“LAUGHTER IN EUROPE”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30072, 5 March 1963, Page 11

“LAUGHTER IN EUROPE”

Briton Cleaned Soviet Boots

(N.Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, March 1. A picture of a British soldier cleaning the boots of a Russian general was frontpage news in Britain today. Several major dailies reported that West Germans and Europeans were laughing cynically at the position of Britain supposedly revealed by the incident. The picture, first published in West Germany, was taken during the courtesy visit of Soviet military chiefs to Britain’s Rhine Army headquarters thus week. Corporal Arthur Bradley, of the Royal Horse Guards, was the soldier who shone the boots of Air Force General I. I. Pstygo, a high officer accompanying General Ivan Jakubovski, Russia’s Oom-mander-in-Chief in East Germany. A British military spokesman told London newspapers the shoeshine was "quite a normal courtesy to a visiting officer.” In an editorial, suggesting the Russians Should have provided the general with his own baitman for the visit, the “Daily Sketch” said: "Europe is rocking with its biggest laugh since Mr Macmillan stopped Princess Margaret going to Paris.” The “Daily Express” said German newspapers carried ■reports of the incident, "all ridiculing the ■ British Army.” A bad impression had been created in West Germany, Half tiie front page of the "Daily Mirror” was occupied by the same picture and the newspaper’s Bonn correspondent said it made “millions of West Germans hopping mad.”

British correspondents said Corporal Bradley had wiped snow from the shoes of the Russian, as well as a British escorting officer.