Mr. Churchill Back Home From Russia

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1942, Page 3

Mr. Churchill Back Home

From Russia

Rec. 11.30 p.m. London, Aug. 24. Mr. Churchill arrived back in Britain by air to-night. With him were Mr. A. Harriman, President Roosevelt's personal representative, General Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir Alexander Cadogan, Permanent UnderSecretary to the Foreign Office, and Sir Charles Wilson, the Prime Minister's personal physician. Among those welcoming the Prime Minister back was Mrs. Churchill. Mr. Churchill's absence from England was first officially disclosed on August 13, when it was announced that he had attended talks in Moscow for four days During his absence Mr. Churchill visited Egypt, where he met King Farouk, General Sir Archibald Wavell, com-mander-in-chief India, General Smuts, South African Prime Minister, General Sir Claude Auchinleck, and General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson. Admiral Standley, United States Ambassador to Russia, has left Moscow for Kuibyshev after a stay of 19 days in the capital. General Bradley, United States air envoy, is staying in Moscow for further supply conferences. The news of Mr. Churchill's safe arrival home to-night after his historic journey to Moscow and Cairo has been received with deep satisfaction. The party • that greeted him included Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal, Major Randolph Churchill and Commodore E. J. Kingston-McLough-ry, D.S.O., D.F.C., and officer commanding the Ferry Command group which provided the Liberator for Mr.

Churchill's journey. When the Liberator was coming over the Ferry Command aerodrome the moon was rising on a cloudy sky and a flare path was lighted. As the Liberator did the first circuit the aerodrome party walked over. to watch the escort of Spitfires flying overhead. Although it was dusk the Spitfires in thick formation, were clearly silhouetted against the canopy of clouds. Captain Van der Kloot, first pilot, brought' the huge four-engined Liberator in to a perfect landing. Mr. Churchill looked' extremely well and not in the slightest degree tired. He was dressed in an air commodore's uniform He embraced Mrs. Churchill in an affectionate return for her welcome, and then he' met the rest of the party. Within a few minutes he was driven to a special train waiting for him near the aerodrome and was soon en route to London. During the journey Mr. Churchill spent two-thirds of the time in the cockpit of the machine. The Daily Telegraph, in a leader with reference to Mr. Churchill's return, says: "We can be certain of one thing — his journey was a prelude to battle and will help to make the battle when it comes a prelude to victory."