TRIBUTE PAID

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 287, 4 December 1941, Page 7

TRIBUTE PAID

GONDAR VICTORS Commander's Inspection Of Troops British Official Wireless. Rec. 1 p.m. RUGBY, Dec. 3. It is officially stated in Nairobi that on Tuesday the General Officer Commanding, East Africa Command, Major-General Wetherall, accompanied by the Divisional Commander, Major-General Fowkes, inspected the different units comprising the force which captured Gondar. On parade were men from the Mother Country, East, South and West Africa, the Sudan, India and Ethiopia—and a detachment of the Free French. The following personal message from the general officer commanding was read to the individual companies in 10 different translations:— "With the capture of Gondar, the East African force has accomplished its immediate mission in defeating the last Italian forces opposed to us. To carry out this we advanced nearly 3000 miles, defeating in many battles an enemy much superior to ourselves in numbers and artillery.

"We accomplished our task owing to superior leadership, the valour of our soldiers and the bravery of our airmen. The troops who fought at Gondar are veterans, but the majority had seen little or no previous fighting. In the difficult, stern fight for this place you all displayed the same splendid fighting spirit.

"Though in this theatre of war we have defeated the enemy, the time has not come to relax. It is for us only a breathing space in which to perfect ourselves in tactics and the mastery of our weapons. We do not know what plans the enemy will make for the future, but that he will fight us to the end in every part of the world is certain.

"I had a wire from the head of the army in London congratulating you on the fine feat of arms entailed in the capture of Gondar. I, as your present commander-in-chief, am proud of you and cert?K that whatever calls may be maw on you in future will be met with the same valour and success as you recently displayed."