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New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 421, 18 July 1947, Page 7

Anyone who wants to know what manner of man is the most ‘successful British general since Wellington can read all these books with profit-and should read them all and not one only. He made himself known to his troops in a way that no other British general did, and in doing so got to know them. Of course he was then accused of being a publicity monger. Yet Moorehead says he held only two Press conferences and did not handle them very well. What he did and said was just naturally news, and if he sought publicity it was purely and solely for its value to his troops. He was always emphatic, deliberate, and direct, the unquestioned commander. "We are going to Tripoli, going to Tripoli,’ clearly we were going to Tripoli. "You may cough and clear your throats for one minute and then there will be no more coughing or hawking," and there was no more. I tried to maintain that there was no evidence that my men had been smoking. "When I say your men were smoking they were

smoking." I felt that he had made the position clear; they evidently had been smoking. Before Alamein he inspected all the troops who were to make the assault, as later in England he inspected those destined for the Normandy beaches. Fifth Brigade put on a full ceremonial and to my proud eye looked splendid, the battalions beautiful smooth running machines, the men hardened, refreshed and confident. The Army Commander walked with me along the front of every company, looking closely at each man. I remarked, "Every man is a veteran, Sir." "Yes," he said, "trained to kill in the moonlight." It was faintly shocking, even though we were by no means softhearted in those days, but after all killing was our business. As we walked away he said, "It is an inspiration to see such troops," and I felt that he meant it. To me he seemed avery great soldier and by the end of the war I ‘believe he had become a great man.