GRIEF IN BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 287, 31 August 1935, Page 9

GRIEF IN BELGIUM

Death of Queen After Motor Accident

DETAILS OF TRAGEDY

King - Apparently Loses Control of Car By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Brussels, August 29. The entire country is grief-strieken at the death of the Queen in : motor accident in Switzerland. Their Majesties were spending a holiday at their Swiss villa at Ilasslihorn, Lake Lucerne, and the two older children, Prince Baudouin and Princess Josephine, left for Brussels yesterday. They are still unaware of the tragedy Their Majesties departed on a motor excursion early in the morning, the King driving an open touring car, the Queen beside him, and the chauffeur in the dickey seat. A second car follower. with four members of the suite. A mile from Kussnacht the King apparently removed his attention from the road in order to glance at a map in the Queen’s hand, and the car swerved. The right-hand wheels mounted a concrete kerb and the car continued on for 17 yards to a sunken transverse path. The shock evidently caused the King to lose control of the car, which swung to the right, ran 20 yards down an embankment, collided with a tree, against which the Queen was violently thrown, fracturing her skull. The car rolled on and struck a second _ tree, hurling the King out, slightly injuring an arm ami his bead. It then plunged over a stone wall into a lake, and there the chauffeur scrambled out, Peasants Kush to Scene. Peasants and the occupants of the second car rushed to the scene, and the King was assisted to the side of the Queen. A priest who was brought from Kussnacht with a doctor said a prayer for the dying. Only when hope was abandoned did the King permit the doctor to attend to his injuries. The identity of their Majesties was not immediately known, as the King was travelling incognito. Their Majesties were staying at a villa near Lucerne, and King Leopold’s wounds were bandaged and lie was taken back to the villa, to which the Queen’s body was also removed. An eye-witness of the accident stated, that the car was travelling at 30 miles an hour and suddenly skidded, hit a small embankment, and rebounded aginst a tree. The Queen was thrown through a window and was terribly cut, her skull being fractured. The car, with the King still clinging to the wheel, ran into a small field, hit another tree, and overturned into a bed of reeds on the edge of a lake. As the King extricated himself, blood streaming from his face, he looked round, saw his wife and knelt beside her, then picked hei - up, and kissed her dazedly. He then called for help. Condition of the King. Reports vary as to the King’s condi-. tion. Some say it is not serious and others that his head was injured and that he is still too dazed to describe the accident. The Chief of Police at Lucerne stated that he had received a report that the King had been seriously hurt. The car was removed from the lake. The radiator had been wrenched off, and the off side of the car where the Queen sat was completely wrecked, the body being twisted and nearly torn off the chassis. News of the tragedy was received at Brussels by radio broadcast and the Belgians are stunned. The Prime Minister, after holding a special meeting of Cabinet, to issue-mourning proclama, tions, flew to Lucerne and later accompanied the King to Brussels, a special train conveying the body o J- the Queen. The Pope and Herr Hitler have telegraphed their condolences, as have the Italian Royal Family and Signor Mussolini.

Telegrams of sympathy have arrived from all over the world. The funeral will probably take place on September 3. (Note on Page 7.)

BODY TAKEN TO PALACE

Solemn Scenes at Brussels

IMMENSE CROWDS GATHER

(Received August 31, 12.50 a.m.) Brussels, August 30. Queen Astrid’s body was conveyed from the station in a motor-hearse through a city of crepe. All shops were shuttered and the yellow and black national flags furled so that only the black was ' visible. Troops lining the route wore mourning badges and their colours were draped in crepe. Immense crowds assembled, even greater than those that witnessed King Albert’s funeral or Queen Astrid’s wedding procession. The Klug did not accompany the cortege. He had left the train at a suburban station and motored to the palace to await the arrival of the body. With his arm in a sling, his fingers bandaged and plaster over his eye, he looked fixedly ahead. Burgomaster Max, members of the diplomatic corps and Government officials were present at the station when the funeral . train arrived. Sold'ers transferred the plain white oak coinn to the hoarse, bugles sounded the "Last Post.” and the cortege slowly passed to the Palace, where the body was placed iu the' same room, draped in black and silver and filled with white flowers, where King Albert s body lay in state. The King stayed with it alone lor several minutes. His saddest duty has still to come, for the children do not yet know their mother is' dead. It is understood that the King wishes personally to break the news to the two elder ones.

NEWS SHOCKS BRITAIN

The King Sends Telegram

(British Official Wireless.) Rugby, August 29. Public opinion in Britain is deeply shocked by the news of Queen Astrid s death. Newspapers, which recall the tragic death of King Albert in February. of last year, contain many expres-

sions of sympathy with the Belgian people and the Belgian and Swedish Roval Families in their grievous loss. Comments testify to the popularity of King Leopold and Queen Astrid in this country and the affection in which they were held in’a wide circle. Official news of the accident was conveyed by the Belgian Embassy to the Foreign Office this morning. The King, who was immediately informed, sent a telegram of condolence on behalf of himself and the Queen to Klug Leopold. His Majesty’s Government has sent a message of official condolence to the Belgian Government and the Foreign Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, has addressed a personal message of sympathy to the Belgian Ambassador in London for transmission to Belgium.

AMERICA’S SYMPATHY

President Sends Cable

Washington, August 29. The Secretary of State, Senator Cordell Hull, and other high officials, joined with President Roosevelt to-day in extending sympathy to the Belgian ruler and his people on the death of Queen Astrid. The President cabled to King Leopold as follows:—“Mrs. Roosevelt aud I have been deeply moved by the tragic news of the death of her Majesty the Queen. We hasten to extend to your Majesty our heartfelt sympathy. The people of the United States will share the grief of the Belgian people in the loss of a Queen who so graciously personified the ideals of Belgium. I earnestly hope your Majesty will rapidly recover from the injuries which' I understand you personally suffered. I send my affectionate regards In this hour of your great sorrow.”

Mr. Cordell Hull paid a formal call of condolence on Prince Eugene Deligne, the Belgium Charge d’Affaires at Washington.

LORD GALWAY’S MESSAGE

Sympathy of New Zealand

His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral has sent the following message for transmission to the Belgian Government :— On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, with whom.l desire to associate myself, I beg to express to the Belgian Government and the Belgian Nation the profound sorrow which is felt throughout this British Dominion at the death under such tragic circumstances of their beloved Queen and sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement. (Signed) GALWAY, Governor-General. JI. Armand Niliotte, Consul for Belgium, stated yesterday that the death of the Queen was a tremendously sad misfortune for Belgium, and one that would be very widely felt throughout the nation. Several people in official positions and otherwise had communicated yesterday with the consulate at Wellington expressing their regret at the tragedy. 1