Churchill Visits Germany, Signs Shell For Hitler

Northern Advocate, 7 March 1945, Page 3

Churchill Visits Germany, Signs Shell For Hitler

(8.0. W., 11.45 a.m.) RUGBY, Mar. 6. MR CHURCHILL HAS BEEN ON THE WESTERN FRONT AGAIN FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH THE HIGH COMMAND AND VISITS TO ALLED TROOPS IN. GERMANY. A statement issued at No. 10 Downing Street, says: “During the weekend the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Chief of the General Staff and General Sir Hastings Ismay. visited the Supreme Allied Commander (General Eisenhower) and Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery at their headquarters to discuss with them and other Allied commanders, a wide field of military matters. He also visited British and Canadian troops of the Ist Canadian Army and units of the 9th United States Army taking part in the advance to the Rhine. A considerable part of the tour was on German territory. Mr Churchill now has returned to London. A correspondent reports that Mr Churchill's visit was regarded with special significance, coming as it did a day after the gathering of generals at Field-Marshal Montgomery's headquarters. After a 90-minutes’ flight from England he was greeted at the airport by Major-General Sir Frederick de Guingand, chief of staff to Field-Mar-shal Montgomery, and by Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham. Mrs Churchill accompanied the Prime Minister. Among “Dragon’s Teeth’’ Mr Churchill crossed the German frontier at Vaels, just west of Aachen, where he got out of his car to look at the “dragon’s teeth’’ of the Siegfried Line. He proceeded across the Roer to the wrecked town of Julich. The Prime Minister, during his visit to the troops, made one speech. It was to a Highland Division, whom he addressed as follows: “I am very proud to come to meet you on German soil which our armies have conquered. The Highland Division began with a terrible disaster, but its soul rose again and those who had struck it down have been themselves defeated and see nothing but' ruin before them. The name and honour of Scotland have been held high and the deeds done by this division rank with those of any performed by any equal unit of the British Army. One Heave Will Do It “Now you are engaged in a victorious battle. Your struggle here in the north has enabled a great advance to be made in the south, and very soon the enemy will be driven across the Rhine. Far away on the other side of Germany, the valiant Russians are pressing on. Anyone can see that one good strong heave, all together, will bring the war in Europe to an end, will beat down tyranny and open the path to peace and a return to our Homeland. We British, we shall toil so that all the efforts and exertion which were made in this war shall end in a broader, better world in which our island home and the men from it will always be held in honour, and a world in which British ideas of decency and fair play will find themselves established over even broader regions. “I wish you all good fortune. God bless you all.” Wanted Trip in Tank

Mr. Churchill, who was accompanied by Mrs. Churchill, was ari hour late in arriving at an operational aerodrome in Holland on Friday afternoon, owing to a bumpy passage and two hail storms. The hail storm swept .the airfield while Field-Marshal Montgomery waited for him, anxiously scanning the sky. Junior Commander Mary Churchill, who is now with a mixed anti-aircraft battery in Belgium was at the aerodrome to greet her parents. Mr. Churchill, on arrival, said he had come to see the British and American armies engaged in the present battle. Mr. Churchill, before entering the staff car said to Field-Marshal Montgomery: “I am under your orders now.” It took a considerable argument from General Simpson, who guided Mr. Churchill on the battle-front tour to keep the Prime Minister from visiting the Rhine at Dusselclorf. “If they are shooting, you can put me in a tank and I will be all right.” Mr. Churchill said, but General Simpson declined the suggestion.

Personal Message to Fuehrer Mr. Churchill, looking around Julich’s ruins without visible displeasure, said grimly: “There will not be any unemployment around here after the war.” He chalked on a 240 millimetre shell: “Hitler—Personally,” then fired the gun and sent a shell against one of the main German escape routes across the Rhine.