THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 23, 1939
TROOPS' CONCERT IN
THEATRE BAR
London, Nov., 25.
The King and Queen spent two hours in Drury Lane Theatre yester- day talking to the E.N.S.A. and N.A.A.F.I. concert parties and wat- ching them rehearse the songs and sketches they are to take to France this week-end.
It was a surprise visit and was in- tended to occupy only three-quarters of an hour.
The King, who was wearing the khaki uniform of a Field-Marshal, and the Queen, who was in violet, were received by Sir Murrough Wil- son, chairman of N.A.A.F.I., Mr. Basil Dean, and Sir Seymour Hicks.
In the stalls vestibule Jack Hylton's Rabbit, Band was playing "Run, Run," and 14-year-old Ernest Wisc was singing.
From the stalls seats attendants grabbed the dust sheets when the King and Queen came to watch Leslie Henson's party on the stage.
The King and Queen crossed the orchestra pit and talked with Mr. Henson, Violet Loraine, and Binnie Hale.
"The old war songs still seem to be popular, don't they?" the King re- marked to Leslie Henson.
"Yes. But I've a new one," said Henson.
"Let's hear it," the King answered, and he listened to Mr. Henson
and
his company singing "Good-bye, Sally," by Arthur Risene.
When Violet Loraine sang "If you were the only girl in the world," the
SAFETY ISLAND
To save her three children from air raid dangers, a Lancashire wife Is to give up a beautiful home to live in a lighthouse.
i
•
She is Mrs. J. W. Howarth, of Claytonfield, Clayton-le-Woods, Preston.
near
In a few days she will shut up her house, say good-bye to her husband, and take her children to the Calf of Man, a tiny island on the south-west extremity of the Isle of Man.
Their only neighbours will be Warden Mitchell, who is in charge of the bird sanctuary on the island, and his wife and mother.
Mrs. Howarth's elder son, aged thirteen, and her ten-year-old dau- ghter look forward to re-visiting the Calf, where they spent three weeks in the summer.
"We thought this would be a good safe place for the children, and mana- ged to get the National Trust to give us
long lease on the lighthouse," Mrs. Howarth said.
"I shall only see my husband about once a month. His work in the cof- ton trade keeps him busy in Man- chester.
"The children will take correspon- dence courses.
THE SIEGFRIED IS 'MAROONED'
Rhine floods swirl around pillboxes in the Siegfried Line and supplies to fortresses facing the Maginot Line are being carried by boat.
A correspondent who travelled 150 mlies along '`s front where French, and German troops keep cicas watch on each other, did not hear a single shot fired.
This was along the Lauterburg to Basle. ·
Rhine from
Past Strasbourg and Mulhouse to the Swiss, frontier ha, saw 1,500,000. men holding a defenda zone from which all civilians have been ev ated.
evacy-
The Rhine to-day is 7ft above nor◄ mal, but it is subsiding. The swifty ness of Its current would prevent either army building pontoon bridge,
Siegfried
There are three or four
Line fortresses for every Maginot Line position, but each French forts ress is three or four times more powerfully built,
Queen sald, "That old song must bring a lump to your throat."
The King greeted Tom Webster, the Daily Mail cartoonist, with the remark, "We've met before."
The concert parties of Sir Seymour Hicks, Ralph Reader,~ and Thorpe Bates were rehearsing in the dress circle bar and other corners.
a
The King and Queen found Jack Buchanan inspecting
portable theatre, chatted with stage hands, carpenters, electricians, and saw the variety section at work under Will Hay.
As they were leaving the Queen noticed some wardrobe seamstresses sitting apart, walked over and talked to them about sewing.
The King listened to the tale of Drury Lane's famous ghost
a tall figure is grey riding cloak of the early 18th century.
"When was it last seen?" he asked, and was told that many members of the compnay claimed to have seen it last March.
11-10
(Released by The Beti Besdiretu, T94,1
The perfect hos.ess is she who
can make her guests laugh over
spilled milk.
FRIENDS
ARE DEAR
THE PLAZA BOYS
First class entertainment has been arranged for patrons of the Glouces- ter during the Christmas and Year holidays.
New
The Plaza Boys and a Brunette, talented ballroom, tap and character dancers who have just completed a successful tour in India will make These daring their debut to-night. performers, demonstrating a variety of dances, will appear nightly during the festive season, together with the Duo Passiano who have already estab- lished themselves as popular attrac- tions.
on
dinner The Carnival
dances Christmas and New Year's Eve will be extended to 3 a.m. and on Box- ing Night to 2 a.m., the Gloucester the Continental Orchestra providing latest dance numbers, and there will be fancy hats, crackers, balloons and novelties to add to the gaiety of the
occasions.
CABLES ARE
CHEAP
In whatever corner of the Empire your friends may be,
greet them by cable Via Imperial
is so easy
this Christmas.
It
just hand your message in at the office of Cable twelve words and Wireless, Ltd., and so cheap, too
for $4.00 to anywhere in the Empire.
CHRISTMAS
AND
NEW YEAR
$4
TWELVE WORDS.
CABLE AND WIRELESS, LIMITED,
Electra House.
3, Connaught Road, Central,
Tel. 28035.
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