Evening star., 1943-10-18
Focke-WuIfs Strafe
Mourners al Funeral
In Corsican Cemetery
Bv THOMAS r. HENRY,

WITH FRENCH ARMY OF LIB
GRAFTON, Bastia, Corsica, Oct.
by Aerial Courier 1T was the
strangest funeral I ever saw when
the villagers of st. Florent laid the
mangled body of 1t. Coufran of the
18th goumier regiment among the
graves OF their fathers in the cy-
preSs-shaded cemetery overlooking
a lake in a bowl of cloud-capped
mountains.
All morning we had watched the
wounded and dying from Teghime
Pass, Is miles away unloaded from
Italian trucks before the field hos
pital set up by the French Army
in the village square. They were
al "goumiers," their savage faces
cXpreSsionless in their agony, eX-
Cept for this one French officer, a
short. blonde Alsacian. He died a
few minutes later.
It was the first opportunity for
the people Of st. Florent. only three
days liberated from German occu-
patton, to express their appre-
citation TO their liberators All
the others who had died there were
worshipperS of alien gods who had
breathed their last in anticipation
of another sort OF paradise than was
pictured in the simple faith of these
Corsican farmers.
Entire Village Turned Out
The entire village gathered that
hot Sunday afternoon before the
field hospital. In charge OF the
ceremony was the black-robed vii
lage priest. Assisting him was an
Italian Army chaplain, white lace
Surplice over his uniform. an off,
Ger Of what had been few days
ago an enemy army There were
also two brOWn-rObed Italian Fran
ciscans who had accompanied the
troops Of the late enemy.
Gathered about the entrance were
members Of the Societe des Anciens
CombattantS, the French equivalent
Of the American Legion, worthy and
substantial villagers in their late
40S, and choir of st. Florent
women. The body Of 1t. Coufran
in a crude beard coffin was carried
out Of the field station. covered
with the French tri-cClor, by six
Of the g0umierS he had led in bat
tie, wearing their yellow "musheas,"
or turbans, and the red, white and
black striped 'jclabas," which look
like dirty bathvCbee.
Villagers Formed Escort.
The 10U" priests III the lead. the
villagers formed an escort for the
coffin up narrow lane to the
church, where it was carried up
the aisle b. the goums and set
down before the altar beneath
statue of armored Jeanne dare. The
requiem mass began with the
strange spectacle OF the six eou-
mlers, three on each side of the
coffin. holding six great lighted
candles.
With the solemn chanting
"Rcquium actcrnum dora els.
Domino With which ST. Florent
has taken last leave Of its dead for
thousand wears, the turbanneG
goumS carried the body from the
church and, still LED by the priests
and attended BY tie entire ponu-
lace. the procession proceeded afcot
TO the cemetery on the lake shore
where Italian soldiers had cuc tho
grave. All the way for a mile alorc
the lake the villagers Ecnt sinciDc
With solemn mOnotony: Plus pres.
mon Dleu, TOi Nearer. NY COD.
to Thee.
The coffin was lowered into the
new SraVe amOn2 the marble t0mbs
while the service al the grave was
belng conducted. Impressive was
the lmpaSsivity Of the brown faces
OF the goumS at this Christian
farewell 10 theI" late officer. Only
their yellow turbans revealed them
as MOSlrms-by the Wav. among
the most 1anatical followers OF
Islam.
Then the excitement started
Like flashes Of silver lightning
through patches Of fleecy cloud
over the lake darted six Focke
Wulfs. They sWooDed low over the
cemetery and machine-eun bullets
Spattered the walls. French priest.
Italian chaplain, FranciscanS, tlIr-
Banned goumiers. Italian grave dig
gers, Corsioan villagers. few Amer
lcan soldiers took the only shelter
available by throwing themselves
fat on the around beside the marble
tombs IN a heltcr-SkClter tumble.
One Nazi Plane Fclled.
Inc open grave was a natural fox
hole, but NOBODY Jumped in on top
OF the coffin. It was over in 2 sec
ond. The Focke- -Wulfs swooped up-
wards to get over the mountain
RIM. Italian machine guns opened
fire on them. One came tumblinc
down in flames as the funeral serv-
Ice was resumed.
A moment later the strafers. hav-
Ing clrcled a Handicapped peak.
came back again. Another shower
OF 'machine-gun bullets and a sour
rNlng for shelter. Again it lasted
WHY StcOllC. lhe service was re-
Sumcd and the grave diegcrS started
filling up the grave.
This IS rot intended as a German
atroclty story. That the Focke-
WnIt pilots had the slightest idea
they were strafng a funeral in
graveyard is extremely improbable.
Their job was to break civilian
morale. They saw a crowd of peo-
pie assembled and let them have it
But 1t was thus that ST. Florcnt
paid its tribute to 1t. Coufran. and
the German pilot who became
flaming torch plunging out of the
SKY in the midst of the funeral NAV
have had a symbolic significance
O. some sort.