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Dunkirk to Dunkerque Day Proves Huge Success

Thousands Jam City Streets and Ceremonial Places; Dignitaries �Overwhelmed� by �Great Job�

�Today was a highly successful day for Dunkirk, NY, U.S.A. and a highly profitable one for Dunkerque, France. God knows they need it.�

In these few words Gawin Wilde, British Vice-Consul in New York City, best epitomized Dunkirk�s gesture of international good will and friendliness as exemplified by the Dunkirk to Dunkerque Day program.

Ambassador Henri Bonnet and Movie Star Charles Boyer were among the celebrities that broadcast over CBS from Dunkirk in an international hook-up on Dunkirk to Dunkerque Day. Above, left to right, are Madame Bonnet, David Klocko, Dunkirk boy who told the world why he helped in the campaign for the French city; Ambassador Bonnet; Mr. Boyer, Mayor Walter F. Murray of Dunkirk and Madame Denise Davey, co-chairman of American Aid to France.

Ambassador Henri Bonnet of France, Charles Boyer and Simone Simon, movie stars, members of the French and British embassies, the press and other dignitaries were profuse in their praise of this city�s contribution on Thanksgiving day to the people of war-stricken Dunkerque.

Program Well Arranged

From the time the group of celebrities arrived in Dunkerque at 9:55 a.m. until the program was ended with a banquet in Floral hall at which Russell W. Davenport was the principal speaker, the day�s events progressed with split-second precision.

The pageant at the Dunkirk high school, the memorial services at the lake shore, the parade with its lengthy line of trucks bearing gifts to Dunkerque, the platform program at the city hall and finally the Floral hall banquet all testified to the weeks of labor put in by Dunkirk citizens to aid the people of their sister community in France.

Perhaps the most astonishing thing for residents of this city as well as visiting guests was the actual quantity of gifts which was accumulated for Dunkerque. Truck after truck passed the reviewing stand in a seeming never ending line, each marked with the type of donation and the organization making it.

Mr. Boyer and Miss Simon were indefatigable in their contributions to the success of the program. From the time they stepped off the train in the morning until they left at night, the two French born movie stars were generous of their time in signing autographs, making speeches and participating in events on the program.



GIFTS TO DUNKERQUE were paraded in Dunkirk as the city celebrated the opening of the American Aid to France Campaign on Thursday. Estimated value of the gifts is $75,000. Above are shown a few of the scores of loaded vehicles.

One of the most gracious of the visiting dignitaries was Ambassador Bonnet. He delivered a number of addresses during the day, spoke for the radio, expressed his appreciation for the �human ideal� carried out by this city in D-D day and greeted the hundreds of persons who wished to meet the official representative of the country Dunkirk is helping.

Had a Busy Day

The program for the visiting dignitaries was streamlined. They arrived by train at 9:55 a.m., nearly an hour late. They were whisked to Shorewood Country club where a buffet breakfast was served. From there they went to the Dunkirk high school auditorium where an impressive pageant was presented. Their next stop was at Memorial park where a memorial service in honor of those who lost their lives at Dunkerque in the past war was presented.

The official party had lunch at the Hotel Francis before participating in the parade which preceded the platform program. From 3:30 to 4 o�clock there was an international broadcast of the Dunkirk proceedings with Mr. Boyer acting as master of ceremonies.

Following this program there was a brief reception at Shorewood before the visitors left for the county fairgrounds where they attended the banquet.

Weather Was Favorable

With all details arranged, the Dunkirk committee�s chief worry was about the weather. Three days of rain had the sponsoring committee on edge. Thursday morning, however, dawned clear and cold. A few minutes before the train bearing the official party arrived, the sun broke through scattered clouds. The temperature ranged from 36 above zero at 9 a.m. to 42 when the platform program was in progress. A raw northwest wind chilled spectators at the Memorial park as well as at the platform ceremonies.

Dunkirk police and state troopers handled the unusual traffic situation in exceptionally fine shape with one exception. While the parade was still in progress, the crowd surged across the Central avenue-Fourth street intersection to get vantage points for the platform broadcast so that the tail end of the procession had to be swung into East Fourth street. With this lone exception, the program went through exactly as planned.

National magazines, radio broadcasting companies, press services and newspapers had representatives in Dunkirk for the D-D Day program and all were sincere in their praise of this city and its aid to Dunkerque.

The official party which came in by train Thursday morning and took part in the day�s activities consisted of:

Official Visiting Party

His Excellency Henri Bonnet, French Ambassador to the United States
Madame Henri Bonnet
Monsieur Charles Boyer
Mlle. Simone Simon, moving picture star
Monsieur Claude de Marolles, French consul general in New York
Monsieur Claude Lazard, French consul in New York
General Mathenet, French military attache
Commandant Lancelot, French naval attache
Capitaine de Tremaudan, adjutant to the French military attache
Capitaine Thore, adjutant to French air attache
Gawin Wilde, M.B.E. His Britannic Majesty�s Vice Consul in New York
C. P. Hebert, Counsellor, Canadian embassy
Col. and Mrs. H. P. Drayson, R.E., British Joint Staff Mission
Mrs. M. Averell Dougherty, Vice-President, AAtF
Mrs. John K. Sloan, National Campaign Director, AAtF
Russel Davenport, manager Willkie presidential campaign
Miss Cornelia Davenport
Monsieur Alexander Miguet, Vice-Pres., Federation of French War Veterans
Monsieur Bertrand Cazanova, Federation of French War Veterans
Monsieur Andre Czerwinski, Federation of French War Veterans
Monsieur Le Cabellec, Federation of French War Veterans
Monsieur Fortune Tallin, Federation of French War Veterans
Monsieur Louis Fauvet, Federation of French War Veterans
Bernard Bogue, French Boy Scout
Paul Bercot, French Boy Scout
J. E. Thompson, Newsweek representative
Mrs. J. E. Thompson
Miss Nadine Pennant, French Press representative
Mlle. Marguerite Denys, Asst. Sociale, AAtF Center in Dunkerque
Edwin Green, associate campaign publicity director, AAtF
Monsieur Freyss, Shortwave Division French Section, CBS
Monsieur Roger Goupilliere, French Announcer, CBS
Ellis Reed Jr., First American Soldier ashore at Omaha Beach
Mme. Dennis Van Kampen, AAtF
Miss Georgette Goldberg, France-Seir Representative
Andrew Gold, Pathe News representative
M. Michael Pobers, Director, France Amerique
Miss Olga Bruhzit, Time, Inc., Representative
Miss Jacqueline Parson, Life Representative
Samuel Shere, Life Representative
Monsieur Chereau, Le Figaro representative
Mrs. C. L. Todd
Dario Soria, CBS representative
Com. C. L. G. Evans, British Embassy

29 November 1946
Dunkirk Observer