American Arms For N.Z. Engineers
(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright)
SAIGON, June 28. New Zealand Army engineers will be armed and “ready to hit back hard” when they begin work in South Vietnam in about 10 days time, Lieutenant-Colonel W. T. Foley, commander of the contingent said in Saigon yesterday. The Taranaki-born colonel said the 22 engineers in the New Zealand group would arrive in Saigon on Monday, and after a week of briefing, would begin road and bridge building under the Vietnam Governments “pacification programme.” The site of their operations is still secret, but it will be one of the country’s nominally “secure” areas.
Colonel Foley said the New Zealanders would work with equipment provided by the Vietnamese Government, and carry weapons provided by the American forces already engaged in Vietnam in an advisory capacity. “We are just bringing our willingness and skill to a people to people programme. ’ he said. The aim was to keep
the New Zealanders away from the battle areas, “but if we are fired upon, we will be ready to hit back.”
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30479, 29 June 1964, Page 13
Word Count
175American Arms For N.Z. Engineers Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30479, 29 June 1964, Page 13
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