HONOURS AND WOUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 103, 29 October 1945, Page 7

HONOURS AND WOUNDS

FREYBERG'S DISTINCTION

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

LONDON, October 27. In-his oration in the Sheldonian Theatre at the ceremony of conferring the honorary degree of Doctor 'of A Laws of Oxford University on high Allied personages, the Public Orator, referring to General Freyberg, said: "What credence will be attached by posterity to the wonders of an age so prolific as ours? Will it be believed that the fabricated ports called 'Mulberries' were towed across the Channel? Or that New Zealand, in space a world apart from us, yet felt for us the closest attachment^ sending picked troops to our side? 1' Yet' here, said the Orator, turning to General Freyberg at his side,, was one who bore witness to that service; • The Orator touched upon the unexampled number of distinctions gained by General Freyberg, though these were not .more numerous than the honourable wounds that he could show. In command-of the New Zea 7 land Contingent, he showed in defence of Greece, and later of Crete, what sheer courage could accomplish. Thence transferred to Egypt at a moment when "a mountain was in labour—and the Desert Rat reborn, he and his men went on to El Alamem, El Agheila, El Hamma, and, other battles, where the outflanking moves he undertook were decisive. From there he went to Italy, where impregnable fastnesses fell to his courageous assault.

cation of our policy more urgent than we could have dreamed six months ago. -■.;■',':• "It means that we must be prepared to approach international problems with greater speed, 'determination, and ingenuity to meet an unprecedented situation. In our possession of this weapon, as in our possession of other new -weapons, there is no threat to any nation. ; . , „ . "We regard the possession of this new power of destruction as a sacred trust, because of our love for peace. Thoughtful people of the world know the trust will not be violated and that it will be faithfully executed."