OUR TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 April 1941, Page 4

OUR TROOPS

LANDING IN GREECE WITH OTHER. IMPERIAL FORCES ANNOUNCEMENT BY PREMIER. MESSAGE TO MAJOR-GENERAL FREYBERG. The following broadcast announcement was made at noon today by the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser): — “With reference to the latest incidents of German aggression the following announcement is being made in London, Canberra and Wellington:— “After the entry of German troops into Bulgaria which brought to a head the long-threatened German invasion of the Balkans, his Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom, in consultation with the 1 Dominions’ Governments concerned, sent an army to Greece, comprising troops from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, to stand in line with the soldiers of their ally in defence of their native soil. The British Air Force, which has for some time been operating in Greece against the Italians has been strongly reinforced. “The people of New Zealand,, I know,” said Mr Fraser, “will heartily join with me in expressing Godspeed to our boys in the task that confronts them, with the fullest confidence that they will acquit themselves as men arid ” as New Zealanders. I have this morning despatched the following message to Major-General Freyberg:— ‘“My colleagues and I and all the people of this Dominion extend to you and to the officers and men under your command our earnest and heartfelt good wishes in the operations they are now about to undertake. Our thoughts and prayers are constantly with you and particularly so at this moment. We have every confidence that the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force will add further lustre to the laurels of its famous predecessors. AU good fortune and God be with you.’ ”