Mr. Churchill Had Generous Praise For New Zealanders

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1942, Page 3

Mr. Churchill Had Generous Praise For New Zealanders

Troops met in visit to E1 Alamein front. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Cairo, Aug. 26. Mr. Churchill gave generous and inspiring praise to- a representative gathering of New Zealanders whom he met on his second visit to the Alamein battle-front. He told them that they had played a magnificent part in stemming the British retreat in Egypt. Covered from head to foot with th® fine dust of the Western Desert and wearing his familiar grey-blue "boilersuit," Mr. Churchill gathered the New Zealanders about him to give them an Lntimate talk. After referring to the part the New Zealanders had played in the Middle East Mr. Churchill said: "When the great days come, as come they will, we shali never forget your valiant service. Not long ago I heard someone in England say that the New Zealand fighting men are 'balls of fire.' That description was given by someone who has had a great opportunity of assessing your worth. I am happy to be with you here, more particularly as your commander is a very old friend of mine, a friend of long standing." In Heart of Defences. When Mr. Churchill met the New Zealanders near the corps headquarters in the heart of the E1 Alamein defences he was accompanied by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir Alan Brooke, the commander-in-chief of the Middle East, General Sir Harold Alexander, the commander of- the 8th Army, General Montgomery, and the commander of the 13th Corps, to which the New Zealanders are attached. The New Zealand troops were assembied in units, with staff officers in front. Most of those who met Mr. Churchill were wearing decorations recently won. Staff officers were introduced to him by

General Sir Bernard Freyberg. He then went round the ranks and shook handa with all of the New Zealand representatives. He was wearing coloured glasses, a sun helmet and carried a silk parasol tightly rolled, which he used as a walk-ing-stick. His address oyer, he got back into his open desert staff car and gave the New Zealanders a cheery wave with , his hat. General Freyberg called for cheers and there was a full-throated roar from the New Zealanders. Then Mr. Churchill went to the lunch tent at headquarters. Those who lunched with him included General Freyberg, who sat on his immediate right, Brigadier G. H. Clifton, D.S.O.. M.C., commander of the 6th Brigade, Colonel P. A. Ardagh, Lieuten-ant-Colonel A. E. Hillier, and Brigadier S. Weir. Lunch consisted of oyster soup prepared by General Freyberg's batman (Lance-Corporal T. Hill, of Hamilton), bully beef, tinned green peas, potatoes, tomaxoes with mayonnaise. and stewed apples. There were no speeches, but the conversation was brisk throughout the lunch. Mr. Churchill addressed General Freyberg as "Berney" or "Bemard." Other members of the New Zealand forces who met the Prime Minister were Lieutenant -Colonels F. M. H. Hansom, M.M. (Wellington), G. L. Agar, O.B.E. (Wellington), Colonel S. H. Crump, O.B.E. (Wellington), Lieutenant-Colonels A. H. Andrews (Lower Hutt), F. P. Furkert (Auckland), J. N. Peart, D.S.O. (Auckland), R. M. Harding (Dargaville), C. h. Pleasants, M.C. (Wanganui), A. J. Nicoll, E.D., Major R. F. Sprosen (Christchurch, Captain C. A. Newland (Masterton), Second-Lieutenant A. W. Cottrell, M.C. (Rotorua), Sergeant-Majors C. F. Smith (Auckland), F. D. Martia (Auckland), J. H. Franklin, M.M. (Napier), L. J. Auty (Timaru), J. G. Gowan (Christchurch), H. R. Martin, D.C.M. (Tolaga Bay), Staff-Sergeants S. V. Lord, D.C.M. (Frankton Junction), Sergeants A. Sperry, M.M. and bar (Hamilton), A. B. Stewart, D.C.M., W. Batty, D.CJM. (Auckland), K. G. Butler (Dunedin), R. Mack (Takinini), M. K. Gibhs, M.M. (Dunedin), R. G. Aro, M.M. (Auckland), N. F. Lee (Masterton), B. W. Morse (Napier), N. J. Kennedy, D.C.M. (Tauranga), Corporals H. L. Smith (Wellington), S. Dunstall (Napier), J. Milne, M.M. (Ashburton), B. Hardema.n, M.M. (Hokianga) , A. G. Williams (Dunedin), L. A. Cropp (Lower Hutt), Driver R. S. Grant, M.M. (Hamilton), Private H. Stock, M.M. (Auckland). The military secretary of the New Zealand forces, | Lieutenant-Colonel L. F. Rudd, D.S.O. (Auckland), and General Freyberg's personal aide, Captain J. White, and his A.D.C., Lieutenant J. L. Griffiths, wera also presented. Tribute to War Dead. Earlier in the day Mr. Churchill had paid a deeply impressive tribute to the New Zealand war dead. When he stopped on one occasion he stepped from his car and a bare hundred yards away were pathetic little wooden crosses of New Zealanders, a tiny desert cemetery. Empty petrol tins marked the cemetery's boundary. Mr. Churchill was quick to notice this lonely graveyard of the men who had died fighting for the cause. He turned towards it, then stood in front of the largest cross, which marked the cemetery's site as distinct from humble person al memorials. In front of the cross Mr. Churchill removed his hat and stood in silent homage for several seconds. There was not even the distant boom of a gun in those few solitary seconds when the tribute was paid to the war dead by Britain's Prime Minister. It was as impressive as any cathedral i service. ' j Mr. Churchill's second visit to the des- | ert was obviously a personal goodwill trip, which he was ur.able to make on the previous occasion owing to pressure of bat-tle-front business. He travelled many miles across desert tracks in an open car to visit men at their battle stations. Only two speeches were made by him during his battle-front tour. These were more in the nature of intimate chats to frier.ds. One talk was to New Zealanders and the other to members of his old regiment, the 4th Hussars, of which he is honcrary colonel.