FINE QUALITIES OF MEN OF 2ND N.Z.E.F.

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1946, Page 7

FINE QUALITIES OF MEN OF 2ND N.Z.E.F.

GENERAL PREYBERG'S PRAISE LONDON, March 31. When the New Zealanders were given equipment in satisfactory supply they took a full part in the great successes which followed the Greek withdrawal, said the Governor-General Designate of New Zealand (Sir Bernard Freyberg; speaking at a luncheon which was given. Ly the New Zealand Society in his and Lady Freyberg 's honour. " But it was in the early days, when we were fighting without equipment, and with our backs to the wall, of which we are most proud — in Greece, Crete, and Sidi liezegh — which showed the New Zealand fighting soldier at his best, and demoustrated that the nien of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. were worthy successorS of the 1st N.Z.E.F. — that the sons were worthy successors to their fathers, " said Sir Bernard. The speaker rernarked that he was particularly glad to see General Sir Alexander Godley present, and paid a tribute to his ' ' pioneeriug. ' ' Sir Bernard said that while he was in North Africa, General Andrew lius sell -wrotu a letter sayiug what g fellovvs the New Zealanders were, hui slatiug that they had to be brought away from New Zealand to iind it out. r'lf 1 liad to say what quality in them 1 most adniire," containued Sir Bernard, "1 would say their wisdoir, tenacitv, and failure to get rattled iu a erisis. Brave Dccisions. "These qualities w'ere typilied by two decisions made by the people oi New Zealand. When New Zealand came into the war zone iu 1942, and for Ihe fnst time in history, New Zealand shores were threateued, they still de cided to keep and maintain their cxpeditionary foree in the Middle Easi. Later, when the .Japanese drove so ith and east, and stretched out towards Guadalcanal,. they ' took their only equipped and tried force in New Zi.v lainl and muved it to Fiji to liold it as an outpost. These were brave decisions and history proved them wise and the policy right. " He said he wished to thank publicly Mr. Arthur Sims, ' ' to whoiu I ovve a great debt of gratitude. " Mr. Sims had presented to the N.Z.E.F. in j 949 the first mobile surgical unit. He coull have the great satisfaction of kuowing tliat it had been the ineans of saviug many lives. "He also gave me personally a veiv considerable sum of money at the beginning of the war, with no resti'ictions for the welfare of our fo.rces, and I can assure you we well and trulv spent it, " added Sir Bernard. Viscount Bledisioe paid a warai tribute to Sir Bernard and Lady Frayberg. Ile said he hoped that lie and Lady Bledisioe might be able to re-visi-t New Zealand as their guests. Legendary Figure. Saying that General Freyberg was almost a legendary figure, even with his own troops, Lord Bltidisloe deelared that no braver ofiicer had even commanded Empire troops. His modestv , was characteristic of the trulv great. ] "When I heard of his appointmeut ■ as Governor-General of New Zealand it i gave me personally more pleasure than j any news or experience has done since I 1 mvself left the shores of that delec- ! table country years ago," said Lord [ Bledisioe. He compared Sir Bernard j with Sir George Grey. Both had a i genius for gettiug safclv out of tight i places: Sir George Grev became Gov-

ernor first when in his early twrenties and Sir Bernard first became a general when he was 22; and Sir George Grey was still Governor at the age of 56, while Sir Bernard Freyberg was becoming Governor-General at the same age. Lord Bledisioe said he thought Sir Bernard 's appointment to GovernorGeneral the best that had been made since the days of Sir George Grey. Lord Addison, the Dominion Seeretary, who also paid a tribute to Sir Bernard Freyberg, said he hoped that the General 's life storv would be written oue day. It would prove most moving aud stimulating for every boy and girl in the Commonwealth.