UNITED NATIONS
Department of Public Information
Press and Publications Bureau
Lake Success, New York
Press Release PAL/191
19 June 1948
UNITED NATIONS GUARDS LEAVE FOR CAIRO
Forty-nine United Nations guards were bidden good-bye by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Trygve Lie, as they left by plane from La Guardia Airfield at 6:00 P.M. today for Palestine, where they will assist Count Folke Bernadotte, the United Nations Mediator, in supervising the implementation of the truce between the Jews and Arabs.
The forty-nine men – handpicked from volunteers among the personnel of the United Nations Secretariat – are all experienced international civil servants, most of them with a background as security guards at Lake Success Headquarters.
They will wear in Palestine the same uniforms and arm bands they used to wear at Lake Success.
Just as the plane was about to leave, Mr. Lie stepped up the gangway and shook hands with all the members of the party.
He told them: "I wish you a pleasant voyage and a safe return. I am confident you will do your duty in the cause of peace. You will be under one command – that of the United Nations Mediator. I give you my best wishes and good luck."
The party left in two planes – one of them a Sabena Airlines ship; the other a BOAC.
The Sabena craft is scheduled to arrive in Cairo at 5:00 A.M. on Monday, first stopping at Gander, Shannon and Brussels.
The BOAC, on the other hand, will not arrive in Cairo until 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, because the party will stay overnight in London.
In Cairo, the members of the party will receive orders from the Mediator for their further assignments.
*****
Document Type: Press Release
Document Sources: Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), United Nations Mediator on Palestine
Subject: International presence, Palestine question, Peacekeeping
Publication Date: 19/06/1948