A Great Soldier Honoured

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26441, 7 June 1951, Page 6

A Great Soldier Honoured

The elevation to the peerage of New Zealand’s Governor-General, Sir Bernard Freyberg, will be warmly welcomed and approved by New Zealanders and by the many outside New Zealand who know and admire the record of this great soldier. Although not a New Zealander born, he is a New Zealander by upbringing: and the achievements which set the seal upon a most notable military career were the achievements of the New Zealand soldiers he led so capably and inspiringly in the recent war. His feats of personal bravery in the First World War are too well known to need mention here; but they explain, together with his excellent record as a professional soldier, why the announcement of his appointment to command the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force seemed to the people of this country something more than just a very good choice in those anxious days; it was inspired and inspiring. Its wisdom was amply proved by the part played by the New Zealand troops, out of all proportion to their numerical strength, in the gruelling early campaigns in the Middle East and in the great offensives which led to the Allied victory. Sir Bernard Freyberg’s appointment at the end of the war to succeed Sir Cyril Newall as Governor-General seems now to have been inevitable; but it Was no less wise or fortunate because of that. In this high and responsible position he has shown the same devotion to duty, the same high regard and deep concern for

the welfare of the people of his country as he showed for the troops in whom he took such a deep pride. “The Press” remarked, when Sir Bernard Freyberg’s appointment as Governor-General was announced, that all New Zealanders would hope that it would lead him and Lady Freyberg to years of service as happy as they would be strenuous. To that we would add now the hope that the years of his high office have been and will be as happy for them as they have been for the people of New Zealand.