SAYS THE KIWI TO THE EAGLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 118, 21 May 1945, Page 4

SAYS THE KIWI TO THE EAGLE

THE little Kiwi corporal with five, years' service chevrons on his sleeve blew out a big cloud of cigarette smoke, which partially obscured the reflection of his battlebitten face in the bar-room mirror. He gazed absent-mindedly at all the empty bowser-racks, thinking how odd it was that in the days when whisky and gin were plentiful he always called for beer, whereas he was now always in quest" of spirits. "That's a swell suit of overalls you're wearing," drawled an American voice behind him. "But what a funny hat!" The corporal turned, grinned at the newcomer. "Think it's a funny hat, eh?" "Yeah, sure it's a funny hat. Never seen one like it in all my life. At least, not for a grown-up guy." "You haven't, eh?" "No, but it looks swell just the same. Pretty swell suit, too. Pretty useful. What are you—foundry worker?" The corporal grinned, blew out some more smoke. "Well, I've been called a lot of funny things in my time, but not a foundry worker, I'm—" "Well, now, I don't just mean a foundry worker. I guess it would be a pretty swell outfit for most any sort of factory. General utility thing. Stand up to plenty, and comfortable, too." Battledress ''We call it a battledress," said the corporal. "Battledress, ah? Mean its a sort of uniform?" "Not a sort of a uniform, cobber. A uniform. British Army uniform. Eighth Army uniform. Any British Army uniform. Mean to tell me you've never seen it before?" "Well, I reckon I saw a bunch of guys dressed your way out in Main Street there —Queen Street. Thought they were factory guys. So, you're a soldier, ah?"

By GEOFFREY WEBSTER „ v "Yes," said the corporal. "See you're wearing a ribbon there, too. Hadn't noticed. Decoration, ah?" "Lady Astor!" "Ah?" "Aw, skip it, cobber. Africa Star. All our blokes who crossed the El Alamein line got one." "El Alamein, ah? You at El Alamein?" The corporal nodded. Kiwi Division "Funny hat, all the same." "Beret, we call it. All our blokes wear 'em." "Blokes?" "Yes, all the blokes in the Div." "Div.?" "Yes, New Zealand Division." "You in the New Zealand Division?" "Yes." "Seen any action? What's that 'eight' on the ribbon?" "The 'eight" stands for Eighth Army. Alexander's Eighth Army. General Sir Harold Alex " "Never heard of him." "Never heard of Alexander?" "Guess not." "Heard of General Marcus Clark?" "Sure, sure!" "Well, he was with us in Italy. American Fifth Army, you know." "Fifth Army in Italy?— You mean France, Germany, ah?" "No, I mean Italy. Fighting the old Tedeschi." "Tedeschi?" "Yes. Italian for Jerry." "Jerry?" "Yes, Jerry. The old Hun, the Nazi, the panzer boys. Where you been hiding your head all the war, cobber?" "Me? Oh, why sure, I'm doing a big job up the 'Canal. Guadalcanal. Plenty doing up there. Hot spot the

.Canal. I'm on a transport job, running between the 'Canal and backStates." "Good on you, cobber!" Up the Pacific "You been up the 'Canal? Up the Pacific? Pretty big show the Pacific. Yes, sir!" "No, cobber, I've never been up the Pacific!" "Well, now, that really is a pity. Say that is some show. It'd knock your eye out, it really would. We're really goin' to town in a big way up there, right now. You really should see the Pacific. How about you New Zealand Division- guys, in them funny hats, goin' up the Pacific. You really would see something." "You reckon, cobber?" "I sure do! You really would see something!" "Have a drink, cobber." The corporal flung down a florin. It lay on the bar, kiwi side up, in a small puddle of beer. "See that bird on the coin there, cobber? Well, I'll tell you something. That's a kiwi, cobber. Our national bird, our emblem—like your eagle. Only it can't fly. And it's very timid, cobber, not like your fierce eagle, cobber. Wings no good, eh? And it's very nearly extinct. Hides in the bush—in the dark forest, cobber. Very, very hard to find. But all New Zealand soldiers overseas are called Kiwis—K-I-W-I-S. And a lot of our blokes who can fly, they are called Kiwis, too. And there is nothing tame or frightened or timid about that kind of a Kiwi, cobber. You should read up a bit about the Kiwis, cobber. Take time off some night, up the 'Canal." "Why, sure, Keewee, I sure will. I sure will. But the old 'Canal's a pretty hot spot, Keewee!" "I reckon it must be," agreed the corporal. "Drink up your beer, now, and perhaps Joe'll give us a drop of Scotch!"