N.Z.E.F. RESTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 303, 23 December 1941, Page 3

N.Z.E.F. RESTS

NOT IN ADVANCE CHRISTMAS IN DESERT (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) CAIRO, December 21. New Zealand troops are no longer engaged in the Imperial advance in the Western Desert. A dispatch dated Western Desert, December 17, stated that while hundreds of New Zealanders still fought spectacular actions around Gazala as the British drive through Libya continued, the majority of the division was now at a resting-place in the Western Desert. Reorganisation and re-equipping were started a few days ago and are going ahead with speed.

To-day at one of our battalion conferences cooks and quartermasters were planning an elaborate Christmas dinner here in the desert. The menu will consist of turkev, olum pudding, blazing brandy, sauce" and beer. General Freyberg will spend Christmas with the troops in the desert, and it is expected he will make a tour of as many of the men's messes as possible, just as he did last year.

Our battalion training has started again, much to the disgust of the troops, who are never enthusiastic about parade ground soldiering.

A certain percentage from each unit has been allowed leave, and trains take smiling New Zealanders to Cairo and Palestine. It is thought likely that New Zealanders still in action around Gazala will be withdrawn at any time now, and it is hoped the whole division will be together for Christmas celebrations. Leave is to be granted on Sunday to a percentage of the division to see the New Zealand Rugby team in action at Alexandria against the Combined Service team. Tired, battleworn faces among the troops are now giving place to smiles, and as the men recover from the rigours of the Libya campaign their thoughts are starting to turn to the next action.