“FIGHTING FIT"

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24152, 11 January 1944, Page 3

“FIGHTING FIT"

N.Z. DIVISION LEAVES FOR ITALY

HIGH REPUTATION IN MIDDLE EAST

“When the division left for Italy the men were as brown as berries, and as hard as nails. In fact, they were fighting fit and their morale was .high,” This description of the New Zealanders before the Italian invasion was given by Lieutenant-Colonel J. K. Robbie, of Invercargill, who has arrived home after more than four years overseas.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robbie, who was in command of a machine-gun battalion, took part in the campaign in Greece and the 1941 campaign in Libya. He was in Syria with the division, took part in the famous dash to Matruh and went through the El Alamein campaign. He was also in Tunis, and he left the division just before the invasion of Italy. He could not speak highly enough of the men under his command, saying that they were a “cracking crowd of chaps.” They had the reputation of being very tough and they really were. The Maoris, too, were wonderful soldiers. They had no fear and the war was just a joke to them. In the field they were absolutely “tops.” Lieutenant-Colonel Robbie also praised highly the Indian troops and the Highlanders. The Indians had been through everything; they were a great combination and he had all the respect in the world for them. Lieutenant-Colonel Robbie suffered much sickness while overseas, and he spent a considerable time in hospital. This brought him into close contact with the medical services, and he was able to appreciate what these services

are doing. “The work of the doctors and sisters was unstinting; hours meant nothing to them. They worked at all hours of the day and night when required," he said. “There were a number of English officers in one hospital I was in, and in writing home they highly praised our medical staffs. In the field, too, they did a great job and undoubtedly are still doing a good job.” Lieutenant-Colonel Robbie also praised the postal service and the firstclass job being done by the National Patriotic Fund Board. When he landed in New Zealand he was immediately struck with the prosperity of the place, he said. Everything was so fresh and green it was great to be home. The men had been particularly well treated all the way down the line, and had appreciated the very fine welcome.