Evening star., 1948-09-19
Plane Will Take Bod
OF Bernadotte From
Haifa 10 Sweden
Nv the Associnted Presf

HAIFA, Sept. ia Swedish am
bulance driven by lone American
Marine brought the flag -draped
bodies of the aSsassinated Count
Folke Bernadotte and Col Andre
Serot, his French aide, from Jerusa-
lem to Haifa today.
An Israeli army jeep and two
motorcycles formed an advance
guard for the ambulance, which
made the trip over Israeli roads in
four hours.
At the outskirts of Haifa a cara
van of 20 United Nations automo-
biles Joined the ambulance and pro-
vidcd an escort into the city.
Jews gathered silently on street
corr 'ors to watch as the caravan
passed and turned into the court
yar:i of the Haifa Government Hos
pitt.
Richest officials of the United Ma
tior5 in Palestine stood at salute
as the bodies were carried into the
hospital by French and Swedish
onlcerS Tor emDalmlng.
Lundstroem Near Collapse.
The broad -brimmed Boy Scout
type hat worn by Count Bernadotte
the United Nations mediator, lay
on his breast. The flying officers
cap Of Col. Serot, the fourth French
officer killed in Palestine, rested on
his breast.
Gen. Aage Lundstroem, longtime
comrade of Count Bernadotte, ap-
peared on the verge of collapse.
Col. Frank Begley, who was at
the wheel of Count Bernadotte's
sedan yesterday when the assassins
alta cked, said:
1T was planned and deliberate
They knew we would have to come
back that way from Government
House and they were ready. The
trigger men are probably holed up
now in the Stern compound In
Jerusalem"
Col. .Begley referred to the Stern
gang, Jewish extremists who have
long used the weapon Of assaSSina-
tion in the Middle East. His face
was scared a halt dozen places by
gunpowder burns.
Never Had Chance.
Grim, but with his nerves un-
shaken, Col. Begley added:
We never really had chance. ]
grappled with one of the Jews and
he put a slug through the door
which just grazed my stomach ano
more went by my face.
But another Jew was firing di-
rectly into Bernadotte and Serot
LundStroem, who was sitting just
behind me, was barely out of the
second Jews field of fire.
The Israeli army liaison Officer
was riding in the car ahead ano
never had an opportunity to inter
vene. He appeared as dazed by 1t al
as any of us.
Jewish authorities have promised
cleanup but it's up to them tc
make good. And what will the
United Nations do? Slap the Jews
wrist with a poWderpuff?"
The y. N. staff announced that
the funeral plane with Count Berna-
dotte's and Col. Serot's bodies
would take off from Haifa early
tomorrow en- route for burial in
Sweden and France, .-.-...s....
Arab Legion Presents Arms.
Israel temporarily suspended all
outgoing commercial flights ap-
parcntly in a countrywide hunt for
the assassins. The ban was. lifted
this afternoon.
There was no ceremony as the
Swedish ambulance left Jerusalem
At Latrun a company, OF King
Abdullah's Trans>Jordan Arab
LcoiOn presented arms.
At the Haifa city limits 25 United
Nations truce observers from the
American, French. and Belgian
armed forces were headed by Gen.
Frank Stoner, u S. Army retired;
French Col. Joseph Cardin, and
Belgian 1t. Col. Marcel Van Horen.
Present also were the American
Consul Auburey Lippincott and the
French Consul Pierre Landy OF
Haifa.
Aides Will Carry On.
DR.. Paul Mohn of Sweden, one Of
Count Bernadottes closest advisors,
was at a loss to predict how the
truce may be continued by the U. N.
Another mediator?" he asked.
"Who would take that post under
present circumstances What man
of world prestige is willing to fol-
low Bernadotte here?"
Among U. N. personnel there was
"a feeling Of sharp concern over the
manner in which the Israeli govern
ment, press and radio waged a
campaign of scathing criticism
against Count Bernadotte's mission
since June. They pointed to posi-
ers on the walls of Israeli buildings
showing a caricature of Count Ber-
nadotte being booted out of Israel
and to editorial attacks, some of the
bftterest Of which appeared on the
day Of his assassination.
But Gen. LundStroem announced
he will assume the post Monday OF
personal representative to the me-
diator of Palestine. His post as
chief of staff will be taken by Brig.
Gen. William E. Riley of the United
States Marines Corps.
Despite this terrible tragedy the
truce continues and supervisions of
its terms goes on precisely as be-
fore he said.
Funeral Date Not Yet Set,