FLYING TOUR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22363, 23 June 1947, Page 3

FLYING TOUR

LORD MONTGOMERY INDIA & DOMINIONS STUDY OF ARMIES JAPAN ON ITINERARY (10 a.m.) LONDON, June 22. The Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Field Marshal Lord Montgomery, lett Northolt, yesterday in a Transport Command Avro York airliner for India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. “I feel that now the war is over, I must visit the Dominions whose soldiers fought with me," he said at the airport. “The Dominions produce very fine soldiers from citizen armies and we ourselves have citizen armies under the National Service Act. "I am anxious to study the Dowimion’s methods of training citizen armies because I feel we have a lot to learn from them. In the 12 months during which we shall have our new soldiers, we have to do the job properly. We have no time to lose. Desire to Meet Ex-Soldiers “I have been to Canada and America and studied what they do. When I have seen Australia and New Zealand. I think we will be able to give training without wasting time.” Field Marshal Montgomery said he was anxious to meet ex-soldier's organisations. The main purpose of his tour was to visit Australia and New Zealand. “General MacArthur sent me a very worm invitation and, as he is the only senior American General I have never met, I am very anxious to see him.” Field Marshal Montgomery hopes the trip will help to solve his housing problem. The German bombs in 1941 destroyed iris Portsmouth home. He lived in a caravan from Alamein to Berlin. No v he occupies a room in a friend’s house at Hindhead and works in the same caravan which is parked in the gardens. lie has bought an old mill at Hampshire which he hopes to turn into a house. England is short of timber for the job but be hopes to pick up nome hard oak in Australia. The plane and crew are those which took him to Moscow. The co-pilot it Flight-Lieutenant M. L. Crequer, D.F.C.. of New Zealand. Four persona! staff members accompany Field Marsr.al Montgomery: