NEW ROLE IN INDIA FOR VISCOUNTESS MOUNTBATTEN

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 February 1947, Page 7

NEW ROLE IN INDIA FOR VISCOUNTESS MOUNTBATTEN

Viscountess Mountbatten, who has held many positions both unofficial and official, from leader of English society to superintendent-in-chief of nursing corps and divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, will have a new role to play shortly in view of her husband’s appointment as Viceroy of India. At the same time Lady Wavell, whose husband’s appointment as Viceroy lias just terminated, will look forward to a well-earned rest in her home in England. VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND The visit to New Zealand of Lady Mountbatten, with her famous husband, in April, 1945, vva s a memoiable one. An inveterate traveller. Lady Moun batten has visited almost every worth-while spot on the globe but the most exhausting travels she ever undertook were during the war when, as an official of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, she visited the battlefields of Europe and later those of South-east Asia to see to the welfare of the prisoners of war. This task was one which was very thoroughly carried out by Lady Mountbatten and her name will be remembered with gratitude by many Allied servicemen. STILL A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Although she has two grown-up daughters, one of whom was married recently, Lady Mountbatten is still a beautiful woman. Slight, blue-eyed and with nut-brown hair simply curled under at the ends, she has a charming and gracious personality which will be of infinite value to her in her new life in India. So will her other accomplishments stand her in good stead—her musical ability, her knowledge of languages, her wealth which is combined with real generosity, and her social attributes. The arrival of Lady Mountbatten in India will mean the departure of Lady Wavell who has helped her husband in his position as Viceroy since June, 1943. Lady Wavell is a soldier's daughter as well as being the wife of a, soldier and the mother of one, for her only son is an officer in the Black Watch. WORK WITH LADY FREYBERG Lord and Lady Wavell were married in 1915 and have four children. The marriage of one of their daughters, Miss Felicity Ann Wavell, to Captain Peter Longmore, son of Air Chief-Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, took place in India recently. Lady Wavell and her three daughters joined Lord Wavell in Cairo after the outbreak of war. While there the three girls worked in various Army offices and Lady Wavell, with Lady Freyberg, wife of the Govenor-Gcn-eral of New Zealand, and others took an active part in caring for the soldiers there. All her time in Cairo was spent by Lady Wavell in the welfare of the troops and she took a particularly prominent part in providing comforts for the wounded following the Greece and Crete campaigns. Like Lady Mountbatten, Lady Wavell is very musical and is an excellent linguist. The only outdoor sport of which she is fond is riding and though she has given it up now she used to be a good horsewoman and was very fond of hunting. She likes entertaining and is an excellent and charming hostess—a fact which has won her many friends in India.