NAMES AND PLACES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 49, 31 May 1940, Page 2

NAMES AND PLACES

Louvain’s Fate Once again the shocking fate of Louvain has been repeated, This beautiful Belgian town, once enclosed in five miles of walls, was almost completely destroyed by the Germans in 1914. A most valuable library and the Weavers’ Hall, which dated from 1317, and had been incorporated in the University, were reduced to rubble by the German bombardment. Since the last war a new University library had been assembled and housed in the new building, which was completed in 1929. Many English and American universities contributed to the cost of both university and library. Among the historic buildings of Louvain was the town-house, a richlydecorated Gothic building dating from 1448; the Church of St. Peter, irreparably damaged in 1914, was famous for its rood-loft and paintings; and St. Gertrude’s Church, which was celebrated for its oak carvings. Only a few fragments remained of "Caesar's Castle," built after the conquest of King Arnulf in 891. Louvain is also celebrated for its medical school and for the manufacture of its lace and chemicals. Once Impregnable Wedged in the corner of the German, Belgian and French frontiers Luxembourg was easily overwhelmed ‘again by the invading Germans, just as it was in 1914. At the beginning of the 19th century, however, this little grandduchy, one of the smallest countries in the world, would have put up a stout defence, for the town of Luxemburg itself was considered then to be the strongest fortress in the world, with the exception of Gibraltar. The town itself Stands on a rocky platform and is conmected with the neighbouring country only ‘in the west; everywhere else a valley 200 feet deep surrounds it. Spaniards, Dutch, Austrians and French have each held Luxembourg and fortified it, but in 1867 the fortifications were demolished when the duchy was made a separate state under the Treaty of London. The people are of Low German stock. Link With New Zealand _ Admiral Sir Dudley North, K.C.V.O., C.B., C.S.L, C.M.G., C.V.O,, who succeeds Admiral Sir Charles Forbes as commander of the British Home Fleet, visited New Zealand on the staff of the Duke of Windsor when he came here as Prince of Wales. Another link with the Dominion is that he commanded H.M.S, New Zealand during the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1915 and Jutland in 4916, Earlier in the last war he was in the same ship in the Battle of Heligoland, Admiral North has had long experience in naval organisation and command. After serving in several ships of the line he became Director of

Operations Division, Admiralty Naval Staff from 1930 to 1932 and from that post he became Chief of Staff of the Home Fleet until 1933. He has commanded H.M, yacht since 1934 and has toured with the Duke of Windsor (then Prince of Wales) to Canada, India, Japan, Africa and South America, as well as New Zealand and Australia. His first wife was a Sydney girl, His brother, Brigadier Harold

North, D.S.0., was Chief Engineer of the Eastern Command of the British Army from 1933 to 1937. Memories of Sedan Sedan, round which the battle raged a fortnight. ago, is a town of bitter memories for the French, and one of the several fortresses guarding the northern French frontier. It stands on the banks of the River Meuse, midway between the big railway junction of Rheims and the border of Luxembourg. In 1815 Sedan capitulated to the Germans and later, in 1870, Napoleon III. surrendered his army of 83,000 men, with all their baggage and war materials to the German forces, and ended the Franco-German war. The fortresses were dismantled in 1875, but have since been

rebuilt and strengthened. Two great French generals, Turenne and Macdonald, were born in Sedan. For many years this town has been famous for its woven materials, the factories for which were first established there by Colbert in Louis XIV.’s reign. Sedan gives its name to the Sedan Chair, first used in England by the Duke of Buckingham in the reign of James I. Into the Fight Again Widely known among men on Public Works, for he was a Public Works man

himself, and also well known to the denizens of the Government Life Building where, for the past 18 months he has been employed as one of the custodians, Bert Watson has enlisted to fight for a second time. He was a soldier for four and a half years of the last war, in the Ulster Division of the Royal Irish Rifles; when he first made application to take a hand in his second war, he was rejected, but on his second application, accepted. The staff of the National Provident Fund and _ the Friendly Societies Department, hearing he was going into camp, clubbed together and gave him a presentation, a red leather money belt. The presentation was made by the Superintendent of the Department.