G.O.C. REPORTS

Evening Star, Issue 23501, 15 February 1940, Page 17

G.O.C. REPORTS

STORY OF N.Z. TROOPS' VOYAGE GREAT ARMADA UNMOLESTED [i'EK United I’kess Association.] ■WELLINGTON, February 14. An account of the voyage of the Now Zealand troops to Egypt is contained ill the following despatch from Major-general Freyberg, Which was received by the Prime Minister, Air Savage at noon to-day:— “ The work of guarding the convoy was carried out by the Royal Navy, assisted by a powerful escort comprising ships of the iloyal Navy, the'lloyal Australian Navy, the New Zealand Division of tho Iloyal Navy, and the French Navy. No member of the force will over forget the wonderful andi imposing sight of that lleet of great liners and warships as day by day it forged unmolested towards its goal. The imposing spectacle was pnotographed from the air by flic official cameraman, who circled round the leading ships as they steamed up the lied Sea. The whole Wip' will be remembered by all ranks. ‘ ci It'is the first time that troops leaving New Zealand have travelled in great liners of the' British and foreign mercantile marines. It was very different from travelling in the holds of cargo ships as their gdllant predecessors travelled on this journey. The men had the spacious decks of these liners for deck games and swimming baths. In many ways it resembled a cruise, though ; of course, every available opportunity was taken to continue tllo military training and physical drill of all ranks. , “ l am glad to report that as a.result of the healthy life led by the force, with, the exception of a small amount of illness, a few minor accidents, andl one death, the men arrived looking bronzed and the ihcturo of health. ONE DEATH. “ Bombardier Kerr-Taylor, who died from acute heart failure following septic tonsilitis, was buried at sea with full military honours. It is to bo recorded that everything that medical skill couldl do was done. Bombardier Kerr-Taylor was popular with his comrades and officers, and his loss was keenly felt by everyone on the transport. “ Shore leave was granted to the men at the ports of call, and this privilege was enjoyed by all to tho full.” After making interesting reference to the ports of call, General Freyberg concludes; “As I write hero in my office at divisional headquarters in our camp, I can hear tho strains of the band of a famous British regiment and the pipes and drums of a famous Scottish regiment playing one of our' units into camp, -where, an excellent meal has been provided for them, and where they will draw their bedding and-equip-ment and make themselves comfortable for the night.” THE WELCOME. The arrival at Suez of the ships of the. New convoy is thus described by 1 Genera! Freyberg in a further cablegram to Mr Savage:— “ After a great number of alterations ,in plans owing to the fact that Mr Edeu was reported to have been held up by adverse weather at Marseilles, tho original plan for welcoming the Australian and New. Zealand 1 troops 'was earned out This wqs particularly gratifying to the New .Zealanders, because, if Mr Eden had been* late, he would have gone straight to the disembarkation of tho Australians at Kantara, entirely missing the New Zealand arrival earlier in the morning. As it was, the welcome to the New Zealanders at Suez started at 9.30 a.m. and continued until 12.30, when Mr Eden went to lunch at Ismailia on his way to join the Australians.

" Soon after daybreak on the 12th, the leading transports steamed into tho harbour of Suez and were met by me and those members of my staif who had arrived in Egypt. Wo went out by launch, but were unable to board the first ship until the doctor had completed his examination. “ A little later a further launch bearing tho Ambassador’s flag brought out Sir Miles Lanipson, Mr Eden, General Sir Archibald Waved, G.O.C. in the Middle East, and General H. M. Wilson, G.O.C. of the British troops in Egypt, whom many will remember as a G.S.O. of the New Zealand Division in France. In addition to this distinguished company was Mahmoud Azmy Bey, Governor of the Suez Canal Zone. After introductions all round to the senior officers on the ship and the nurses tho distinguished visitors went to the after deck, where they met the men.

“ Speaking from a hatch cover under the Bed Ensign of the mercantile marine with men filling every vantage point, including the rigging, Sir Miles Lanipson read the speech on behalf of the King, which was loudly cheered. Mr Eden Welcomed tho Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and then General Waved said how pleased he was to have the New Zealanders under his command, remembering as he did the magnificent reputation for efficiency and fighting qualities possessed by the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force. I then replied shortly, thanking the King for his inspiring message and thanking Mr Eden and General Waved for their welcome on behalf of the people of Great Britain and the Army of the Middle East. As soon as the first troops had landed I sent off the following telegrams:— To His Majesty King George VI.

