ORDER & RETORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 December 1943, Page 4

ORDER & RETORT

MONTGOMERY & FREYBERG SANGRO SWIM & “SAFE PLACE” IN ITALY. STORY THAT AMUSED EIGHTH ARMY. |By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, December 15. The Cairo correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency says an officer just returned from the Eighth Army front in Italy told how General Montgomery ordered General Freyberg not; to swim the Sangro River. General Freyberg. whose swimming feat at Gallipoli is one of the best known incidents of his career, telephoned to General Montgomery each night from the left flank fo the Eighth Army to discuss the day’s events. He said on ‘one occasion: “I am swimming the Sangro tomorrow.” General Montgomery replied: “No you don’t, and that is a military order!” Then General Montgomery announced to General Freyberg that he intended to visit the New Zealand sector of the front on the following day. “Oh no you are not, and that is a military order —it is too damn dangerous over here!” declared General Freyberg. So the two generals compromised. General Freyberg promised not to swim the Sangro and General Montgomery promised to visit only a specified “safe” part of the New Zealand divisional area. The generals met early next morning in a sector General Freyberg believed to be safe. Then all heli broke loose. They were bombed and shelled and the enemy also used mortars and machine-guns. Still General Freyberg has not swum the Sangro and the Eighth Army is still jaughing over the story.