ISLANDS VISIT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 125, 23 November 1943, Page 4

ISLANDS VISIT

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

TROOPS IN FORWARD AREAS

His Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall), accompanied by Major C. J. Holland-Martin, A.D.C., has returned to Wellington from a fortnight's tour in the South Pacific. -He visited Fiji and forward areas in the South Pacific war area, where.he saw New Zealand Service personnel under operational conditions. . ' The following dispatch has been "received from an N.Z.E.F. official war correspondent covering his Excellency's tour: — . ' Sir Cyril Newall visited New Zealand servicemen a$ far north as Vella Lavella and the * Treasury Islands Group during the tour .of forward Pacific zones which he has just ctihipleted. His Excellency was away- from New Zealand for a fortnight, in which time he covered many thousands! of miles to see in operational conditions units of the' Dominion's Navy, Army, and Air Force fighting in and round the Solomons area. On his way north, his Excellency visited Fiji, where he saw the Makogai leper settlement, which is supported generously by New Zealand contributions . and is treating many patients from New Zealand's dependencies, and the central medical school at Suva, a training ground for native medical practitioners. His tour of the Armed Forces opened at a South Pacific base of the Third New Zealand Division, where he .',inspected reinforcements at their .training depot and personnel and installations at base units. His Excellency spent several hours with hospital patients, talking with casualties evacuated from the front lines. Members of the Women's Auxiliary« Army Corps and New Zealand girls working for Allied military officials also had an opportunity of meeting the Governor* General. IN THE SOLOMONS. In company with Major-General Barrowclough, commander of the N.Z.E.F. in the Southern Pacific, Sir Cyril visited the forward elements of jthe division on islands of the Solomons group, where he met and spoke to.jalmost every man of the force. His -Excellency snowed keen interest in areas where the New Zealanders have recently been fighting. On Treasury, his Excellency saw a Japanese prisoner brought in by a New Zealand patrol. At Vella Lavella, he invested New Zealanders with awards won during 'the recent campaign on that island. -In. company with Commodore Wallingford, Air Officer Commanding Southern Pacific Islands, and Air Commodore Buckley, his Excellency ■> spent several days with R,N.Z.A'.F. personnel. His visit to operational airstrips coincided with a period of heavy attacks on enemy airfields and shipping in the Bougainville area, and Sir Cyril saw formations of New Zealand fighter aircraft on their way to and returning from ■ escort and strafing sorties. He spent some time in a fighter; pilots' "ready" hut, talking to the men who were about to take off. , His Excellency learnt with pleasure of the high standard of the work done by ground crews of New Zealand squadrons, which kept almost 100 per cent, of their aircraft available ;for operations every day. The New Zealand fighter wing's tally of enemy aircraft at the time of Sir Cyril's visit was 57. ' ,'• <."■•■.■■•■ At an advanced -Royal New Zealand. Navy base, his Excellency inspected ships of a flotilla which has operated in Pacific waters for many months. He was accompanied by Commander .A. D. Holden, and during his visit presented Long Service Medals' to three of the flotilla's personnel. • ■":