—Your Majesty’s most gracious message which was read to us this historic morning has inspired us all. May I send to your Majesty, our revered Sovereign, from all ranks of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, expressions •of our loyalty and assurance of our devotion? To First Lord of the Admiralty. —May I. sir, on behalf of all ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, thank the commanders and ships’ companies of the gallant ships which escorted us on this journey for the great care they took for our safety? Headquarters Australian Imperial Force, Kantara. —On this historic day all ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force send their greetings to their comrades, of the Second Australian Imperial Force now disembarking in Egypt. Our association during the voyage is remembered by us all with great pride. The fact that the intrepid Aussies will be upon our flank fills us with pride and great confidence. “ Four of the ships were too large to be taken alongside the wharves at Suez, so disembarkation was started in lighters, while the smaller ships were able to tie up and disembark by gangway. “Lighter after lighter laden with men was tugged to the shore, and as

they disembarked tho hand of one of the British regular regiments was playing on tho quay. As tho men marched away to the train, carrying their kit bags and rifles, they had to pass the smaller ships, tho men on the latter manning the sides and cheering them as they went away to entrain for their camps. “ This busy scene on the quay took place in brilliant sunshine, and was carried out in good order, and I heard on all sides the most complimentary remarks made by tho disembarkation staff and visiting generals upon the appearance and general bearing of our troops.” SOLDIER JOURNALIST’S STORY.

Tho following account by a New Zealand soldier journalist of the first echelon’s arrival in Egypt was commissioned bv the Government and issued to the Press to-night by the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Fraser). The author is Robin T. Miller, in civil life a reporter on the Auckland ‘ Star,’ in the Army a signaller:—■ ■ Egypt, February 13.

“We of the first echelon of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force have witnessed to-night the thrilling spectacle of the sun setting over tho sands of Egypt. It was the climax to a whole scries of adventures and surprises, for it was the "end of our first day in the camp that is to take its turn as our home, and the end of five weeks’ journeying by sea and land. “ Our spirits are high to-night. We have passed through the temporary stage of confusion that seems to beset us every time our environment is changed, and the impression which is growing with most of us of the conditions in this newly-built camp seems to be one of agreeable surprise. What is more, wo are realising more fully than ever before that wo are seeing a world far bigger than that which once may have seemed to be bounded by the shores of New Zealand. In short, however gravely we regard the duty which has brought us here, we have been gripped by the adventure which that duty has thrown upon us. “ This new camp is a mile long, a cluster of tents and wooden buildings set on rising sandy ground, well clear of places of normal habitation. Native workmen are still busy with the final stages of construction of the buildings for administration, cooking, and other purposes, but tho tents to which we were allotted to-day were ready, even to the placing of our beds and mattresses.

“ It seems an age since our convoy sailed majestically out of Cook Strait: yet) strangely enough, no period of time has passed so quickly. The weather has been so exceptionally fine that few of us have yet tasted the discomforts of seasickness, and more than one was disappointed at missing the experience of a storm at sea. “ Added to the pleasantness of the voyage was the fact that an abundance of activity and diversions left little chance for monotony to creep in. There were jobs and duties to do about the ships. Training was continued as far as possible, and we provided the talent and the audiences for concerts and sporting events. “Australia seemed to take us to her big heart when we went ashore to spend our leave. It was almost as if wo were given the hey to the State capital so generous and warm-hearted’ was . the welcome which we received. There, too, we hadl our first opportunity of greeting the men of the Australian Imperial Force, whoso convoy had by this time linked np with ours. The meeting was so happy that wc felt sure the spirit of Anzac is living all over again. ; “After we left Australia wc continued steadily northwards until our oourse followed the sea lanes of the East. Our arrival at onr next stop found ns almost impatient in our eagerness for the first glimpse of a land that was really different, “ While memories of these interludes were still with ns, we now looked more than ever to the future, for we knew we were beginning the last stage of our voyage. The sight of land excited us, and the thrill of anticipation grew strongest when the modern skyline of Suez appeared through the early morning mist. That day, and on the next, and the next again, the troops streamed from our ships and »|uickly and quietly the trains whisked ns past the kaleidoscopic scenes to our camp on the Egyptian sands.”