By Frederick Smith
Unpublished text
early January 1941, a rumor spread in the upcoming Quebec Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu. Career soldier who participated in the Great War and then became a priest in the Carmelite Order in 1925, he was drafted in 1939 and promoted to Lieutenant Commander, before being taken prisoner the day after the Appeal of 18 June for 's three escape days later and join de Gaulle in London. More recently, the father of Argenlieu was appointed Chief of Staff of the Free French naval forces and had participated in the Dakar expedition, then headed the country of Gabon.
Lieutenant Commander Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu and Father Louis de la Trinidad, two facets of one man. Source and date unknown.
The arrival of this emissary of Free France Gaullist enthusiasm committee of Quebec founded in 1940 by Marthe Simard. Elizabeth Miribel, the young secretary to General de Gaulle sent to Canada in August 1940, received confirmation that the commander Argenlieu is left for Canada on February 25. Sometimes the country Monday, March 10, 1941, accompanied by Lieutenant Alain Savary. Both men landed at a port in eastern Canada not specified by the media, presumably for reasons of military censorship.
The same day, Canada publishes a front-page news item and present it as a prisoner of war of the Germans who played an important role in Dakar. "He just the country to make known to the French French Canadians and the goals of the Free France movement led by General Charles de Gaulle . We take care to mention that Argenlieu " did not intend to blame Vichy France during his stay among us . The Catholic Action also incorporates the same themes and presents it as a " naval officer, a former French monk " landed in Canada " after a heroic odyssey in occupied France."
We learn that the envoy of General de Gaulle arrives in Paris the next day. The train entered the station at 15 pm Levis Several members of the civil and military gathered at the station platform to greet the commander Argenlieu and several representatives of civil movements in favor of Free France. It includes the Hon. Hector Laferté, President of the Legislative Council, Lieutenant-Colonel Leon Lambert, deputy director of the Provincial Police, Louis-S. Durand, Mayor of Lévis, Captain A.-S. Bigaouette, director of the Quebec municipal police, Colonel JA Sullivan, commander of the Royal Rifles, Lieutenant-Colonel Emile Gravel, commander of the Regiment de Levis and Mordred Jacques, president of the French Society charity. It was also home to Elizabeth and the couple Miribel Simard, and members of the France Libre de Pierre de Varennes, Quebec, René Garneau, Viatte Augustus (who gets off the train with Argenlieu Savary and after having stopped at St. Jean-Port-Joli) and Mrs. W.-F. Eves.
Catholic Action of March 12, 1941 announced the arrival in Quebec City yesterday, the captain of Argenlieu and his aide Alain Savary.
Refusing any interview before completed his official visits, the commander of Argenlieu addresses all the same to all journalists at the crossing of the river to Quebec. His words are reported by the Catholic Action :
"I am very happy that it is Quebec that offers me by the sun shining on the cliff and the Château Frontenac, the most pleasing impression of my trip to Canada [ ...].
We had a great trip and I really admired the plains we traversed by railway. However, I confess that nowhere does the show was as impressive here.
I am happy to meet again tomorrow afternoon to give you details on some very important points. But I want to point out that the press has been very flattering to me ... too much even. Be content, I pray you, for today, to report my arrival. For it must, before I talk about all these things, I make some official visits. "
the evening, D'Argenlieu, Savary and Elizabeth Miribel dine in company with Augustus Viatte and plan the days ahead. The discussion continues in the couple Simard. The day of 12 March is responsible for the effluent General de Gaulle. It is received by Premier Adelard Godbout, followed by Cardinal Villeneuve. The commander Argenlieu then meets reporters at the Chateau Frontenac, as promised yesterday. He gave an update on the situation in France, although keeping its attack Petain. Instead, the captain says he wants "to distinguish unite" and coming in as an "ambassador union" recognizes that there are several ways to serve France. He also recalls that it is as a soldier proud to have been mobilized in 1939 it stood Canadian public, and not as a Carmelite Father. In the afternoon, a reception was offered to the City Hall by Mayor Borne, " touching, enthusiastic, Quebec ", according to Augustus Viatte.
The following days are punctuated by official meetings and banquets, including Lévis Armoury and coffee Parliament. The envoy of General de Gaulle shows affected by the reception it is done and the French hospitality he found in Quebec. "I the real feeling of having found another France "He said. It also states continue to fight alongside the Allies in France because of his love of country, family and God, without judging the actions of Pétain, he believes serve France with all his heart.
Premier Adelard Godbout for his part said that the French Canadians have never much liked France, while Roy Bishop adds that the enemy has invaded France is the enemy of Christian civilization , and that Canadians will do everything to restore this civilization in the world. Archdeacon Scott concluded by saying, he prematurely must say that Hitler has at least managed to do in Canada "Unity two races," adding that it must " give even the devil his due .
Bibliography
Canada, March 10, 1941, p. 1.
Catholic Action, March 10, 1941, p. 3.
Catholic Action, March 12, 1941, p. 9.
Catholic Action, March 15, 1941, p. 13.
Augustus Viatte, one world to another ... Diary of an intellectual Jura in Quebec (1939-1949) , Volume 1 (March 1939-November 1942), edited and presented by Claude Hauser, Quebec / Paris / Courrendlin: Les Presses de Université Laval / L'Harmattan / Éditions Communication and European Jura, 2001.
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