CALL ON FRENCHMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1941, Page 5

CALL ON FRENCHMEN

TO RISE AGAINST BOCHE & TRAITORS DECLARATIONS BY DE GAULLE & WAVELL. PUBLIC FEELING STIRRED IN BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 8. Public feeling has been greatly stirred by the news of the entry of the British and Free French troops into Syria. The dignity of the tone of a declaration issued by General de Gaulle is praised, and a statement by Mr Menzies that “much as Australians feel for the oppressed people of France, we could not allow the German invaI ders to hide behind the skirts of Vichy ' neutrality as expressed by Admiral Darlan and M. Laval,” is applauded. General de Gaulle has issued the following order of the day:—“French officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Levant, now is the time to resume the fight for the liberation of France. I have appointed General Catroux my representative and commander-in-chief of the Free French forces in the Levant. You must obey his orders. This time it is ‘On les aura’ (‘We shall get them’), and France will win.” GENERAL WAVELL’S MESSAGE. At the same time General Wavell issued the following stirring message in French to the troops in Syria: “Frenchmen! Soldiers! Comrades of yesterday’s fighting and associates in victory of tomorrow! We have orders to penetrate this territory which you are guarding. This is the only means of saving it from German domination. “The Boches occupy two-thirds of France and control the rest. They have now commenced the conquest of your colonies. Syria and Lebanon are the first stage in this attempt to take possession of those colonies which is taking place under your eyes. “We come not as enemies, but to your aid against our common adversary. Far from resisting us, give us your help against the mortal enemy of your people. “We have come in considerable force. Any resistance on your part would be vain. We know you would fight like i heroes, but hopelessly. We have learned, in fighting side by side, what ' honour means to a French soldier. Far 1 be it for us to think of tarnishing that ; honour. ‘ “Believe us,” continued General i Wavell’s message, “it is not the honour 1 of France, it is not your honour as soldiers that you would defend in 1 fighting against us to the end. You < would only defend this territory in the < interests of the enemy. The real way 1 to honour is to rally round us and re- i sume the fight against the enemy, s Come and hasten his defeat. 1

“From those who cannot fight in our ranks we ask only one thing; that they should not hinder us in this fight, which is also theirs. We preserve memories of the victory obtained together against the same Boches 20 years ago. We are going to beat them a second time. We should like this to be with your help and to bo side by side without* comrades of the lastl war and not against you.” General de Gaulle’s headquarters in London today stated: “It is to Admiral Darlan and his policy of gradually giving away the French empire to Germany and collaborating in a military sense with the enemy that must be ascribed the responsibility for any fighting that may occur in Syria.”

FRENCH FLEET ORDERS TO SHIPS AT TOULON. READY TO SAIL AT SHORT NOTICE. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) BERNE, June 9. Several units of the French fleet stationed at Toulon have been ordered to be ready to sail at a moment’s notice. FRENCH REPORT LANDING ON THE COAST OF LEBANON. NO BRITISH CONFIRMATION. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, June 9. The Admiralty states that there is no confirmation of the report from French sources that the British have landed troops on the coast of Lebanon and that they have been taken prisoners. '