NEW ZEALAND’S PART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 September 1943, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND’S PART

IN DEFEAT OF ITALY STATEMENT BY PREMIER. GREAT DEBT TO ARMED FORCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. New Zealand’s enthusiasm and joy at the news of the unconditional surrender of Italy was referred to in a statement issued in Christchurch yesterday by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, who said that lovers of freedom everywhere would rejoice that Fascism and all it stood for had now crashed. “The satisfaction of the New Zealand people is based,” said the Prime Minister, “not only on the knowledge that one of the principal Axis partners is out of the war, but on the fact that the forces of this Dominion directly and decisively assisted toward bringing about the defeat of Italy. “The occasion is one in which we should acknowledge the debt we owe to those who served so magnificently with the New Zealand Forces in the Middle East and whose sacrifices have contributed toward the achievement of this splendid result —a result which is, moreover, a proof of the soundness of the strategy of the United Nations. Though this further success undoubtedly hastens the day of final victory, we must not overlook the fact that the Germans are strongly entrenched in Italy, which must now become a battleground, and, furthermore, that in the European theatre the strength and morale of Germany and its forces have yet to be broken. “I am sure that I speak for the people of New Zealand when I say that, just as we have participated to the full in the defeat of Italy, so it is our wholehearted resolve to continue to do our utmost and to contribute to the fullest extent of our resources till both Germany and Japan have been defeated and peace has been secured.” ITALIAN AIRCRAFT SURRENDERING TO ALLIES. EXPECTED AT NORTH AFRICAN BASES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.52 a.m.) RUGBY, September 9. A certain number of Italian aircraft from the Balkans are expected to arrive today at pre-arranged Allied air bases in Cyprus, Tobruk, El Adem and Derna. This announcement was made this morning by the Air Officer Com-manding-in-Chief in the Middle East <Sir Sholto Douglas), states a Cairo message. PUPPET GOVERNMENT FORMED BY THE NAZIS. IN NAME OF MUSSOLINI. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 9. The formation of a national Fascist Italian government “in the name of Signor Mussolini” was announced in a proclamation which was read to Italians over the German radio. It added: “Italian soldiers, do not obey the false orders of treason. Refuse to fight against your German comrades. Continue the fight on their side. “The Italian national government will inexorably punish all traitors and do its utmost to bring Italy out of the war with her honour intact and her future life assured.” The German home radio, in the first announcement of the Italian capitulation, said that Marshal Badoglio and King Victor Emmanuel on September 3 assured Germany that they rejected any idea of such calumny. “Badoglio has now admitted asking General Eisenhower for an armistice, which he actually signed on September 3, since the criminal attempt on the Duce on July 25 and the Anglo-American putsch designed to abolish the Fascist Government, which was loyal to the Tripartite Pact. “The German leadership had prepared for this open treachery by the present Italian Government.”