RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN SCOTLAND.

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24625, 23 July 1945, Page 3

RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN SCOTLAND.

* CN.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) LONDON. July 22. The midday express from Glasgow to Euston, travelling at 60 miles an hour, with 600 passengers, struck a heavily-laden goods train at Dumfries. The express driver was killed and 52 of the passengers were injured. The express plunged on for 400 yards before being brought to a standstill with the engine lying on its side. The first three coaches were wrecked. The accident resulted from the goods train being 10 seconds late.

WAR DAMAGE CLAIMS

LONDON, July 20. War damage claims for the last year of the raids against Britain are likely to be the heaviest of the war, says the “Evening Standard.” Assessors are now preparing figures for presentation to Parliament. • The War Damage Commission so far has paid out £150,388,241, including £46,475,723 for the year ended in March, 1944. Compulsory contributions brought £113,191,535 into the Treasury.

AMERICAN NAVAL SUCCESSES

(Rec, 7.30) WASHINGTON. July 21. _. The United States Navy has announced that American submarines have sunk two Japanese minesweepers, two patrol escort vessels, a large cargo transport, a medium transport, three small merchantmen, a small freighter, and a medium freighter.

BRITISH EXPORT TRADE (Rec. 12.30 am.) LONDON, July 22. Fifty of Britain’s leading businessmen, representing the strongest commercial interests in Britain, with a total capital of several hundred millions, met last week to set in operation the British Export Trade Research Organisation. The chairman (Mr Ivor Cooper), after commenting on the strength of the organisation, said: “We are here because we believe foreign trade must be based on accurate and continual market surveys.”

HOLIDAY FOR BRITISH TROOPS

HOSPITALITY OFFERED BY DANES LONDON, July 20. Every household with a spare bed in Aarhus, Denmark, is preparing to receive a British soldier as a holiday guest after the Danish authorities recently expressed a desire to give a five-day holiday to 100,000 members of the 21st Army as a token of thanks for their part in the liberation of Denmark. The Aarhus district is a very suitable holiday location. The date the scheme will start is still uncertain, but, as it will take three months to complete, it is hoped to begin shortly. .... „ . The soldiers will take their own bedding, thus solving a problem at present acute throughout Denmark. The hosts will be entitled to draw the same payment for each guest as is paid for billeting Danish soldiers, but many householders have declared that they will not take money for entertaining the British. A big programme of amusements, including boating, bathing, and dancing, is being prepared. The bigger restaurants will have a special pensation from the curfew regulations.

FAILURE OF GERMAN MECHANISATION

HORSE-DRAWN GUNS IN LAST STAGES LONDON, July 20. At the end of the European war, 80 per cent, of all the Imperial armies were fully mechanised, compared with 15 per cent, of the German armies, said Sir William Rootes. former chairman of the Supply Council of the Ministry of Supply, in a speech. “Now we know why once the German armour was pierced and the three great battles of Caen, the Ardennes, and the Rhine were fought, there was little to stop us, except partiallymechanised units with—incredible as it may seem—horse-drawn field artillery,” he said.