... Lady Margaret Alexander, wife of General Sir Harold Alexander, was photographed with her younger son, Brian, at her home in Windsor Forest, where she was receiving many congratulations on her husband's great achievement in taking Rome on June 5th, twenty-one days after the attack opened in May. It was due to General Alexander's brilliant and determined strategy, in forcing the enemy to ...

... Fay Compton in a New Play The Last of Summer, Adapted from Kate O'Brien's Novel, is at the Phoenix The Last of Summer brings Fay Compton back to the West End stage under the direction of John Gielgud. The play tells the story of an old Irish family, the Kernahans, and the disruption caused by the unexpected arrival of a half-French cousin immediately before the outbreak of war in 1939. Both ...

... THE GREAT ARMADA ASSEMBLES A VIEW OF A PORTION OF THE GREATEST FLEET THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN-- an official picture taken just before zero hour. Warships, transports, landing craft, supply ships, are here seen awaiting the signal to launch the assault. Just by the wingtip of the plane is a large transport crowded with assault troops within a few hours after this picture was taken, they were ...

... This drawing was given in last week's issue of THE SPHERE: it is reproduced here again because it typifies the nature of the problem with which our troops were con fronted in their descent on the French coast on June 6. The first line of defence consisted of the extensive minefields along the coast, and the E-boats which were immediately sum moned to the attack upon the vast array of Allied ...

... AN UNUSUAL TYPE OF GERMAN MINE-DETECTOR. Much German equipment was captured by British troops at Anzio before the break-through last month, and some of it was actually being used against its former owners. Several unusual-type mine-detectors were secured, including the one depicted here. This piece of equipment is on the pram principle the search coil is ahead of two rubber-treaded wheels on ...

... I When our men crept forward in Italy to open their big offensive against the Germans, they carried with them every device for the detection and immobilisation of the enemy's mines. And then found that, in many cases, there were to detect! Instead, they were subjected to intense mortar-fire from the German defenders firmly ensconced on those awkward hill positions. i orrespondents at the ...

... THE fall of Rome, followed so swiftly by the start of the Second Front, makes the position of the Pope more interesting and important than ever. He has been described correctly as the greatest neutral. It is surprising, however, how little the British public knows about him, and how recent is any knowledge of his personality, even existence. Not a single English newspaper printed a single ...

... MYSELF AT THE PICTURES No and Yes By James Agate I TAKE the following from the Daily Herald for Tuesday, June 13:-- Hundreds of American assault troops are now reported to have lost their lives in gaining the mile and a half beach sector near Vierville. An army major in charge of burying the dead on this beach says that he estimated some 750 bodies were recovered, while probably an equal ...

... A Romance Of Modern Poland In Our Time Co-Stars Ida Lupino With Paul Henreid Of Casablanca Fame In Our Time is an original screen play written by Ellis St. Joseph and Howard Koch and directed by Vincent Sherman. It is at the Warner Theatre and tells the story of a young English girl, Jennifer (Ida .upino), who while travelling in Poland with her employer, an antique lealer (Mary Boland), ...

... 0,. A Wartime Chronicle of Town and Country Birthday Honours TWO important members of the Court, whose names rarely appear in public, and whose work is little known or appreciated outside the immediate Royal circle, were honoured by the King in the Birthday Honours List, and have each since received their decora tions in private audience. One was the Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Lascelles, first cousin ...

... The very successful first show to be organised by the Royal Windsor Horse Show Club was held in the Home Park, Windsor, on Saturday, May 27th. Pictures appeared in our issue of June 7th but un fortunately amongst these were included some taken at the Staines Horse Show. We apologise for the incorrect information given and confusion caused by our failure to differentiate between the two Shows. ...

... Metropolitan Medley A Peep Behind the Scenes at New York's Metropolitan Opera House This year the Metropolitan Opera House celebrates its sixtieth anniversary. This old building, with its dingy exterior on New York's Broadway, has seen many of the greatest singers come and go, and thousands of world-famous figures have listened to them from the celebrated 44 Diamond Horse shoe. To-day the 44 ...