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Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1943, Page 3

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MR CHURCHILL IN BRITAIN AGAIN AFTER HISTORIC TRIP TO AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST. BIG GATHERING OF NOTABLES AT PADDINGTON. LONDON, February 7. Mr Churchill, is back in London after his 10,000-mile air trip to North Africa and. the Middle East. He landed at an air port in England on schedule time and made the last stage of his journey by rail.

The platform at Paddington was like a Cabinet meeting as the special train pulled in about one o’clock. Nearly all the Government “high-ups” were there. The Turkish Ambassador was there too and also the High Commissioners for Canada and Australia, with a number of British and American service officers, besides the usual London crowd, which seems to gather from nowhere when anything big is on. Mrs Churchill was the first to greet the Prime Minister. As the train pulled in the engine driver leaned out of his cab and gave the V-sign, an action which the crowd greatly enjoyed. The Prime Minister was in fine form. He was wearing the uniform of an air commodore. After five minutes of handshaking, he drove off into London’s streets still smiling and giving the V sign to the people. One package amongst his luggage caused great amusement. It was a small crate of oranges, labelled in big letters “P.M.” Mr Churchill had been away from England since January 12, when he left for the historic ten-day conference with President Roosevelt at Casablanca. He visited Cairo, Turkey, where he had important talks with President Inonu and the Turkish Premier, Cyprus and Tripoli. Finally, before he set course for London, it is reported that he called in at Allied Headquarters in Algiers. The round trip of nearly 10,000 miles was carried out in a specially adapted Liberator bomber. The last stages of Mr Churchill’s flight went just as smoothly as if he had spent the night in a hotel. After a short chat with the pilot, Mr Churchill went early to bed and had an uneventful night. He was up at 7.30 and after breakfast he joined the pilot at the controls. The first sign he had of England was a formation of Spitfires which roared out to meet him. VISIT TO TRIPOLI REVIEW OF EIGHTH ARMY. INSPECTION OF NEW ZEALAND DIVISION. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, February 6. Mr Churchill has visited the Eighth Army in Tripoli He left Cairo on Wednesday morning and arrived late in the afternoon at Castel Benito. There was an enormous crowd to greet him, after which he drove to General Montgomery’s headquarters, where he conveyed to the British forces the thanks of the King, the Government and the whole people. On the following morning he reviewed representative units of the Eighth Army in an official parade which included a mile-long line of tanks with their pennants flying. After the march-past, Mr Churchill had a special word of praise for the 1 New Zealanders and conveyed the Empire’s greetings to them. Mr Churchill's inspection of the New Zealand Division took place on the outskirts of Tripoli. He drove through the ranks with Lieutenant-General Freyberg at his side. He told the men that there were decisive battles yet to be fought but the desert difficulties had been conquered and left behind, and from now on the going would be easier. The Prime Minister said, ‘Our hearts go out in gratitude to New Zealand for sending us this desert division, which has won glory in the field. General Freyberg has proved himself the salamander of the British Empire.” The salamander was a mythical spirit which was “ever in fire and never consumed” by the flames. After Mr Churchill had taken the general salute he greeted General Freyberg warmly and invited him back to his car (writes a New Zealand official war correspondent.) The division was drawn up in companies, and the Prime Minister drove through the lines so that he could see every soldier on parade. When his inspection was completed he was escorted to the dais to take the salute as the troops marched past. Dressed in the uniform of an air commodore, he stood at attention with his hand at the salute. The pipes of a Highland division played throughout the ceremonial parade, and Sherman tanks, Bren carriers and armoured cars followed the troops. General Freyberg called for three cheers, and great, full-throated roars came from the New Zealanders. After the review Mr Churchill had tea at New Zealand divisional headquarters before going on to review Royal Air Force units at Castel Benito. AIR MILESTONES MARKED ON MR CHURCHILL’S PLANE. TURKISH CRESCENT NOW ADDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) RUGBY, February 7. Though Mr Churchill, on his arrival in London, had completed his latest historic journey by train, most of the 10,000 miles had been flown in a specially adapted Liberator fittingly named “Commando” and bearing on its nose the “milestones” of recent travels, with Turkish crescent now added to the hammer and sickle which commemorated the Moscow visit last year. There was a spectacular scene as Mr Churchill arrived at 1 the appointed R.A.F. airfield. Suddenly, over the airfield flew a squadron of Spitfires, weaving, circling and swooping past the giant Liberator . As the Liberator touched down to a perfect landing, the squadron went over in close formation, and finally, as Mr Churchill stepped out, they roared over very low and in

perfect formation, dipping as they went in a parting salute. This particular escort had picked up Mr Churchill’s aircraft when it reached the English coast. He was welcomed officially by Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal and by the air officer commanding the group and the station commander. On the homeward trip, Mr Churchill as usual scent some time with the crew on the bridge, and for about half an hour after the take-off sat with the pilot .Captain Van Der Kloot, the American who had taken him on so many previous journeys. Mr Churchil, however, retired early. New sleeping accommodation had been fitted into the Liberator, and he was able, therefore, to settle down comfortably for the night. The weather was fine and the trip smooth. After breakfast this morning, Mr Churchill again joined the pilots for the landfall, which was made exactly to the calculated minute. He was still on the bridge when the aircraft landed. He was accompanied in the aircraft only by his staff. General Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, had arrived some time earlier in another Liberator.