The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1942-09-10

l was the hrSt American CORE
spondent to reach Madagascar after
its capture, having travelled from
Cairo 1000 miles in seven days by
plane, train and warship. l was
especially eager to be there, because
for two years Madagascar had been
a gigantic question mark. There
had been whispered rumors of
alarming things like Axis raiders U.s.
ing bases there, strong new arma-
ments, a Japanese military mission.
I wanted to find out which was
truth and which was myth.
Now I've talked to attacking Brit
ish and defending French, to civil
ians, natives and imprisoned De-
Gaullists. And now I a tell you
what's been happening on the fourth
greatest island in the world.
Although the rumored Japanese
military mission eve materialized,
plenty of evidence was turned up
to show hal the Japanese were, in
fact, the n great peril to the is
land. Just after the British took pos
session, a native chief reported the
presence of a pair of Japs. They
were tracked down and cornered, re-
sisted capture, and were killed. Pa
pers on the bodies showed that both
we're officers of the Japanese navy.
japanese Attack.
Three days later came ever bet
ter proof that the island was within
reach of the enemy, when a Japa-
nese submarine entered the harbor
of Diego-Suarez-which is, inciden-
tally, one of the finest in the world
and attacked British Warships there.
In the harbor the British found
two Italian ships and n German
vessel. But they were unarmed mer-
chantmen who had fed there from
Mogadiscio when the British took
Italian Somaliland more than a year
ago..
The Germans had given the
French no trouble. They came
ashore only to buy provisions, and
were always very correct" The
Italians weren't so wise. They had
been strutting about like conquerors,
for had not their mighty Duce de-
feated France almost singlehanded?
This proved a diplomatic error. A
group of French sailors looked at
one another, spat on their hands,
and went into action. each choosing
his man. When the fight finished,
five Italians we're in the hospital,
where one died.
When the British attacked, both
the Germans and Italians offered to
help the defenders, but the French
coolly refused. In accepted Axis
fashion, the Italians promptly scut-
tied both their ships. The Germans
tried to, but their ship was in dry
dock and sank only a few feet. To
finish her off, the Germans put three
time bombs inside, but the British
arrived too quickly and sen the
r back aboard. The perspiring
Germans hastily got rid of the
bombs.
The British attack was a COM
plete surprise. On the eve of the
assault, when the British fleet was
closing in almost within eyesight,
the unsuspecting French watched a
football game between a submarine
and a sporting club.
The action vas one of the best
planned and best executed of the en-
tire war. The British came in by
the back door-a series of beaches
and bays across an island 20 miles
away. One such bay was covered
by large French guns whose crews
had received written orders saying
mo night time firing, because it is
impossible for anyone to enter the
bay in the dark"
Shoals, reefs and mine fields guard
ed the bay, yet the British used suck
superb navigation, and swept the
mines so silently, that when dawn
broke, the ships lay in the bay, with
most of their forces already ashore.
A body of Commands crept up
TO the great coastal guns and cap
tured them without firing a shot.
Also at dawn, British planes
dropped pamphlets on a French air
drome ordering the French to mass
in the center Of the field if they
wished to surrender. A Scottish
colonel led a bayonet charge. armed
only with a walking stick. While the
French were occupied with the back,
door attack. a single destroyer made
a daring dash into the front door ano
landed marines on the town wharf
This diversion fastened the French
collapse.
The French fought stubbornly, bu,
they were hopelessly outnumbered in
men and material, and it was all
V e within a hundred hours. The
defenders received generous treat,
ment and all the honors of war.
Fully armed and with flags flying,
they marched past the British com,
manders and stacked their arms.
The British occupation proceeded
smoothly. Most French officers were
quickly released on parole, which
none violated. British officers at
tended a High Mass for the French
dead and the next dav the Erepct