THE RECENT WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 September 1919, Page 5

THE RECENT WAR.

- “OUTSIDE” CAMPAIGNS. HOW SUCCESS. WAS ULTIMATELY . ACHIEVED. Atthe conclusion of an address on the Sinai campaign given by Colonel Powles, D. 5.0., at the Officers’ Club, Buckle Street, recently, General F. G. Richardson said hehad listened With interest to the well-deserved ‘tribut6 paid to the mounted: men for their work in that sphere of action. It was a really brilliant campaign, and in years “to come it would be more thought of than at present when most of the attention was paid to the operations on the western fron‘t_ Egypt was iinportant in that it was the key of India. Napoleon had attacked it because. he recognised its strategieal importance, and it had been ‘truly said that the nation holding ‘Egypt would hold India. If the Turks had suvceeeded in Egypt there was no saying what would have happened in and to India. ‘Many of"the -outside campaigns, he said had not been properly undersitood because the public did -not know either the objective or the, reason for the operations. The strategy of the War Office had been criticised; -but subsequent events had proved that the 10-utside operations were essential to ‘ultimate success.

It was necessary to think Imperially, the general concluded, and New Zea» land must have ‘a. force ready to be despatched overseas afi the call of {the Mother Country, and to protect herself, her interests, and ‘her people. Mounted troops were as essential as infantry, and they should be encouraged as much as possible.