“Happiest Results” From ChurchilFs Meeting Wills General de Gaulle

Northern Advocate, 18 January 1944, Page 2

“Happiest Results” From ChurchilFs Meeting Wills General de Gaulle

(Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 17. Mr Churchill may return to London soon, says the “Daily Express.” Marrakesh, French Morocco, has always been a favourite holiday place for Mr Churchill. He has not lost touch with Downing Street and military experts except for a day or two at the height of his illness. He installed telephones and every means of rapid communication in his carefully guarded mansion, well away from sightseers and carried on the work of completing practical preparations for invasion of Europe, based on plans made at Teheran. Mr Churchill plans to be in Downing Street when the invasion is launched. He will also return to Parliament as soon as possible and may be able to give an account of Teheran Conference. The Algiers correspondent of the “Daily Mall” says that Mr Churchill has recovered from his pneumonia and celebrated the occasion by restoring the entente cordiale with France at an important conference with General de Gaulle at Marrakesh, which it is agreed in Algiers, had the happiest results. French political quarters in Algiers believe that the Allies may now recognise the committee for National Liberatiion as the Governmental authority of Metropolitan France until elections can be held after France is freed. Mr Churchill, after watching a march past of French troops declared.: “I am deeply moved to see once again French troops trained and equipped for decisive battles.” Crowds of local people enthusiastically cheered Mr Churchill.

New Proof Of Alliance

General de Gaulle, in a speech to the crowds, said: “In this meeting held in the presence of you all and the French forces of Morocco, we see new proof of an alliance on the eve of supreme efforts for the common cause. Long live the Allies.” The Algiers correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that the conference between Mr Churchill and General de Gaulle, in the words of an official French communique, “afforded an opportunity for two statesmen to define the principal questions affecting French and British relations and in addition to examine various aspects of co-opei'ation designed to secure a common victory.” The conversations lasted about two and a-half hour's.

The diplomatic corresponaWnt of “The Times” says that the meeting between Mr Churchill anl General de Gaulle is warmly welcomed in British and French circles in London. Cooperation between the Allied armies and the French has become a matter of growing urgency as the day of invasion of Western Europe approaches. It is recognised as of first importance that there should be a clear understanding on who will exercise authority and how it will be exercised in liberated France.

Not less important are the timing and manner of intervention of the resistance movement inside France in support of the Allied arrnies and the French expeditionary force. The resistance movement is now widely organised and has under its command brave experienced wreckers able to do much to disrupt the German rear. In Good Form The ccoversations were held in a villa where Mr. Churchill had been convalescing, and, by all accounts, both during these and the preceding lunch, the Prime Minister was in good form.

General de Gaulle, during lunch, asked Mr. Churchill if he had been inspired by the scenery of the town to take up his old hobby of painting. Mr. Churchill replied that he was too weak to do that but quickly added: “I am strong enough to wage war." After lunch, when the Prime Minister sat in the garden for a while, correspondents say he indulged in wearing an unusual hat—an enormous sombrero.