N.Z. ANTI-TANK UNIT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20958, 10 November 1939, Page 6

N.Z. ANTI-TANK UNIT

MR FRASER INSPECTS THE MEN COMMENDED TRAINING SERGEANTS PRAISE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 9 “ The Government and people of New Zealand are greatly moved by your action, and everything will be done to assist you in the task you have undertaken,” said the Hon. P. Fraser, addressing the New Zealand anti-tank unit personnel somewhere in England at the conclusion of a whole day’s tour of Empire Ministers of the military establishments. “We in New Zealand appreciate that many of you have sacrificed careers in England in order to join the first Dominion unit training in England. All day I have seen the men parading and training and I am convinced there is nothing better than you lads in the British army or elsewhere.” Mr W. J. Jordan, the High Commissioner told the members of the unit that they were blazers of a new trail, taking up the task of preserving New Zealand’s name established by their predecessors a generation ago. Mr Fraser presented the members of the unit with copies of the New ; Testament from the New Zealand Y.M.C.A., containing a message from the King, also a wallet embossed with a kiwi from New Zealanders in London. The Empire delegates earlier closely inspected the units at work. One sergeant among the instruction is on loan from the British army. He told Mr Fraser that the New Zealand unit was the most quickly taught of any in his experience. Mr Fraser was most interesed in the modern barracks where the unit is quartered, especially the bathrooms and sleeping quarters, with their beds and wire mattresses contrasting with the palliasses of past wars. Each hut is named after a New Zealand tree such as kauri, rimu and so on. The walls of the recreation huts are adorned with New Zealand scenes.