THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL OF YUGOSLAVIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 10 January 1944, Page 6

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL OF YUGOSLAVIA

A LANGUID YOUNG M.P. London, Dec. 15. About the beginning of this year a long, languid, young member of the House of Commons said to an official of the House, in the manner of one who proofed to be out for dinner that night: “Look here! If anyone wants to get hold of me in the next few months you might say they can reach me through Barclay’s Bank, Piccadilly.’’ The MJ?. was Lieut. Maclean, who, as a brigadier, heads the British mission to Gen. Tito leader of the Jugoslav Partisans. According to “Daily Express” political co-respondent. Mr Eden’s revelation of this fact startled members of the Commons. They had not thjught Lieut. Mach an that sort of man. The correspondent goes on: “This is a very strange character, this casual, lissome, modish young man with a flowing, fair moustache of an Edwardian officer, the cultivated boredom of a man abcut clubs, the cosmopolitan acuteness c* a diplomat, and the deliberate gallantry of a brave soldier.” Members of the Commons who discussed Lieut. Maclean’s job yesterday did not fail to recall his mannered elegance and drooping charm, and the affectations of sleepy complaint. Nor did they fail to remember that he wore the badge of a parachutist, which suggested another train of thought. Apropos his adventures in the desert when he led a column of AngloFrench troops on a special mission against Rommel, the correspondent says: “Lieut. Maclean’s ability to hike vast distances was discovered by many Continental secret service men when the lieutenant was a diplomat. Once he took quite a few secret service men of a certain Government for a walk that covered half eastern Europe. He returned with a great deal of useful information.” The correspondent says Lieut. Maclean shares Gen. Tito’s secret headquarters. He speaks Serbo-Croat fluently. How he reached Yugoslavia must remain a secret for the present, as the same method is needed to get others there. But it can be said that the method used is in keeping with the Scarlet Pimpernel atmosphere of the rest of the story. The chances are that Lieut. Maclean will return to London, drop into the bank in Piccadilly, stroll round Brooke’s Club, sink into his favourite armchair, and start complaining gently about the drinks or the weather.