KING VISITS FRANCE
PERSONAL TOUR OF TROOPS STORMY TRIP ACROSS CHANNEL VOYAGE KEPT SECRET BY AUTHORITIES (British Official Wireless) (Rec. December 5, 7.45 p.m.) RUGBY, December 4. The King landed in France this afternoon from a British destroyer. His Majesty intends to make a personal tour of the troops in France during his stay in that country. He is accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester. The King will spend several days in France inspecting positions in the front line and the Air Force. The visit was kept so secret that the troops first learned of it by a broadcast tonight.
His Majesty, accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester, Sir Alexander Hardinge, Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Piers Legh and Captain Howard Kerr, departed from England without ceremony. Despite stormy seas his Majesty remained on the bridge throughout the voyage. Destroyers and aeroplanes escorted the Royal warship, which two French warships and a number of aeroplanes met near France. The party arrived at 3.30 p.m. There was no' ceremony, except the piping. General Viscount Gort, the British Commander-in-Chief, . LieutenantGeneral Sir Wellesley Brownrigg, Ad-jutant-General, and General Voruz, head of the French Mission at British headquarters, accompanied the party in camouflaged cars. As the party drove off the townspeople recognized his Majesty and excitedly waved and shouted “Vive le Roi.”
His Majesty changed cars because of a breakdown before reaching Lord Gort’s headquarters after nightfall.
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Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 23992, 6 December 1939, Page 5
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230KING VISITS FRANCE Southland Times, Issue 23992, 6 December 1939, Page 5
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