AT THE FRONT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1943, Page 4

AT THE FRONT

PROVISION OF WELFARE SERVICES N. Z. DIVISION IN AFRICA. GENERAL FREYBERG’S PRAISE Reporting on the servicing of the New Zealand troops who took' part with General Montgomery’s victorious Eighth Army in the North African campaign, Lieutenant-Colonel F. Waite, commissioner for the National Patriotic Fund Board, states that the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. men were the first to set up a canteen in a building near the waterfront at Tripoli. At Medinine he saw the New Zealand G-.0.C., Lieu-tenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, who said to him: “Our fellows are the best looked after in North Africa. The Kiwis Concert Party, and the mobile cinemas and canteens have done great work. Tell the New Zealand people we are proud of them.” Many difficulties were encountered, but Colonel Waite says that under all the circumstances it was surprising how little was lost. He went by truck to Tripoli, taking eight days from Cairo, to see for himself if the walfare service could be improved in any way. He describes the trip as a punishing one for vehicles that are no longer new. At the canteen established in Tripoli free tea and biscuits were dispensed for New Zealand troops.

BOMBED AREA. “The location was right in the bombed area,” Colonel Waite continues. “The two nights I stayed there spectacular raids occurred. This is interesting for a night or two, but gets very trying for men who have to put up with it night after night. Over 500 free cups of tea, with biscuits, were supplied daily to our men on leave in Tripoli from units at our advanced base. At the advanced base itself, a New Zealand Y.M.C.A. institute was operating where men could get their free tea and biscuits, write their letters home, and purchase in the canteen whatever goods were available. The New Zealand Forces Club in Cairo sends up to the Y.M.C.A. and unit canteens with the advanced base and the Division everything available. Indeed an analysis of all the supplies bought, both from New Zealand and locally, by the club in Cairo shows that 90 per cent, goes to units in the field.” The Y.M.C.A. secretaries and the padre at advanced base visited all the hospitals in the Tripoli area. Referring to the Kiwi Concert Party, Colonel Waite says that it played with great success in Tripoli and the suirounding areas. An oppotunity occuired fo these entertainers to go to Malta, and for maintenance of instruments and properties, and for incidental expenses at Malta, he made a grant of £l5O. Altogether about £3OOO has been spent by the board on this party. “The New Zealand entertainment unit,” he adds, “has a great name in the Middle East, and the expenditure on it is considered amply justified, as its services are regarded as being very stimulating to ‘browned off’ troops.” REAL THING. The New Zealand mobile cinemas not only catered for our own troops, but also for naval, air force, and British Army units. Colonel Waite relates that at one show when the evening open-air-audience was watching a bombardment scene in the film “Next-of-Kin,” behind the screen was witnessed for 20 minutes a brilliant real bombardment of Tripoli, complete with bursting shells, red and orange tracers, and German flares dropping quietly down. The mobile canteens up with the Division had .done great work even though supplies had been restricted. “It makes one very proud of our welfare service,” Colonel Waite concludes. “The New Zealand Y.M.C.A. has a reputation of giving the closest frontarea service. The Maori canteen, with its touching Maori inscription, is perhaps the most famous of all front-line canteens in the Middle East. It follows the Maori Battalion into the most dangerous places.” Colonel Waite’ added that at the time of writing the Y.M.C.A. and Church Army mobile canteens were keeping up with the Divisions, i