LUNCHEON WITH KING

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1940, Page 6

LUNCHEON WITH KING

MAJOR GEORGE BERTRAND WITH MAORIS IN ENGLAND 'ADVENTURES OF VOYAGE I.lajor George Bertrand, former ly of New Plymouth, second in command of the Maori Battalion, broke a nine-year-old resolution- when he smoked a cigarette at a luncheon given by Major-General B. C. Freyberg, general officer commanding the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, for the King. After the health of the King had been c'—nk General Freyberg said "Gentlemen, you may smoke" and as it was, he supposed, the only occasion on which he would get the King's permission to do so Major Bertrand lit up. He did not regard himself as having broken his word to himself but as one who took a unique opportunity to pay & little tribute to his King, rather than as one who could not resist the weed, added Major Bertrand in a letter to his wife. He was sittiog about six places from the King but was able to keep his mind on eating and drinking. The War Craft. v The menu card of that luncheon was »mong one of a number sent home by Major Bertrand. Another of much interest was that of the farewell dinner given by the captain, 'offlcers and men of the luxury liner on which he travelled. The magazine produced by the troops on board, in a delicate compliment to the

Maori Battalion, was named the Te Waka o Tu (the war craft) and many of the men on board will probably think of their ship as that rather than under the famous name she bears. While they were still at sea they heard the German radio announce the ships in the convoy and threaten the fate that was in store for them, but they arrived safely, and it was with mixed feelings thkt they left a ship on which they had made such an adventhrous voyage. A torpedb was fired at them but missed, they passed the wreckage of a sunken ship and they saw a burning oil tanker. One of the ships of the convoy picked up three men in an open boat, but Major Bertrand did not hear anything about them. Among the .'many New Zealanders he met at London were two old friends from the days -of the last war who had settled in England, Messrs. Bob Cooper and Bill Chisholm. He saw Mr. George McGlashan, Hawera, who had been one of his company sergeant-majors when he commanded the Taranaki Regiment. At the time of his letters the New Zealanders weer expecting an attempted invasion. Major Bertrand commented that he had heard Herr Hitler expected to celebrate the conquest of Britain on August 1, but thought he would be celebrating a good beating instead. They had frequent air raids, but the cover was so good that a man would be very unlucky to be caught.