ENTHUSIASTIC RUSSIANS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 9 April 1942, Page 2

ENTHUSIASTIC RUSSIANS

FIVE FLYERS INSPECT NEW ZEALAND CAMP VISIT TO EGYPT (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) Cairo, April 8 Five Russian flyers from Moscow inspected the New Zealand base camf at Maadi at their own request on 7th April. They had read of New Zealanders in books and newspapers anc were anxious to meet them, said the Russian correspondent, Mr Oristov who interpreted. They are Captair Ribin, and Lieutenants Desyatov Monachov, Ivanov and Michailov. Al! are former civilian flyers and one wears a badge for having flown 1,000,000 kilometres without an accident. They are at present flying ar American plane for a Polish General, taking three days to come from Moscow to Cairo. With grave faces, the flyers handled infantry weapons, smiling broadly on feeling the bayonet edge, and on bumping over rough country in a Bren carrier. They nodded approvingly on seeing American-made sub-machine guns demonstrated. The Russians watched a New Zealand sergeant instructing a squad of Greek soldiers in the Bren gun and exchanged salutes with men who fought in Albania, Dressed in khaki tunics belted outside their breeches, and jackboots and caps w'ith the hammer and sickle badge, the Russians patiently posed for many New Zealanders’ cameras, saluted enthusiastically and shook hands with all whom thev met