MEMORABLE YEARS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1943, Page 3

MEMORABLE YEARS

SURVEYED BY GENERAL FREYBERG SPEECH AT AUCKLAND RECEPTION ACHIEVEMENTS OF NEW ZEALAND DIVISION. ACCOUNT OF PRESENT DAY ORGANISATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUSKLAND, June 21. The pride and affection Lieutenant-General Freyberg, V.C., has for his men of the Second Division of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force were apparent throughout the speech which he gave in thanks for a civic reception which was tendered to him at the Town Hall today.

General Freyberg was given a great ovation, being welcomed by the Mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, and a large body of citizens. Mr Fraser said the war up to the present had cost New Zealand £230,000,000, but, he said, the people were backing up the soldiers’ efforts to the full, and everybody was determined to maintain that effort, and in particular to contribute all of the £35,000,000 required for the Third Liberty Loan. “I do not think any commanding officer ever had a better lot of men to command than I have.” General Freyberg said. “I know it.” He knew, he added, that the welcome he had received was an expression for the division, and he would convey it back to the wonderful men and brave band of women which New Zealand had in the Middle East. ‘The three and half years,” said General Freyberg, "have been full and very difficult years. They have also been years of great and abiding achievement, and when the historian comes to do his work after we have defeated the Axis and the Japanese, the actions of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. will bear the closest examination. It has been said that the British lose every battle except the last one. We in the Middle East have been waiting for the last one, except in this last campaign, for a very long- time, but it has been it.” General Freyberg divided the three and half years into two periods. The first and very long one was provided by the time in which the British forces had to fight a well-equipped and well-trained army with scanty forces and equipment. The second period fell into the last 10 months, and in this time the British forces had shown that they could not only take it but could also give it HEAVY CASUALTIES.

“When we came to the Battle of El Alamein,” continued the general, “we had been fighting for three months. We had very heavy casualties. We were 1,000 down in artillery alone, and I felt that I had come to the point where I might have to go to the commander-in-chief and say, ‘We have come to the place where we will have to have a rest.’ However, we went into the Battle of El Alamein short in numbers, short of technical personnel and with sick men going away every day, but we fought right on through those 10 hard months in that fast-moving campaign.” MOBILITY & HITTING POWER. General Freyberg said the very remarkable force which he commanded had started as an orthodox formation of three infantry brigades and the usual attached troops. “We came to the conclusion,” he said, “that an extremely mobile hard-hitting force was what was wanted. We specialised in forming that type of force. We got what we wanted from Britain and soon we were such force, , admirably suited for making surprise appearances on the battlefields and capable of striking hard blows. We appeared at the most inconvenient place and at the most inconvenient hour behind the enemy, often after an approach of 500 miles. It was in such circumstances that one learned to appreciate to the full the New Zealand private soldier I often wondered what they thought of me when I led them into difficult and dangerous operations but whenever I discussed such an operation with one of my senior commanders \we were always comforted by the reflection that the operation was not so hazardous as Sidi Rezegh, during the approach to relieve Tobruk.” EL ALAMEIN SURPRISE.

The Battle of El Alamein was on October 23, said General Freyberg. Till Christmas Day the men were living on brackish water. Their two quarts a day would not lather soap and it ruined tea, but you never, heard a grumble. “I have in my mind a very clear vision of the division,”" he continued. “This particular operation was to effect a surprise. We crawled forward, 6000 vehicles strong, over 500 miles, and waited to pounce on the enemy when he least expected us. The men were enduring everything, always cheerful, never grumbling, always turning up at the right time, never getting lost, and always using the greatest common sense. I do not think any commander everhad a better lot of men.”

Special tribute to the officers who had served him was paid by General Freyberg. He said he did not think any commander had been better served, and added that he was glad to be able to express his admiration and gratitude to two of his former commanders who were present at the reception, Lieutenant-General Puttick, and Major-General Barrowclough General Freyberg also mentioned other officers from Auckland Province, to whom he said New Zealand and he owed special debts. They were Brigadier Kenneth MacCormick and Brigadier H. S. Kenrick for their service to sick and wounded, and the late Brigadier John Gray, Colonel J. N. Peart, and Colonel J. M. Allen. The general also thanked the officers of the staff corps for having carried the burden of the bulk of the staff work. “I am tremendously grateful to them,” he said, “for the way in which they have trained and organised the division.”

General Freyberg left tonight by the Limited express for Wellington, where he is to have consultations with the War Cabinet on the future operations and welfare of his division.