GENERAL DUIGAN

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1940, Page 3

GENERAL DUIGAN

Visits N.Z. Troops in (Official Correspondent with N.Z.E.F. in Middle East) CAIRO. December; 2. First-hand knowledge of activities of the Expeditionary Force in the Middle East has bene gained by the Chief of the New Zealana General Staff, General Duigan, who paid a brief visit to the force after attending the economic conference in India. Troops in the base camp paraded ceremonially in his honour, and he inspected training work before leaving to visit well-seasoned troops in the field. He was impressed by the splendid display provided by the troops on parade, and told them he could see the New Zealanders were becoming hard, tough anti ready to meet any possible emergency. General Duigan added: “It looks as if you will get a chance to meet the enemy later, and I am convinced he will then realise he is fighting soldiers for whom he should have the gieatest respect.” Sir John Duigan said he hoped to be home by Christmas and would take back greetings on’their behalf to those who wish them well, and whose thoughts were constantly with them.

A spirit o£ complete co-operation was the keynote of the Empire Conference held in India recently 1o discuss problems of wartime production and supply, said- General Duigan in an interview. He added that the conference laid plans for mobilising the whole resources of the countries forming the eastern bloc, with only one objective in view, namely, to defeat, the enemy. He could not yet reveal the specific part New Zealand or any other individual country would play when plans were in full operation, hut he said that results of the conference foreshadowed a tremendous increase in production of munitions, and supplies. General Duigan paid a tribute to the great spirit of confidence and enthusiasm which was evident, he said, among Empire peoples east of Suez,