MEMBERS OF MISSION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 4

MEMBERS OF MISSION

Links With New Zealand

“I dearly love New Zealand and hope to'settle here when my time is up,” said Major-General Lethbridge, head of tae British war mission at present in New Zealand. Major-General Lethbridge recalled yesterday that he and his wife and very small (laughter visited Hip Domhiion on leave from India iu September, 1933, and stayed 3J .months. “We liought a second-haud car in Auckland and took out tlie buck seat,” he said. “My daughter slept there iiml we slept in a tout. We travelled through New Zealand right down to the Bluff, and I fished in Taupo, the fl'ongariro aud many oilier places, and remember catching some very fine sea-trout near Invercargill."

Another of the general’s links with New Zealand was in the last war, his unit being on the right of the New Zealanders when the bitter went into rhe. line at Armentieres. “We had what we thought was a pretty good Rugby team, with, I think, five internationals,” said tlie general, “and we played the New Zealanders, flhey beat us 35-3.” . Rear-Admiral F. H. W. Goolden visited New Zealand in 11.M.5. Hood, ami at one time hud H.M.A.S. Sydney. Australia and Melbourne under his comnniud. Air-Commodore L. L. Maclean met s large number of New Zealanders m Hie Middle East, where lie was in command of the heavy bombers for two of the troublous years.