Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-11-13

equipment OF troops, ana even ar
ranged that two air fields outside
Algiers be delivered over 10 the
American Air force the moment
landings began
1T was every bit another
message 10 Garcia exploit"
General Eisenhower said.
CLARK and his men volun-
teered for the job, gieefully.
and they went there and risked
their lives many times. They
accomplished the job completely,
got military and political in
formation regarding the lineup
OF Frenchmen and friends IN
high position, and passed in
\ formation on our plans to them
so they could know what was 10
be done.
CREDITED WITH VICTORY
They came back with so
much that the success Of this
campaign must he attributed to
this valuable assistance"
Clarks group included Brig.
Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer of
HoneSdale, Pa; Col. Archelaus L.
Hamblem of Maine; Col. Julius c.
Holmes Of Washington, d. c.;
Capt. Jerauld Wright. USN. Wash
Iington, and British Commando
Captains c. j. Courtney. r. T.
LIVINGSTONE and 1t. J. d. Foot.
lin Washington. the war de-
partment disclosed that Clark's
secret conference in North Africa
was held with representatives of
Gen. Henri Giraud, the famous
French military leader who had
escaped from Germany, United
Press said.
Gin this conference, Clark
open d negotiations which
brought about the collabora ton
Of Giraud with the United Ma
tions," the war department said.)
They left London in the dead of
night in an automobile whose win
dows were shielded.
Dressed in civilian clothes, they
went first 10 Scotland in a BACKED
out train. then took a plane before
transferring 10 ships. motor
launch and submarine at sea.
They lost all their clothing dur
ing one transfer and had to drape
themselves in window curtains.
They dropped 10000 gold
francs. carried in case brides
should be needed, into the sea. and
on one occasion. nearly drowned.
CLARK TELLS STORY
General Clark. who shares an
office with Eisenhower, took up
the story.
"A few weeks ago." he said,
"some sources In Africa sensed
that something was coming and
suggested a conference with an
American general In Algiers for
negotiation.
"Our war department received
the offer favorably, and / was
picked.
II used planes, trains. ships,
subma rines, canoes and autOmo-
biles-everything but mules"
How Clark and his party got to
Algiers is a military secret. but. at
one point in their journey. they
were aided by a sort of Paul Re-
we're technique.
Somewhere along the coast, they
were instructed 10 look for a light
shining from a window of an iso-
lated house. II was there that they
were scheduled to confer with
French military and civil leaders
a conference which almost ended
in capture.
LIGHT FAILED
When they arrived, the light
wasn't there.
The members Of the party
thought they had been led into a
trap. For more than "a hours
they waited subsisting only on
the food they had brought with
them.
Finally. late one night. a light
pierced the darkness from the
proper direction. toward which the
party had its eyes glued for SEEM
ingly endless hours.
In broken English and broken
French. the members of the party
and the occupants of the house ex-
changed greetings, passwords and
credentials.
The owner told them how he had
sent his wife away for vacation
and then got rid of the servants
by telling them they would not be
needed.
Suspicious, some Of the servants
and IL was this which
almost proved Clark's undoing.
when we arrived at the
house." Clark said, eft was filled
with French military officers In
uniform, although they too had
m d . the journey In civilian
clothes.
I'VE conferred all day and
night until we had gathered all
the information we wanted.
SERVANTS SUSPICIOUS
meanwhile, Arab servants
had become suspicious. They
went 10 the Axis-controlled
Nichy police and reported that
a conference Of French and
American officers was under
way.
Then, we heard the police
uere an rOute neyer Sau such
excitement In my life. Maps dis