Report headed "Recommended to Return Immediately"
Describes how British tourists were returned to England as war looms.
The photo has not scanned well. The lower image shows cars loaded on top of the hatches of an unnamed ferry. Not sure where the other one was taken, but I think it must be a French Channel port.
Unprecedented scenes were witnessed at the Channel ports last week-end as British tourists returned hurriedly from the Continent as a result of the international complications.
Calais, as the most popular of the French ports to which British motorists cross, was a hive of activity for several days, and non-stop services with supplementary vessels were run by the Southern Railway and the Townsend services. Saturday provided an easy record in the number of cars handled, the S.R. despatching over 700 cars from the different ports, and the Townsend route 219.
Many British motorists had travelled long distances from Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France to return home quickly at the first signs of danger. As a result, the quaysides were crowded with British cars of all shapes and sizes. Naturally, with cross-Channel traffic on such an unprecedented scale, there were constant disappointments for people whose cars could not be immediately accommodated on the boats.
None the less, the officials and staff of the two companies worked long hours with good will and courtesy, ably assisted by A.A. and R.A.C. representatives, and the thanks of hundreds of motorists go out to the Townsend and Southern Railway officials for their energy in grappling with the difficult situation. Some motorists spent two days at Calais awaiting their turn, and particularly on Saturday the jam of traffic was enough tp appal any shipping agent.
Many had the experience of seeing boats loaded to capacity inside and over the hatches, setting off for Dover with the knowledge that there could be no further shipments until the cars had been unloaded on the English side and the boat returned to Calais. Fortunately the sea was calm.
While this was going on, scores more cars were constantly arriving from all parts of the Continent to await their turn. One saw bribes and big tips being offered for accommodation, but generally such methods did not succeed, and often the bribes were offered to people who did not actually control the shipment!
During the long wait, more or less exciting experiences were related, particularly by those returning from Germany, where petrol was well nigh impossible to obtain. Ninety per cent. of the petrol pumps were locked up and labelled LEER (empty), and when a pump with supplies was encountered en route, a long string of cars was lined up to receive the ten litres (2.2 gal.) which were supplied. The practice of German motorists was to take their quota at every available opportunity.
In Switzerland petrol was sold as in normal times, but the garages did a good trade in supplying large spare tins for the luggage carriers on the suggestion that petrol would be difficult to obtain in France. Actually there was no need for such precautions, as all pumps were open in France and the price remained normal.
One Rover owner arrived at Calais with his luggage and luggage trailer piled high on the roof, a testimony to the strength of steel bodies. It appears that the trailer axle broke, and rather than leave it, the whole trailer, complete with luggage, was dealt with in the seemingly precarious manner as described.
As it has been said, it was in Germany that supplies were most difficult, and many motorists were stranded for a time, although orders had, it is understood, been given to favour foreign tourists. There were a number of British motorists at Salzburg for the Music Festival, and the International Six Days' Motor Cycle Trial. One of Them, having heard the British Consul General's advice to return, managed to fill tank to the brim and then purchased a large milk churn which he had filled and mounted on the carrier of his Triumph. He preferred, for safety's sake, to travel by the autobahnen to the Belgian frontier.
Italy not being open to tourists via the Bremmer Pass, the quickest route to a frontier from Salzburg was via Innsbruck and Feldkirch to Switzerland. It is only fair to say that so far as British tourists at Salzburg were concerned, the petrol tanks of their cars were allowed to be filled and in certain instances the local authorities by arrangement ensured further supplies at Innsbruck to carry them on to the Swiss frontier. This plan was adopted for some thirty British motor cyclists, who, after four gruelling days in the International Six Days' Trial radiating from Salzburg, were advised by the British authorities (against German pleas to remain) to leave the country as quickly as possible. There was no difficulty with, or lack of, supplies of food up to the week-end.
At and near the frontiers military preparations were to be seen on all hands as well as large troop movements. These sights only served to spur tourists homewards, and a great many covered long distances each day, often travelling non-stop through the night.
The populations of French towns and villages near the coast turned out to watch the exceptional traffic, and waved their greetings to Britishers. On Sunday, whilst cars sped to the ports, the traffic in the opposite direction was of a military character, and included long lines of commandeered trade vehicles.
In the busiest week-end ever known from Friday to Sunday last, over 2,000 cars were shipped across the Channel.
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