Evening star., 1944-08-23
~ KENNETH L. DIXON,
AseAnyAtAA nrAss fSnrrasnAA 4 AAut

WITH THE FRENCH MAQU1s
OVER 100 MILES INLAND FROM
THE RIVIERA BEACHHEAD, Aug.
2l Delayed High in the lower
Alps, French Forces Of the Interior
came out OF the brush and woods
from which they get the name
"Maquis" and descended on Ger
man-garrisoned village last night.
. Today the town Is liberated after
four years. Nearly 1000 prisoners
were taken In and around the
mountain-pass town, which nestles
at the end Of long, green valley.
Motley men of the Maquis stormed
the city at sundown. Obviously
surrounded. most Of the German
garrison surrendered following par
leys with American officers working
with the FIJI. However, lighting
burst out here and there and one
group of combined German Army
and Gestapo personnel barricaded
themselves in the big stone school,
house in the middle OF the village
square"
Most Fantastic Scene"
Then I saw the most fantastic
scene of my life.
Led by such men as a 20-year-old
French patriot who had been SEN
fenced to be shot this morning and
had Just been liberated from q
Gestapo prison q few moments be-
fore, the Maquis unleashed four years
of pentup rage, stormed across the
open courtyard, kicked down the
barricades and killed or captured
the Germans inside.
l saw gun flashes from the win
dows. Bullets kicked up the dust
at the feet of the Maquis-but they
did not hesitate. Hallway to the
building was three-foot- high
stone wall. They reached the wall
and leveled carbines, Stem guns
captured Lugers, berettas and auto
matte rifles and score OF other
type of weapons and threw a hail
OF bullets into the building.
Then in the fading afternoon
light a handful OF the Maquis
leaped the wall and charged the
building, while others remained at
the wall and threw covering of
fire.
Charge Through Barbados.
They reached the building and
charged through the barricaded
front door. From the inside came
the chatter Of automatic gunflre
and barking pistols.
Meanwhile, miraculously, I saw
not one casualty among the at
tackers. The only ones slain were
two German prisoners who were
being marched along the street next
to the courtyard-apparently the
victims of bullets fred by their. own
comrades inside the building.
One fell two yards to my feet.
Another German fell a few yards
away. Their 1 jumped behind a
tree.
From behind a nearby tree Capt.
Ralph Hotchkiss of Hartsdale, N. Y.
and Washington, D. c., brandished
III Will a bChAsCi SiiSS "AhSA AiAoo
have been born back in the days
when he was a publicity agent for
former Price Administrator Leon
Henderson.
- He let out a roaring below which
cut through the sounds of battle.
Look at them 60" he yelled.
Brother, we got Allies what am
Allies"
Shooting Stops Suddenly.
He was right. For few seconds
some automatic fire from within
the building swept the street. Then
lust as suddenly as it started the
scrap was over and the Maquis
proudly marched a score Of pris-
oners out Of the building, prodding
laggards with gun barrels.
Except for a few scattered shots
here and there the town belonged
to the ranks OF the liberated.
Already Capt Omer Brown. Dunel-
len, N. j., had marched more than
$50 prisoners from one barracks