WELCOME SCENES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 June 1943, Page 3

WELCOME SCENES

BATHING SOLDIERS GREET HIS MAJESTY X. INSPECTION OF AMERICAN FIFTH ARMY. REALISTIC WAR EXERCISES. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, June 16. _ On the second day of his Majesty s visit, when he made his second public appearance, there w T as an unforgettable moment when the King visited a stretch of beach where mo,re than 3000 troops were enjoying a Sunday swim. The men caught sight of him standing on the veranda of a villa, and instantly came racing across the beach. In no time a solid mass of tanned, dripping men were standing before the veranda. Suddenly the excited hum of conversation Was hushed, and the men began singing, as though at a signal, “God Save the King.” The moment the anthem ended his Majesty walked into the centre of the crowd and stood talking with the men nearest him. The men then struck up "For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says that seven American generals were with Lieutenant-General Mark Clark when the King inspected the American Fifth Army. The security arrangements were carried out so perfectly that even high-ranking generals were unaware who the guest would be until his Majesty stepped from his plane. The Americans on the previous day had rehearsed every feature of the programme, even to a cavalcade round a selected route and the serving of a midday meal, so that the inspection tour moved like clockwork and ended without a hitch.

The King travelled over mile after mile of roads lined with American troops and equipment. A stop was made at an American cemetery, where the King paid homage to those who fell at Oran.

The day was brought to its climax with a visit to the Fifth Army training centre, where his Majesty saw commando tactics and street fighting. The Fifth Army put up an impressive show, and the King paid high tributes to its commander, General Clark. His Majesty, with the generals and Sir James Grigg, lunched at wooden tables in a grove of pine trees. Grinning negro cooks of an American kitchen unit served roast beef and gravy, creamed corn, peas, fruit cocktail, cake, and lemonade or tea.

A North African correspondent, describing an exercise which the King watched soon after his arrival, says that his Majesty saw a dummy village being stormed realistically and noisily by specially-trained street-fighting units. Standing knee-deep among grape-vines, he watched the show with great interest and asked many questions of the officer in command.

The public welcome to his Majesty is growing daily. An observer who followed the Royal car to Algiers says that French civilians shouted "Vive le RoiT

IN ALGIERS

NEWS OF KING’S ARRIVAL SPREADS QUICKLY. CHAT WITH CORRESPONDENTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, June 17. People in Algiers did not know that the King was visiting North Africa until Tuesday morning, when he drove through the city, states a correspondent at Allied Headquarters. The news spread quickly and people lined the pavements. British Tommies stood with American and French soldiers and cheered as his Majesty drove by, accompanied by Admiral Cunningham. Later the King received war correspondents on the terrace of his villa,and was particularly interested in first-hand details of the capture of Pantelleria.