MONTGOMERY'S VISIT STRICTLY GOODWILL

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5298, 10 January 1947, Page 5

MONTGOMERY'S VISIT STRICTLY GOODWILL

LONDON, Jan. 9. The highest. British sources in ' .Moscow emphasised that Viscount Montgomery's visit was strictly a military goodwill mission,. and rejected suggestions that he. contemplated inviting the Russians to join a Briish-American agreement, says Reuter's Moscow correspondent. Field-Marshal Montgomery told ihe press that Marshal Vassilevsky had accepted his invitation to visit Britain in the spring, says the Exchange Telegraph's Moscow correspondent. Viscount Montgomery spent the morning visiting the Stalin Academy, whieh is the Soviet army schc-ol for training offieers of armoured and mechanical troops. He told Marshal Rybalko, commander of the Soviet army tank forces: "The training is extrcmely practical and very impressive." Viscount Montgomery described to the offieers some of his experiences in ihe North African campaign. Soviet Chief of Staff Accepts Invitation The ' Chief of he Soviet General Staff, Marshal Vassilevsky, has accepted an invitation from Field-Mar-shal Montgomery to visit Britain in ihe spring. Lord Montgomery, who gave the news to correspondents in Moscow, said he would have great pleasure in showing the Soviet chief of staff arc-und British military establisl ments. Marshal Vassilevsky had consultod his Government bef'ore ac-c-epting tlie invitation and they had approved.