IMPERIAL ARMY IN MIDDLE EAST

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 11

IMPERIAL ARMY IN MIDDLE EAST

Vital Task To Perform

CONTINUAL GROWTH IN NUMBERS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 14." The War Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, has addressed a special message to relations arid friends ot what he referred to as the “essentially Imperial Army” in the Middle East. The members of this army, Mr. Eden said, faced the future with the utmost confidence and he was able to report that the standard of health was good. Mr. Eden recounted how he bad seen volunteers from Australia. New Zealand, .South Africa, India. Palestine, Cyprus, Mauritius, and Malta, all of whom had come of their own free will to play their part. “I told our forces in a special message before I left.” be said, “that Ibe future in the Middle East was safe in their hands, and I van tell you I liar there is much more reason for that confidence than there was a short time ago. For our men in that part of the world are continually growing in numbers. They have more and better weapons and they know how io use them. “No one should under-estimate the task they are called upon to perforin. It is immensely formidable, hut with every week that lias passed our forces have been better trained and equipped to carry it through to victory." Mr. Eden spoke of the pleasure if bad given him to meet the South African Premier, General Smuts. "In the far-off days of the last war many of us from other parts of the Empire felt that there were qualities in him which made him the leader of us all and a brave and sure guide in times of peril and difficulty. It was of the greatest value to me at Khartoum to lie be able to take counsel with a statesman with these rare qualities of vision, wisdom, and courage.”