SPEECH BY SIGNS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 37, 8 November 1943, Page 6

SPEECH BY SIGNS

New Zealand and Indian Troops Fraternize (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) CAIRO, September 20. A better understauding among peoples of the Empire in times of peace is indicated by the friendliness and respect existing between New Zealand troops in the Middle East and men of the I’ourth Indian Division with whom they were associated in many desert engagements. Ibis friendship has been fostered since tnen by social gatherings at which they have mixed freely and managed to entertain themselves happily in spite of language difficulties. „,, „ , , Not long ago a party of New Zealanoers was entertained by the Indians at their rest home and last night the - e-v Zealanders were hosts to about 100 .Indians. They gathered in a messroorn where ice cream, cool drinks and toon prepared the way for conversation, more by sign language than anything else, but for all that surprisingly free and easy. Early iu the evening’ a short visit was paid by the G.0.C., Second NAM, Lieut.-Geueral Sir Bernard Ireybe.g, V.C., who through an interpreter spoke of the New Zealanders’ associations wl '"} the Indians in the desert. They would be proud to fight alongside them on any future occasion, he said. General l re y* berg remarked that he had mentioned t.ie Indians at the many meetings he had addressed in New Zealand and that sucn mention had always produced great applause The New Zealanders then drank to the health of the Indians and sang “For They are Jolly Good Fellows, On behalf of the Indians it was stated tuat tbev greatly appreciated, .their contact with the New Zealand Division. General Freyberg shook hands with many of tae all, turbanned Sikhs and lithe Gurkhas, with their heads shaven except .or a small tuft or toki. and complete w;tu their dreaded kukri (knives), gathered in small groups with the New Zealanders, all friendly, smiling and. nodding approval of the occasion. The Sikh never cuts his hair and always wears his turban. Ihe Gurkha shaves his bead except for the toki, which is to take him to heaven. The use of the kukris was one of the main topics of conversation. A New Zealand band played several numbers and later films of New Zealand and India were. shown in the Lowry Hut by the Mobile Cinema Unit.