AMERICAN TROOPS

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1942, Page 1

AMERICAN TROOPS

ARRIVAL IN DOMINION Scenes at Wharf AUCKLAND, November 25. Typical of scenes bi’ought to New Zealand bv the participation of the United States in South Pacific fighting areas was the arrival of units ot the American Expeditionar-v Force which has been sent to the Dominion. There were dark-grey warships and sea-stained, deeo-laden transports. On their decks were soldiers of the Empire’s greatest ally; their holds were heavy with supplies and equipment. For hours next day the troopships snouted men; for days they gave up materials of war. > In the last 42 years, New Zealand three times has answered the call '>t her own Empire, and sent thousands upon thousands of her men to war. Never before has_-she been sent fight ing men to help her stand against, the threat of invasion. Never '«>efoi'e has she garrisoned a force which, with troops from her own soil, would ultimately move again over the broad and turmoiled! waters of the Pacific as units of the United Nations’ oflensive against the common Japanese foe. The date written across the grey skies which sat down_ on the troopships as they moved in line, ahead up the steel-coloured harbour was one which will stand forever emblazoned on the pages of New Zealand history. QUIET WELCOME. The welcome given was generally undemonstrative. Visiting correspondents decided it was characteristic of the country, and did not betoken lack of excitement, pleasure and gratitude. But for the men on the troopships there was no lack of colour in thejr arrival. Said every officer and man spoken to: “It gave us all a great kick. It did something inside us.’’ Cigarettes, oranges and coins showered down on the docks, as the transports were warped to their berths, each one muzzled bv fussing, smoke-belching tugs. New Zealand soldiers picked up the rain of goodwill gifts, waved, and, threw, their own money back to. their ships\_ New Zealand military bands played marches which have taken men into battle in France, Gallipoli, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Greece, Crete, Malaya—on every field where English-speaking soldiers have fought together. ROUSING AMERICAN TUNES. American bands on the ships came back with equally rousing tunes, the wide mouths of their sousaphones swaying over the heads of the tightlypacked blue-uniformed nurses and olive-drab soldiers, te notes of flutes rising prettily against the background of exultant noise “Colonel Bogey” from the wharf; “Roll Out the Barrel” from the ship. Passiny ferry boats blew their whistles, passengers waved' and cheered; and from the transports came the deep-throated football crowd roars of the United States soldiers. On one transport as she came into her berth the men jammed the decks on the city side, deserted the opposite decks, and listed the ship heavilv,. An American soldier who came to New Zealand a fortnight before with the advance party stood on the wharf and shouted: “No Scotch, 2 per centbeer, but nice folks.” “What town ? What town? Where are we?” Hundreds of soldiers asked the same question. The closest possible secrecy had surrounded not only the coming of the American Expeditionary Force, but also their departure from the United States. The troops themselves did not know the country for which they were bound until their transports had left the American coast. Those who watched the arrival of thp convoy and were aware of the material help already given New Zealand’s defences by American factories saw in the transports the rising of a mighty tide. There could, be no doubt of the contribution the force would make to the numbers of men already standing to' under arms in New' Zealand. More and more districts would swarm with armed men. 1 And later, after the disembarkation, therp was equal certaintv of the at tention paid bv the United States Government to the equipping of the force. It was . magnificently accout* ■ red. The men came from families who origin.allv, and even as late as the last generation, were of many nationalities. The ships’ censorship officers could testify to the number ol languages in which letters had necessarily to bo written because of parents •who could not read English. But whatever their (families’ origin the loyalty of the soldiers was obviouslj unswerving to the United States. The national identity of the fores was no better proved than at the wharf’s side. Most impressive moment of the arrival came when a New Zea land band played .“‘‘The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The tune lifted and swept across the roaring, noises of ships and piers and in an instant there was unbroken silence.