FIRST TROOP ORDER

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22907, 2 January 1940, Page 2 (Supplement)

FIRST TROOP ORDER

GENERAL PRAISES SOLDIERS

IMPRESSED BY BURNHAM TRAINEES

HIGH STANDARD OF CAMP

. The first troop order issued by the commander of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force was signed in Christchurch on Saturday evening by Major-General 3. C. Freyberg, V.C. In the order, General Freyberg, who had seen a section of his Main Body troops for the first time at Burnham Military Camp, praised the -men, their physique and their keenness and the standard of the camp. "In after life, I will look upon today, December 30, as the great red-rletter day in my life when I first inspected the troops that I ,am going to be associated with throughout the war," said Major-General Freyberg, seated in an office of the 20th Infantry Battalion Headquarters, where he prepared the speech he later made to the men. "I should be wanting in feeling and imagination if I did not feel that so keenly." Major-General Freyberg's first troop i order, sent in the form of a letter to Colonel P. H. Bell. D.S.O:, Officer Commanding the Southern Military Command, read:— Dear Colonel Bell,—After my inspection to-day of the troops of the ' Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, which- have been trained under your command, I feel that I must write and tell you how very much impressed I was with all I saw. First let me say how pleased I was with the scale upon which the camp had been planned, and the great care that has been taken to ensure the comfort of the officers, non-commis-sioned officers and men. I have had a. wide "experience in questions of this nature, and I am sure the standard achieved at Burnham is as high as in anv area in the British Empire. I also feel that the greatest care is being taken of the men's health, and I feel that this should bo made known as widely as possible. During my all too hurried visit to the camp at Burnham, I inspected four units—20th Infantry Battalion, 27th Machine Gun Battalion, Supply Column, N.Z.A.S.C, 4th Field Ambulance. I was very much impressed by the physique and smart appearance of the men. by their steadiness on parade and their great keenness. ■ Will you therefore see that my appreciation of the instruction that has been carried out by the officers, noncommissioned officers as well as the work of the men themselves is circulated as widely as possible. I feel that there is one last message. Let all ranks know that although we have been set a very high standard by our predecessors, the First New Zealand Exptditionary Force. I feel certain that the youth of this country will worthily uphold the traditions and reputation which their predecessors gained in Gallipoli. France, Palestine, and Great Britain. B. C. Freyberg, M.G., commanding 2nd N.Z.E.F. Every Man Inspected It was no cursory'inspection of the 2400 troops that Major-General Freyberg made.. Eachjunit was drawn up on its own parade ground in inspection orde.r and the army commander personally inspected every man. He was specially observant of the ribbons on the breasts of the soldiers and when ho saw a soldier with service in the Great War he stopped to chat with him. While going through the ranks, he also asked questions of the new soldiers. The men impressed MajorGeneral Freyberg, anfi his personality captured them. ' . ■ Officers later said that the men were so insD}red by the soldier who is to be their leader that requests were passed down the ranks that they should be allowed to cheer him. Regulations, however, prevented such outward enthusiasm. It would have been a remarkable outward demonstration of respect and loyalty if the soldiers had been allowed to give voice tq their feelings. . . The spontaneous exoressions of approval of the work and bearing of the men given by Major-General Freyberg: during his inspection instantly brought him close to his men. 'Good work!" he called uot when one unit gave him a general salute marked .with machine-like-precision, and every unit was given nraise at unexpected moments. Knowledge of Officers The inspection lasted more than one hour and a-,half, the being accompanied by Colonel Bell and Major H. M. Foster. N.Z.S.C., the camp commandant. On arriyal at Burnham, Major-General Freyberg inspected, the District Training School and was introduced to the officers. undergoing a course of training for the second echeldn. On the parade grounds, he shook hands with every officer and. although he had expressed his appreciation to the. units individually, he addressed all the troops in the noon. He had luncheon with, the officers of the Rifle' Battalion at their " At a press conference, Major-General Freyberg; replying to a remark that he appeared to know a number of officers at Burnham, said that he knew something of the careers of the senior officers of the New Zealand Force, although he had lived in England for many years. "And I know they will give a very good account of themselves," he added, ...'.. "And.how do the men physically impress you?" he was asked. _, "They are a very serviceable stamp, he replied. "They look fit and they appear to have put on condition since they have been in camp. They are very healthy and obviously improved by the training, they have had. .The very best, use has been made of the material here."

TRENTHAM CAME VISITED

INSPECTION : OF TROOPS APPROVAL EXPRESSED WELLINGTON. January 1. At Trentham camp yesterday, in surroundings that for 25 years have been associated with training New Zealanders who served in the Great War, 2000 men of the second New Zealand Expeditinnarv Force met Major-Gen-eral B. C. Freyberg. V.C., D.5.0., who is to command the New Zealand forces in this war. General Freyberg expressed approval of the men and of the camp. In the morning, Major-General Freyberg was present at a church parade attended by all the men, after which he inspected the troops, submitting them in three-quarters of an hour to a close scrutiny, and conversing with many of them. He then took the salute as they marched past him in column of route. General Freyberg then met the officers, and addressed the

sergeants, cooks, and quartermasters, and finally delivered a half-hour address to the officers and men, directing that his words should not be published. He left camp at 3 p.m. In an interview before he left Trentham General Freyberg said "he had been greatly impressed with what was being done for the care of the troops. The scale and design of the camps he had seen in New Zealand were admirable. The cooking, eating, and sleeping arrangements were excellent, and compared favourably with those in any hutment camp he had seen. The physique and steadiness of the men had impressed him very much.