HAEREMAI!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 06, Issue 95, 3 August 1943, Page 5

HAEREMAI!

General Freyberg had made it clear that if it had not been for the break through by the New Zealand Division on more than one occasion, the position in the Mediterranean would not be as far advanced l as it was to-day."

When the Allied nations were en- , a bled, to divert their great fleets, <whieh had brought about the downfall of Mu.s.soiini's African Empire ( and the invasion of Sicily and bring ( them into the Pacific, it was going to be just too bad for Japan, liegarding the Nursing Division, the speaker paid warm tribute to won* derful devotion and sense 1 of duty which the. nurses had displayed in all the war spheres. Responding Mr lan Gow .said that be could say without any feelings of embarrassment that, all that had been said of the fighting forces was true and were not confined to the New Zealand forces alone. The men from this, country had not only lived up to the standard of the first 'Diggers' but had adde much lustre to their name. Tliey had written their exploits in letters of lire at Alamein, Ruwisal Ridge and Marctli Line. New Zealand remembers with profounde-st. pride these deeds of her sons. Speaking of the phrase ."the mettle of our pasture" Mr Gow added that it could be safely said that the only tame thing sent from Now Zealand Avas our lamb. The nursing sisters too, he knew had set a wonderful standard which stood side by side witli that set bj our,men. Mercantile Marine Mr L. Buddie Avas eloquent in proposing the toast to the. Mercantile Marine, which he said had risen from apparent obscurity in pre-war days to the very forefront of action. In spite of grievous, losses, the men of this service carried on covering all sections of the globe, from the frozen polar seas to the torrid waters of the tropics; facing dangers from mines, submarines and aircraft so that the needs of. the army and civilians might be met. He mentioned the marvellous Avork at Dunkiilk andi the Allied landing in Africa as classic examples of the work of. the merchant navy. In reply Mr S. S. Shapley drew attention to the long years of tradi- : tion behind, the merchant navy's serI vice, dating it back to the days of Drake and Raleigh. The "Old Diggers" Mr C. F. Thomas paid warm tribute to ,thc "Roys of the Okl Brigade." He mentioned that the Avork of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East Avas avcll removed from Avhat the old diggers had had in the mud of Flanders. It was known also that many of them at. the opening of the present Avar had shaved off their moustaches and dyed their hair in order to get away again. However,, when the Japanese threat to the Dominion had. become very real.., it Avas the "Old Diggers" Avho mainly mads up the. Home Guard Avho stood between the homes of this, country and Avhat might have been a very nasty business. Mr J. 11. DclA'es, president of the local R.S.A. responded expressing thanks and appreciation and once more reminding the gathering of the interest held by all diggers in the younger fighting men of to-day. The Maori Battalion Mr G. Otlcy was at his best iin the toast to the Maori Battalion, the members of which he declared had earned, a separate, toast by vi rtue of. their gallant exploits. He mentioned the natural Maori aptness for football, as the trait which had made them go outstanding in iniativc in Avar. Their history had been written at Olympus, Crete, Mareth Line and at Talkrouna. Like the specialists in the air force Avho Avere known as 'pathfinders' he Avas sure that, the Maori "Battalion had carried that insignia for the Eighth Army. The spirit of their ancestors Avas very much aliA'c to-day. * • Lieut Pat Warbrick in reply maintained that. the. exploits of the Maori Battalion Avere, exaggerated on the main. The 'boys' did Avhat Avas expected of them —that Avas all. It Avas their duty. He- mentioned that ; it took the English a long time to get used to the idea of seeing Maori and Pakcha soldiers fraternising so freely until they Avere told that in New Zealand both races Avere as one. In the Middle East, he Avas glad to ■ say that. the. Maoris had got on Avell with all the other troops even with !• the Africans, which Avas quite an . achievement. (Continued in next column)