GENERAL FREYBERG

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1943, Page 3

GENERAL FREYBERG

ARRIVAL ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND For Consultations With War Cabinet on Future Operations WELCOME AT AIRPORT NEAR AUCKLAND DIVISION AT PRESENT RESTING AT CAIRO AUCKLAND, June 20. The General Officer Commanding the Second Division, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C., arrived in Auckland today on an official visit to New Zealand. He made the long journey from the Middle East by air, the last part of it being in a Liberator bomber of the type used by the King and by Mr Churchill. General Freyberg’, who looked tired but fit when he arrived, was accompanied only by his aide-de-camp, Captain J. C. White. He landed at an airport near Auckland at 3 p.m. He had been daily expected for several days past, but had been delayed ovei the final stages of his route by bad weather.

JOURNEY IN BOMBER

The bomber which brought him to Auckland is the private aircraft of Major-General Millard Harmon, officer commanding the United States Army forces in the South Pacific area. It rejoices in the name of “My ever lovin’ Dove ll.’’ The Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Cyril Newall, was represented at the airport by Air Commodore Buckley, A.D.C., M.B.E. General Freyberg was also welcomed by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, the mayor, Mr Allum, and by a number of members of Parliament and service representatives. The latter included Lieutenant-General Puttick, General Officer Commanding, New Zealand Military Forces, MajorGeneral Bell, Officer Commanding, Northern Military District, MajorGeneral Barrowclough, General Officer Commanding, Third Division, N.Z.E.F., Commodore' Rotherham, R.N., and Captain Jupp, U.S.N., senior United States naval officer in New Zealand. General Freyberg was also welcomed by his brother, Captain C. Freyberg, who is adjutant of the Northern Military District School of Instruction, Mrs Freyberg and their two sons, one of .whom is- in the R.N.Z.A.F., while the . other is a pupil at King’s College. Captain White, who has been General Freyberg’s aide' throughout the Division’s campaigns, had his own reunion, being greeted by his father, Mr C. G. White, Wellington, a director of the Union Steam Ship Company. General Freyberg had a warm handshake and pleasant word for everyone he met. Mr Fraser also introduced General Freyberg to many members of the W.A.A.C. and air force ground staff who enthusiastically watched his arrival and General Freyberg spent some minutes in conversation with them. The wound which he received while his division was covering the general withdrawal of the British forces near Mersa Matruh on June 26 last was clearly noticeable. Though the general spent only three weeks in hospital, the shell splinter which then hit him in the neck has left a scar more than three inches long on the right side of his neck immediately below the ear. The splinter just missed the jugular vein.

CRETE DAYS RECALLED. General Freyberg briefly thanked the large gathering at the airp'ort for the welcome given to him. He said he had not expected any welcome at all and he was very touched by the one which had been given him. “if is a tribute to the now wonderful division which I have had the honoui’ to command for three and a half years,” he said. “The last time I met Mr Fraser at an airport on June 1, when the division, or the remnants of the division, had just arrived back from Crete. Since then, a great deal has happened. We have got air superiority and adequate equipment, and we have shown that as a force your division is second to none. It is also three and a half years since I left Wellington, taking your division overseas. “There are some things which I cannot tell you yet, but 1 can tell you that this division at present is back from Tunisia and is enjoying a well-earned rest in Cairo. They are in excellent heart. I saw every unit before 1 came away and I bring back to New Zealand the love of every man there.” After the welcome by the runway on which the big Liberator landed, General Freyberg was taken to the officers’ mess at the airport for afternoon tea. He was later motored to the city.