding the decision of French Equatorial Africa to join General de Gaulle’s Free French forces. A group of French officers went to the Governor-General’s residence at Brazzaville (French Equatorial Africa) on August 28 and exprssed to the general their disapproval of the colony’s official position of obedience to Vichy, emphatically announcing their intention to join General de Gaulle. The general and his staff did not resist, whereupon the officers marched into the room of the Governor-General, M. Husson, where he and the Administrator were conferring, and announced their decision, advising the two officials not to resist. M. Husson and the Administrator both expressed their loyalty' to Vichy, whereupon they were arrested, after a struggle. Other officers occupied all the official buildings, raised the flag of Free France and liberated officers previously imprisoned by M. Husson. Colonel de Larminat, now promoted to general, responding to a summons in the name of the entire population, crossed the River Congo and landed at Brazzaville on. the same afternoon. He was enthusiastically welcomed. M. Husson and the Administrator were taken to Leopoldville, where M. Husson explained: “Look at the way officers pretending to be men of honour have treated a French general.” The crowd answered: “Long live Free France!” whereupon M. Husson was led away by a Belgian officer.

Scenes of enthusiasm followed throughout the night, crowds expres-, sing their loyalty to England, Belgium and France. General de Larminat appealed to officers and others in other French African colonies to follow the example of French Congo.