to D'Argenlieu

Henri Sautot Receives Ovation In Noumea

"Deported" Former Governor Refers Scathingly to D'Argenlieu

By H. E. L. Friday

ALLUDING to Rear Admiral d’Argen lieu, former Governor Henri Sautot “pulled" no punches” when he spoke to a large crowd before the Noumea War Memorial on the day after his return to New Caledonia as a “gentleman farmer.”

Making particular reference to May 5, 1942 (the day when d’Argenlieu, the un popular French High Commissioner for the Pacific, had had him forcibly put aboard a French cruiser in the harbour, and later sent to England) M. Sautot

said: “That day you well remember. We were gathered at this spot to celebrate the hrst anniversary of the departure of the Bataillon du Pacifique (for North Africa).

We had come from Noumea Cathedral, where we had taken part in a profoundly moving service of prayer for the soldiers of that battalion so dear to us all.

“As we emerged from the Cathedral, an historic photograph was taken. (It was published on page 41 of the October PIM.) It showed the sinister Admiral d’Argenlieu shaking me by the hand. It was a veritable Judas kiss, since even at that moment he had decided to have me arrested that same evening.

“This priest, whom one of my succes sors—also well acquainted with his cun ning—has ironically called the ‘Carme naval,’ was provincial of the Carmelite Order in Franch, under the name of Father Louis de la Trinite, “Now it appears that he is soon going to re-enter the Order. Well, now that he is once more about to occupy himself with the future life. I for my part am convinced that he will have to atone for the sins he has committed on this earth against you Caledonian patriots.

“It is necessary that I should tell you that d’Argenlieu' has tried, furthermore, not without success, to discredit us—you, the Caledonian population, and myself, your former Governor, with General de Gaulle, to whom, in September, 1940, we all rallied with so much affection and enthusiasm, and without any ulterior motives whatsoever.

“In point of fact, the Admiral told General de Gaulle that we had rallied Free France to gain money for ourselves by selling New Caledonia to the Ameri cans!

“I would like to declare emphatically, standing here before the monument to the heroes of two wars, that our hands remain clean and our conscience clear.”

M. Sautot was accompanied by M. Ger volino, the Colony’s representative on the Paris Assembly, and by Governor Tal lec’s Chef de Cabinet, M. Noellat (repre senting Governor Tallec).

After laying a wreath on the memorial he spoke the words above quoted. He also referred to his emotion on returning to the colony after an absence of four years.

On being retired, he said, he had de cided to return to Noumea, to live the simple, hard-working life of a French 4 man, without thought of self-interest, and to renew in memory the glorious hours that they had lived through in September, 1940; also to join with them in recalling the dead of Bir Hackeim and other battlefields and among them the battalion’s commander, Colonel Broche.

Governor Sautot, in conclusi®n, re peated that he was no longer an official personage, his administrative career hav ing ended; and he hoped to end his life among them as a “simple citoyen.”

He was warmly applauded, and the gathering pressed round him to shake his hand.

The previous evening he had been given an ovation when the nickel collier “Uli aquer,” on which he had travelled from Sydney with his Caledonian wife, had arrived at the docks in Noumea. (The dramatic story of the clash be tween Governor Sautot and Rear-Admiral d’Argenlieu was told in “PIM” of Octo ber, 1946.)