Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 25, 2020 23:20:15 GMT 12
UNKNOWN AIRMAN
REMARKABLE TRIBUTE
(Special P.A. Correspondent.)
LONDON, August 31.
An astonishing tribute was paid to an unknown New Zealand airman who crashed in the sea off Roscoff, in Brittany, on July 19, and was buried near the village, states Peter Duffield in the "Evening Standard." The people defied the Germans in order to pay him a tribute. R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters has at present no information concerning a New Zealander killed in that locality on that date, but inquiries are being made.
"On July 19," says Mr. Duffield, "a bomber circled over Roscoff. Its engines were on fire and great plumes of black smoke rushed from it. It bore British markings, and the people of Roscoff saw it crash into the sea just off their rocky coast. They saw the Germans bring three airmen, two alive and one dead, from the plane. They learned that the Germans'were to bury the dead airman - a New Zealander, a mile from their town. The Catholic rector, Abbe Louis Bossennec intervened, and asked the Germans for permission to bury the airman in his churchyard. His request was refused. A German military procession carried the body to the appointed burial place. It was joined by a vast procession of French people. The entire two thousand people of Roscoff formed a line behind the Nazis, and two thousand more came from nearby villages. More than a hundred children carried bouquets.
"The Germans, faced with so large and so devout a crowd were in a panic. They spoke to the rector, and said he was to break up the procession, and that the burial would take place as he desired next morning. The procession broke up on the rector's orders but the Germans double-crossed the people of Roscoff. Curfew time was 9 p.m. At 11 o'clock, when no civilian could stir beyond his house, they took the body of the airman and buried it. The rector made his decision. On the following day he rang the church bells and everyone turned out. He formed the people into a procession, bade them bring flowers, and held a burial service of his own. The furious Germans summoned the rector. They questioned him, berated him, and threatened him, but allowed him to go."
EVENING POST, 2 SEPTEMBER 1944
REMARKABLE TRIBUTE
(Special P.A. Correspondent.)
LONDON, August 31.
An astonishing tribute was paid to an unknown New Zealand airman who crashed in the sea off Roscoff, in Brittany, on July 19, and was buried near the village, states Peter Duffield in the "Evening Standard." The people defied the Germans in order to pay him a tribute. R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters has at present no information concerning a New Zealander killed in that locality on that date, but inquiries are being made.
"On July 19," says Mr. Duffield, "a bomber circled over Roscoff. Its engines were on fire and great plumes of black smoke rushed from it. It bore British markings, and the people of Roscoff saw it crash into the sea just off their rocky coast. They saw the Germans bring three airmen, two alive and one dead, from the plane. They learned that the Germans'were to bury the dead airman - a New Zealander, a mile from their town. The Catholic rector, Abbe Louis Bossennec intervened, and asked the Germans for permission to bury the airman in his churchyard. His request was refused. A German military procession carried the body to the appointed burial place. It was joined by a vast procession of French people. The entire two thousand people of Roscoff formed a line behind the Nazis, and two thousand more came from nearby villages. More than a hundred children carried bouquets.
"The Germans, faced with so large and so devout a crowd were in a panic. They spoke to the rector, and said he was to break up the procession, and that the burial would take place as he desired next morning. The procession broke up on the rector's orders but the Germans double-crossed the people of Roscoff. Curfew time was 9 p.m. At 11 o'clock, when no civilian could stir beyond his house, they took the body of the airman and buried it. The rector made his decision. On the following day he rang the church bells and everyone turned out. He formed the people into a procession, bade them bring flowers, and held a burial service of his own. The furious Germans summoned the rector. They questioned him, berated him, and threatened him, but allowed him to go."
EVENING POST, 2 SEPTEMBER 1944