AIR CHIEF LOST

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25055, 20 November 1944, Page 5

AIR CHIEF LOST

SIR T. LEIGH-MALLORY FLYING TO NEW POST ACCOMPANIED BY WIFE (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18 Air Chief-Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Air Officer Com-manding-in-Chief, South-east Asia, and Lady Leigh-Mallory, are officially reported missing from an aircraft which left Britain on Novem- " ber 14 and has not arrived at its destination. Lady Leigh-Mallory was accompanying the air chiefmarshal because he was going to a command where it was possible for his wife to be with him. The plane had an appropriate escort for the distance considered necessary, and after the escort had been dismissed and received its thanks, the plane went on. All possible steps have been taken to locate the aircraft.; The air chief-marshal was travelling in a plane allotted for his personal transportation. It was on a standard route to the Mediterranean area. Tlie crew were fully experience-! and had flown together for some time. It had been specially selected by Sir Traiford himself and it was going to duty with him in transportation work in the South-east Asia command. No Wreckage Found The pilot of a long-range enemy fighter may be the only man who knows the fate of Sir Tr&fford Leigh-Mallory and wife, says the Evening News. The most likely theory is that Sir Trafford's plane was pounced on by a German fighter. No weather should have proved too bad for the plane, which was of the latest type. Baffling features of the mystery are that no wreckage has been found along the plane's plotted route and that the plane kept radio silence from the time its fighter escort left. Security prohibits disclosure of the names of any of 'Sir Trafford's staff accompanying him, hut it is known that among them were a personal secretary, a valet and a flight-sergeant who have been with him on all trips. Distinguished Career Air Chief-Marshal Leigh-Mallory, who is 51, was a soldier before he became one of Britain's greatest airmen. He was educated at fiaileybury and Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he took his LL.B. He served throughout the last war and for three years afterward was commandant of the School of Army Co-operation, and then became instructor at the Staff College, Camberley. In 1931 ho went to the Air Ministry as deputy ' director of staff duties and later served in England and Irak, generally in command of fighter groups. In 1942, Air Chief-Marshal LeighMallory was appointed to command the Fighter Command of the Royal Air Force and he organised and commanded the air cover at the Dieppe raid and the fighter sweeps over occupied Europe that preceded the invasion. In December last year he was appointed Allied Commander-in-Chief of the Allied air forces for the invasion of Europe. Just a month ago it was announced that he had been released from this post to become Allied Air Commander-in-Chief, South-east Asia. His appointment was taken to indicate the Allied determination to apply to the war against Japan the of the massive use of air power developed against Germany. Sir Trafford and Lady LeighMallory have two children. LEADERS' MEETINGS 1 STRAIN ON MR CHURCHILL I CHANGE OF VENUE URGED (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) v LONDON, Nov. 19 1 "Mr Churchill is a national asset and the British are growing chary of exporting him," states Lord Vansittart, writing in the Sunday Dispatch. "Mr Churchill is as active as a young man, but he is rising 70. We noted in the headlines that his journey to Paris and beyond tired him. President Roosevelt and Marshal Stalin doubtess noted this too. "It is now time for Mr Churchill's younger equals to display similar mobility in wartime. Visits between the Allied political leaders are constantly needed, both in principle and practice. The burden of risk and travel must be evenly distributed. So far too much ha| been asked of one man. Another meeting of the Big Three is imminent. Whv should not the venue be somewhere in Britain? There is a suggestion that Marshal Stalin and Mr Roosevelt could not come here because of the V2. Both would doubtless reject it. arguing they can visit where Mr Churchill can live." The Paris radio says the French Academy at a session tomorrow will appoint Mr Churchill a member. Petain, who has been a member, since 1919, is to be expelled. President Roosevelt said that, while he had not any progress toward arranging a meeting with Mr Churchill or Marshal Stalin, he wished to reassert his desire that all three principals should meet as soon as possible. He added that he hoped some day to accept General de Gaulle's invitation to visit France, but that he considered it more important first to meet Mr Churchill and Marshal Stalin.

NEW DEPUTY CHIEF SOUTH-EAST ASIA COMMAND (Rccd. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18 Lieut.-General Raymond Wheeler, of the United States Army, has been designated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff as deputy-Supreme Allied Commander in South-east Asia. He will also act as principal administrative officer, Commander of the United States seo-

ticn of the South-east Asia Command, and senior American officer in th® South-east Asia Command. He will be responsible for lend-lease for all the Allied forces in this theatre. Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese's official title henceforth will be Commander of the Allied Land Forces, South-east Asia. These consist of the Eleventh Army Group and the American forces in the India and Burma theatre.

ROTTERDAM PORT RUINED (Reed. 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18 Rotterdam is finished as a port, states the Sunday Express, quoting information from the Dutch Government; in London. It is stated that 12,000 German demolition experts and S ; S. troops wiped out the port with devilish efficiencv in seven days. The damage is estimated at £1.00,000,000. A spokesman for the Dutch Government predicted that it would require years to reboiid.