BRITISH WELCOMED

Chronicle (Levin), 2 March 1948, Page 5

BRITISH WELCOMED

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— — ; — - — • . All Quiet Now In British Hondnras

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Rgceive'd Tuesday, 9.30 a.m. . ' BELIZE, March 1. - When thq cruiser Devonshire arrived men of the Gloucester Regiment imrpediately disembarked armed with anti-tank guns and mobile equipment and took up all key -defensive positiohs.'The whole town of Belize tui-ned

out to watch and cheer the British troops as they jumped ashore from u.ghters and swiftiy took up positions' aro'und airfieldg and along the sole road linking the colohy with Guatemala. The G-loucester Regiment will march past (3-qvern-ment House tonight in a move designed to show the pppulace what Britain was doing to proteet them. Lasfc night nearly 15,000 inhabitants assembled in the town square and amid mass cheering and passionate oratory, vowed allegiance to the British Empire and determinatibn to repel any attacks on their country. There is no slgns today of any preparations by Guatemala to carry out what the -Admiralty deseribed as "pqssible iiicidents which may be staged by irresponsible efements in Guatemala." All evi'dence re-affirms the general opinion that the crisis is now weli past. The Devonshire is expected to sail soon, but .Admiral Sir William Tennan,t is remaining at Belize in the Sheffield. No tlme is yet fixed for the withdrawal of British trcops who now total over 1000. ■