January 1951

SWISS AVALANCHE DELAYS LADY GOLDSMID

An avalanche in Switzerland prevented Lady d'Avigdor Goldsmid with her children and a party of friends from beginning the return journey to England until the following day.

Lady Goldsmid had been staying for the past two weeks in a hotel in Murren which can be reached in winter only by a small railway as there are no roads.

The party was due to leave for England on Saturday but were informed that an avalanche had fallen on the railway and buried the train, which happily was empty.

Departing visitors could not leave and new arrivals could not get in so Lady Goldsmid said she and her friends added "another day to our holiday which was delightful."

They found train services in other parts of Switzerland disturbed but were back in England on Monday.

(From the Tonbridge Free Press)
** Murren is a Swiss mountain village which is now accessible by cable car. Featured in the James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the nearby Piz Gloria revolving restaurant has spectacular views of Mont Blanc.