NEW ZEALAND TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1943, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TROOPS

TRAINING FOR NEXT ROLE MESSAGE FROM THE KING. CONVEYED BY GENERAL FREYBERG. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY. August 13. A special message from the King to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Middle East is contained in an order of the day published by the New Zealand general officer commanding, Lieutenant-General Freyberg: “I am issuing this special order of the day because I shall not have an opportunity of speaking to units in the near future,” said General Freyberg. “While passing through England during my journey from New Zealand. I was received in audience by his Majesty, who commanded me to bring a special message to the New Zealand forces. His Majesty much regretted that during his visit to North Africa he was unable to see the New Zealand Division. He gent all ranks of the Expeditionary Force congratulations on the part they played in the long Desert campaign. His Majesty said he had the greatest confidence in the ability of the New Zealand Division to carry out any role it might be given and sent his best wishes for the future.” At the end of the order, General Freyberg told the New Zealanders: “We are now training for our next role. In this new phase of the war, the fighting will be hard, and, knowing our enemy, we shall not underrate him. But, equipped, trained and armed as we will be, I am certain we can look forward to the future with confidence.” In the course of his tour, General Freyberg visited England, America, Australia and Sicily. He conferred with Generals MacArthur and Blarney and the Australian War Cabinet, and in London with Mr Churchill. He also discussed future operations with the Allied Command in Sicily.