ON TO TRIPOLI

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3262, 12 May 1943, Page 6

ON TO TRIPOLI

MESSAGE TO BTH. ARMY

GENERAL MONTGOMERY

“THEN NOTHING CAN STICK US”

The forthright character and

determination of General B. L. Montgomery, commander of the Eighth Army, is revealed by the text of a stirring personal mess-

age to his men, which has been received by Mr W. H. Skinner, New Plymouth, from Major E. R. \ Andrews, a Taranaki man serv-

ing in the Middle East. The message, which is dated January 12, 1943, was read to all troops. It is simple and clear-cut, and framed as follows:—

“1. The leading units of the Bth. Army are now only about 200' miles from Tripoli. The enemy is between us and that port, hoping to hold us off. ’

“2. The Bth Army is going to Tripoli.

“3. Tripoli is the only town in the Italian Empire overseas still remaining in their possession. Therefore we will take it from them; they will then have no overseas Empire.

“The enemy will try to stop us. But if each one of us, whether frontline soldier, or office!' or man whose duty is performed in some other

sphere, puts his whole heart and soul into this next contest—then nothing can stop us.

“Nothing has stopped us since the battle of Egypt began on October 23, 1942. Nothing will stop us now. “Some must stay back to begin with, but we will all be in the hunt eventually. “4. On to Tripoli!

“Our families and friends in the home country will be thrilled when they hear we have captured that place.” “That Place” Captured Nothing .did stop the men and “that place” was captured. Major Andrews encloses two mementos of Tripoli, postcard views on which an accompanying letter, dated March 5, is written. . “We lived in the city for a while and it was very interesting too, while the fresh vegetables and water were very much appreciated after so many hundreds of miles of absolutely barren desert,” he writes. “Our division certainly has been in the van of the victorious Bth. Army a long time now, but soon we hope to have all the Huns out of North Africa (except the prisoners),” he says. “The war seems to be all in our favour now, and let us hope that 1943 will see the end in Europe at any rate. Mr Churchill’s Visit A “highlight,” the visit of Mr Churchill, is described by Major Andrews. “One of our great days was about a month ago, when we were re-

viewed by Winston Churchill,” he writes. “I think it was one of his big days too, as General Freyberg said that the Premier had tears in his eyes as we gave him the general salute when he drove up. It was most impressive, the Division all in mass in a big field bordered with gums and the Premier gave one of his characteristic speeches. He is a very rotund man, pink complexion and gingery hair and blue eyes. It looked so strange to see him and his entouiage with their fair skins alongside all the brown men of the Bth. Army.