DOMINION TROOPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20571, 3 June 1941, Page 6

DOMINION TROOPS

WELCOME BY PREMIER RETURN TO EGYPT (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) (Reed. June 3. 2 p.m.) CAIRO, June 2. As the long grey ships drew into the wharves, the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, watched and waited to welcome the Dominion’s fighting men from Crete who were on board. Last week-end Mr. Fraser visited the port of disembarkation. He stayed up throughout the whole of one night waiting for the ships as they came in at irregular intervals. Bearded, tired and worn men breathed the quiet, grim determination which impressed all who witnessed the disembarkation. On the wharves the men received food and hot drinks. The Y.M.C.A. aid splendid work in giving food, toilet gear, and doing all they could to make the soldiers comfortable. The same was true when the men eventually reached their transit camp. Mr. Fraser went out in the middle of the night to. welcome back MajorGeneral B. C. Freyberg, who stayed with his troops until the evacuation was almost concluded. Major-General Freyberg looked tired and worn, but he too breathed the .same quiet determination as his men. During the day Mr. Fraser visited the wounded at the hospitals and went out to see the men who were settling in their ‘transit, camps. It was amazing to see how rapidly the condition of these men improved after the food and rest they received. One could not help but notice their fine physical condition. The week-end was particularly strenuous for Mr. Fraser. In spite of his accident earlier in the week, he continued with a minimum amount of sleep to satisfy himself in official quarters that everything possible was being done for the New Zealanders, and at the same time he did not miss one opportunity to see the men who had suffered such a terrible ordeal and had fought under such adverse conditions. Volumes of Appreciation The first welcoming hand outstretched to Major-General Freyberg as he stepped ashore in Egypt on his return from Crete was that of Mr. Fraser. A hearty handclasp between the leading civilian and the military representatives of the Dominion spoke volumes of appreciation and gratitude to the general officers and men of New Zealand forces who had been in Crete and had fought so magnificently there, as well also as relief on the part of Mr. Fraser that the general and the men under his command had been safely evacuated, and on the part of the general of pleasure at arriving back among his friends and colleagues with so many of his men after fighting one of the most difficult battles or series of battles of all time.

Mr. Fraser, accompanied by Mr. C. A. Berendsen, arrived at Alexendria from Cairo on Thursday evening and occupied Friday visiting in the Alexandria hospitals the New Zealanders who were wounded in Crete. He also met personally the men who had arrived the previous day. Major-General Freyberg and those with him arrived at 4 a.m. on Saturday morning. Brigadiers Puttick, Stewart and Inglis also returned on Saturday morning and Brigadier Hardest on Sunday morning. Officers and men have been arriving since Thursday evening. Mr. Fraser had many consultations with the Middle East Command of sea, land and air on the important subject of the exacuation of our forces in Crete.