PROLOGUE SPOKEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1943, Page 3

PROLOGUE SPOKEN

IN SUPREME WAR DRAMA LONDON PRESS COMMENT. ON SELECTION OF ALLIED COMMANDERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, December 28. “The Times” in a leading article says: "While the world waits for the year 1944 and the supreme drama of reconquest of Europe, the prologue is being spoken with the announcement of the names of the leading members of the cast. Their transfer from the Mediterranean to Britain, where the forces destined for the invasion . of north-west Europe are assembled, is a plain intimation to friends and foes alike that the final phase of the preparation has begun. “No choice could have been more acceptable than General Eisenhower. His most individual contribution to strategy has been his gift for drawing together officers of diverse nationally and professional training into a .harmonious brotherhood, thereby generating a spirit of comradeship which has been communicated to all ranks in the field. “General Eisenhower brings with him to lead the British contingent of the invasion armies a lieutenant with whom he has already established strong and fruitful collaboration —General Montgomery. “The goal we have set ourselves is unconditional surrender. That cannot be achieved save by the destruction of the whole fighting power of the enemy. We have to break the resistance of millions of soldiers, sailors and airmen ruled by desperate men who know that their lives may be forfeited by defeat. They have at their disposal the industrial riches and slave labour of the Continent, all now harnessed to the defensive effort.” YOUTH & EXPERIENCE. Youth and experience are well combined in the second-front commanders. All are members of the team which won the Mediterranean victory, _ and their average age is 541. General Eisenhower is aged 53, Air Chief Marshal Tedder is 53, General Maitland-Wilson is 62, General Alexander is 52, General Montgomery is 56, General Spaatz is 52, and General Paget is 55. All are men of great drive and personality and of unorthodox . methods, which are summed up in Sir Arthur Tedder's principle. "To hell with history—what is the problem?” "The selection of Air Chief Marshal Tedder as General Eisenhower’s deputy is a precedent in the evolution of warfare plainly destined to be fruitful,” says th “Daily Telegraph” in an editorial. “The selection recognises that in combined operations the R.A.F. ranks equally with the older services, and that an airofficer may as appropriately be chosen as a sailor or soldier for a combined command. Air strategies and tactics may indeed be a dominant factor, and the air officer bo given the decisive voice.” Naval correspondents point out that no naval commanders for the second front have yet been named, but Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, which has just sunk the Scharnhorst, controls the American task force in British home waters.

SIR ARTHUR TEDDER HELD IN GREAT RESPECT. BY OFFICERS OF ALL GRADES (By the special representative of the N.Z. Press Association who has beefi touring the Mediterranean theatre of war.) LONDON, December 26. Wherever you go in the Mediterranean theatre of air operations you hear the invariable comment: “Tedder is the brains of the whole organisation. He is terrific.” This is no idle, gratuitous pleasantry. You may perhaps expect to hear such comment from high-ranking officers, but when comparatively junior officers tell you the same thing vehemently then you are certain there is more in it than mere politeness. For instance, a young New Zealand wing commander told me: “I would do anything for that chap. He once came out to our station when there was a terrific flam on. We had to change targets and bombs, and in the middle of it all I was dashing out of my office when I brushed against some chap as he came in the door.

“Later, when I returned, I found it was Air Chief Marshal Tedder, which shook me a bit as I .hadn’t exactly been polite. But you know he actually apologised for arriving at such an awkward time, and gave a hand to help us get straight. Later he met the boys, as he had come to give a talk. He just got a chair, turned it round and leaned his elbows on the back and said: ‘l’m supposed to give you a talk, but let’s have a chat. What do you want to know?’ So all the boys plied him with questions. He didn't evade one; he answered the lot and gave us the real ‘gen.’ He is terrific.” Sir Arthur Tedder is a taller and bigger man than you would guess from his photographs, and is quiet mannered and impressively self-possessed, with a delightful smile. He is attached to his pipe, which he sucks thoughtfully before answering questions. He drives his own jeep and lives in a headquarters comprised of caravans, but has a small villa for guests. He gives complete freedom of action to his subordinates and once he has selected them he never worries or questions them.